MAJOR JOHN WHITNEY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 144, 14 March 1921, Page 5

MAJOR JOHN WHITNEY

DUE BACK FROM ENGLAND -

TO-DAY

Major John Whitney and Miss Whitney are among the passengers arriving by R.M.S. Corinthic at Wellington today. , Major Whitney is returning to New Zealand after an absence in England Scotland, and Ireland of about two years. Major Whitney enjoyed some excellent covert shooting in the South of England, and his last shoot at Tichborne Park, Dorsetshire, seven guns, resulted in a mixed bag of 643 birds, including pheasants, partridges, woodcock, hares, and four . sundries. At one drive the gnus were posted -sixty yards from the covert, and the birds were flying very high down wind. Major Whitney, who was using two guns with a keeper to load for him, dropped, fourteen out of fifteen birds fired at, and the fifteenth was picked up dead some distance behind the line after the drive had finished. While in England, Major Whitney completed the purchase of the Colonial Ammunition Company’s New Zealand works and business. This will in future be carried on by his own company, which will be known as the Colonial Ammunition Company, New Zealand, Ltd. Major Whitney started the ammunition industry in New Zealand in 1884-5, thirty-six years ago. This was the date of the Russian war- scare. In 1887 he turned his industry into a company, and after a period of thirty-six years he has repurchased the works and business, and his new company will be composed of himself and shareholders residing in Now Zealand.

During Major John Whitney’s stay in England, the United Service Club, Pall Mall, London, made him a life member of the club as an acknowledgment of his services to the Empire, first in starting his ammunition industry in New Zealand in 1884-5, and subsequently by valuable work done in the, Boer War and the Great War in regard to tho supply.' of war material.

Without "C.A.C.” cartridges it would have been nearly impossible to send troops from Nerv Zealand and Australia to these wars, because .303 Mark VI was the only ammunition that could bo used in the New Zealand and Australian rifles, and no other rifles were available. In the Great War the British forces, on the other hand, were armed with rifles taking the .303 Mark VII cartridge, and it was those fhat were so urgently required during the first eighteen months or two years of the contest. The two ammunition factories at Auckland and Melbourne were kept going at top speed to prevent a failure 'n the supply of ammunition required for the New Zealand and Australian troops. Towards the latter part of the war, when ’.here was an abundant supply of Mark VII available, troops from the Dominion and flie Commonwealth were armed with the rifle to take. .303 Mark VII cartridges. Moreover, large quantities of metal made from Australian minerals at the Colonial Ammunition Company’s roller and refining mills, were sent to England to assist in turning out smallarms ammunition, there being l a considerable shortage in England at the time. Before leaving for England two years ago, Major John Whitney sold his home at Waiwera, some thirty miles from Auckland, where he. had resided for over thirty years. In future he will live in Auckland.