Volunteer Items.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 92, 2 February 1892, Page 3

Volunteer Items.

* The dates of the February parades of tho Manchester Rifles are published to-day. As the report and balance sheet of the corps will be read at the meeting on Thursday next, and final arrangement^ will be made anent obtaining the new uniforms, a full attendance is requested. Undress uniforms. An invention in gunnery, which it is claimed will render accident by explosion impossible, has just been patented throughout the world by Captain Just, late of Tasmania, under the name of the Just Spherical Breech „A ction Gun. The inventor proposes to do away with the breech action now in use, and in its place to substitute an arrangement by which the ball is. operated upon in such a manner as to prevent any accident similar to the recent explosion at the Queens - cliffe battery. Several military and other gentlemen interested visited Queenscliffe h.idy, and the invention was explained by Captain J. Noel Carey, R. A, Captain Just was also present. The Manawatu Times learns on reliable authority that Lieutenants liunk and Pringle, of the Mounted Infantry, have passed their preliminary examinations, although no official intimation has yet been received. Volunteer F. W- Dunderdale has been elected Lieutenant of the Palmerston North Rifles. The recruits who have lately joined the Manchester Rifles are valuable acquisitions. One of them will be appointed bugler to the corps. Captain Francis Fox, the newly appointed Commandant of the New Zealand forces, is a sufferer from influenza. It was originally his intention to sail for the colonies by the Arcadia on February sth, but his illness has. compelled him, to await the departure pf the Ballarat. For some years the Wellington Gity -Rifles, have encouraged attend- . ance at drills by awarding prizes for the best attendance throughout the year, and it is well known with very satisfactory results, as may be learnt from the fact that the company, by its good musters last year, capitated 69 men out of a possible 70. Fortyfive parades were held during the year, and the number of prizes granted we're ten, ranging from £3 to £1. Non-commissioned officers do not participate, but recruits who join in the first quarter of the year are eligible.— Post. .