Inspection of Manchester Rifles

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 42, 24 September 1892, Page 2

Inspection of Manchester Rifles

On Thursday night the Manchester 1 Eifles were inspected by Colonel Fox in 1 the Assembly Booms. Lieut-Col. Newall 1 was also present. Thirty-four were pre--1 sent. Lieut. Eirton put the corps through some company movements, Lieut. Bray ' through the manual and firing exercise, 1 Sergt. Evans the bayonet exercise, Corp. ' Bellve and Corp. Petherick put the men through the manual exercise and company movements. i At the conclusion of the inspection Col. * Fox said he had been disappointed that evening in finding that the corps was 1 not up to the standard of other corps in 1 the district. He had heard since he ar--1 rived, and to a certain extent he had been > warned before hand, of the difficult they 1 had to contend with in not having a drill hall. Some consideration had to be > given to this point and the wet season, 1 but after making due allowance for these drawbacks and allowing for young 1 soldiers in the ranks, he expected to have found them in a better state of efficiency. The non-commissioned officers were not up to the mark, especially in taking their correct positions in company movements. He would be obliged to report the condition in which he had found the corps, but at the same time he would make representations in regard to their want of a drill hall. He had no doubt that something might be done towards paying for the use of the hall they were then using. He had been told they were making arrangements to rent it, if they did he thought Government would give some assistance. Anyhow he would try to get it done. He noticed that there were a good number of absentees that evening. Lieut. Kirton said a number of the men were absent in the country bushfelling and road-making. Lieut-Col. Newall afterwards addressed a few encouraging remarks to the corps, and said that with better accommodation for drilling they would Boon arrive at a higher state of efficiency.