Among the "Tommies."

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 156, 27 June 1903, Page 22

Among the "Tommies."

By Swaddy.

Subalterns are intended to b© useful, as well as ornamental. I note that most subalterns in Wellington are used chiefly for mural decorations. Wallflower subs. are absolutely useless. They should be dug out of their mouldy surroundings), and made to blossom forth lnrto officers who can handle their men. • # • On the 17th, the "Kilties" mustered 39 head, or should I say "leg?" Sergt.Major Colclough drilled these badlydressed troops. They drilled better than they dressed. Volunteers have probably read that Kitchener attaches slight importance to smart appearance of men on parade. Wellington swaddies should remember that up to now dress regulations exist Inspection in Wellington is 1 of the most desultory nan ture. A man who doesn't know how to wear his gear is merely a laughing stock. • ♦ • Wheels rolled up strongly on the 18th— 24 out of a strength of 26— a record parade. Twenty-seven Guards, a sorry lot, and the Wheels were put through section rifle drill by non. -corns. • • • What has become of the programme of military sports to be held at Petone in January next? I believe corps from South and North have intimated their intention of entering. The matter should be ->ushed ahead right away. * * • The benefit to be derived from NonCorns' Club lectures is very evident. Commissioned officers are expressing a desire to attend. I sincerely trust they will * *• » Post and Rails, on the 19th set an example other corps would do w ell to follow in the matter of attendance. 44 turning up t*> parade, w hile 25 Civils ■were found to face the music, onei of them not dressed— he lacked leggings. Though, the command with the "long name" is still in evidence, it was good to hear and note the effect of the tones of one non-com of each corps thear men, smartened up involuntarily Useful manual drill was put in by Civils, while the. men of "Wire," under Sergt. Mayor Colclough, had to some extent to revert to ancient history — the 1902 book — in order to qualify for an onerous function at a future date, as they. in coniuiLotion with the "Aristocrats," have the distinction of furnishing a guard of honour at the onenm* 1 ' of the Court of King Dick. The half-guard under notice wdl have to be swifter in their movements, and steadier in the ranks, to rive full satisfaction — they have the right men to teach them the way. * • • It is a fact that the petticoat company is on a solid footing They have abolished the entrance foe of £2 2s but are refusing recruits who don't attain the altitude of sft 6in. * • • A correspondent enlarges on the advantages to be gained to volunteering by the establishment of a Service Club. He suggests the erection on the airea at the back of the present diillshed of a two-storey building, the whole of the ground space then possible being ntalised for full company movements. The second floor would, in the mind's eye of the enthusiast, be devoted to orderly rooms and an entertainment hall. He says that the scheme is bound to come to pass unless volunteering becomes "corpsed." Notion number too is new in this district, but not in others, where a red letter day for the inhabitants is that of the annual picnic held by certain colonial Tommies. No doubt more will be heard of this. Notion number three, a football tournament, to be run by Non-coms.' Club, has retired from public life for repairs, having been sat upon by the powers that be. * * * On the 22nd, a well-dressed body of the "Ancient" olan, in company with a bunch of Fernleaves, assembled for purpose of turning over a new leaf in the Drill-book. Neither corps was as strong as it should have been, owing probably to the weather. Doubtless, some of the former are afflicted with rheiumaitisin, but there is no excuse for the latter, who, under the conditions*, should flourish. * * # The turning of the leaf w y as interesting to the volunteer, provided he was not made to swallow too much at once, and sorrowful to the onlooker, who could not but wonder at the absolute ignorance displayed by some of the participant®. There were men present, I am certain, who have never seen a drill-book except from ai distance, and certainly have never looked into one.

This is not as it should be. A man who volunteer* for military instruction should not rest content w ith w hat he can pick up one day per week from his instructor. For Is he may buy a book and study, thereby benefiting not only himself but. his corps, and rendering the work of an, instructor comparatively There should be a rule in all corps, to be adhered to as closely as possible, tlhat a syllabus of the month's work must be placed in the orderly rooms. Some do this I be'ieve, but others do not The advantages' of the mle are obvious., * *■ * Kiltiesi started class-firing at the Gully on Saturday, 19th. About fifteen got in two ranees Good business. It is to be hoped they will stick at it, though it is a cold pla.se in w inter. By tihe v. ay, they didn't wear kilts. * ♦ * Ha,lf King Dick's guard of honour, lepresemted by 30 Aristocrats under Captain Turner and Lieutenant Ellis, assembled at the. shed on the 23rd for tihe purpose of mastering the details of thedr coming duty. A defect. — shortage of one or two belts and side airing — w ill no doubt be remedied before the eventful occasion. The pa.rade was wonderfully steady as a rule, but some of tfhe men, in sloping arms, will duck their heads. There, is no need to duck unless the other fellow has the rifle. Nearly all lacked crispness in the movements that were performed, particularly in forming fours and reforming. » * * Captain Davis formed one of the 22 plums of the Kelburne brigade. Where are the rest of this famous X brand ? Put aside for future use p They will probably be a pretty mouldy lot when called on. • • • Those in evidence had a useful and eniovable time under their new coloursergeant in the varied w r ork given them, first in manual and firing and also in a capital setting-up drill, the 'physical," an exercise now seldom seen in the shed and one that many men. are greatly in need of. A variety drill is beneficial too and more appreciated by the men than is a long-drawn one-horse show. ♦ * * A spectre of the lecruit compar--haunted the shed on the 23rd, whereon a fearless, member of the Non-Corns' Club promptly haled it to his room, and for a solid hour dosed it w ith a lecture on the parts and so forth of the LeekEn field. It is to be hoped the devotion of the above> non-com, will be rewarded. , ♦ * ♦ A stretcher party of the "Saw bones and Corpse Carriers" turned up — for what purpose I know not. Where is the magician who will infuse life into this service inanimate body ? Let him come soon, or he will be too late.

The widespread clientage of the Freeman and Wallace Electro-Medical Institute, Sydney, is illustrated by a street incident reported in the Sydney papers. An elderly man -Has observed by the police to totter and fall in Elizabeth-street. He «as taken care of, and proved to be Mr. W. A. Lutze, pastorahst, who, had travelled ail the way from his run in South Australia to consult the specialists of the Institute for epilepsy, and had been stricken down with a fit when almost at his destination. After recovering at a hospital from the sudden seizure, Mr. Lutze nlaced himself under the care of the Institute experts, and at latest advices he was fast lecovering his health. • • « Mr. Samuel E. Vaile of Auckland, in a recently-issued pamphlet, points out "The True Position of Our New Zealand Railway Investment " He bases his comments, arguments and explanation of the position on the fact that the loss last vea,r was £1,000,095, and shows how, in his opinion, the railways should be run to ensure a profit. The pamphlet contains many tables sliowmg the true position and working of the whole of the New Zealand railways during named periods, and of specified sections.