THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 14

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Sbktbt.

Congratulations to - the A.A.G. It is intimated in the Gazette that the promotion of Lieutenant Hickey, D.5.0., A.A.G. Otago military district, to be captain has been approved. The promotion of Captain Crawford (acting major), No. 1 Battalion 0.R.V., to be major is* also gazetted. A church parade of No. 1 Battalion will be held on March 1. Caversham Presbyterian Church has been selected, and the esteem in which the popular and zealous Chaplain-major Dutton is held will no doubt be attested by large musters. Lieutenant Jack has now 6O far recovered as to be able to leave his home. He proposes to mttke liolicla-y to complete hie recovery.

The secretary of the Non-Corns.' Club 'desires members to return all borrowed books belonging to the club in order that they may be catalogued.

At a meeting of the Ist Railway Pioneer Corps Mr Robert Wardle was unanimously elected to fill the position of lieutenant. '.Lieutenant Wardle was recently conmeoted with the Canterbury Engineers, in which corps he served for two yearsi prior to that he was for six years a member of the N Battery Garrison Artillery. * He is the 6on of ex-Sergeant-major Wardle, of the Permanent Artillery, and hie acceptance of a position in the new corps is likely to be of great assistance in the work that will be laid out for that corps. The uniforms are now being made, and very soon we may expect to ace * full parade in uniforms of khaki ; the material is of a new shade and pattern lately ■adopted by the Government, and should look smart.

The members of B Battery have every reason to be pleased with their shoot of .Saturday, February 1, which was so excellent as to practically assure them of first-class grade. The weather conditions were ideal *nd the locality in pleasant contrast with the barren Barewood district, where the shooting has previously been carried out. The observation of Percussion Hill was rendered extremely difficult by reason of ft© thick fern coating the ground, and ln_ this respect Bjurewood with its dusty ]K>il was preferable. But the advantage ended here, and few of the battery men -rill readily forget their impressions of Hampden country as it apiiea-red on Saturday under a clear sky an 3 flanked by tlie blue sea.

The arrangements for the transport of Ihe battery were in every way admirable, »n important feature being that the men Were able to proceed fresh to the shoot, ■*ll the preliminary bustle of detraining ■*nd fuzing shells having been attended to by an advance party. The commissariat left nothing to be desired, for which the fcxttery recognises its obligation to its ija*rtermaster— an excellent officer whose

! ingenuity in obtaining provender as varied as it is nutritious is proverbial. . Although prior to the shoot Battery I members were relieved of entraining, etc., 1 their abilities in this direction were fairly tested on the return trip, when the loading was accomplished in slightly o\er 20 minutes, and tho detraining at Dunedin in eight minutes, by which time the guns were ready to move off. The Battery this year went into camp with an even larger percentage of recruits than formerly, and the steadiness of these men in action was remarkable. There is ■' possibly no reason why this 6hould be otherwise, but men unaccustomed to the firing of guns are often unaccountably nervous in the service of the first few rounds, resulting in mistakes, and more frequently in talking. This, however, was entirely absent on Saturday, and in consequence the fiie discipline was excellent, quiet speed predominating. * f he manoeuvring was carried out successfully, but still better work would have been done had the horses attached to the centre gun been better suited to the business. During the day some very tricky - hillsides | were negotiated by the drivers, of whom the battery i 6 possessed of a very capable i setj The corps is to be complimented on its hard work during the year, made manifest by the shell practice firing, and I extend the hope that it may this time retain for Otago district the much-coveted field artillery challenge 6hield. i The function at the Garrison Hall on Wednesday evening, when Sir James Mills, hon. captain of the Dunedin Engineers, was introduced to hie eorp6, was brief, but interesting. The Garrison Band,' as usual, mustered well and assisted the ceremony both by their presence and their music. ;Both the senior and junior corps were well represented, and the steadiness and trimness of the men and the lads could not but be remarked. The hon. captain — who presumably will be uniformed by the time he next inspects his company — passed round the lines, accompanied by Colonel Robin, C.8., C.G.S.. Lieut.-colonel Smyth, O.C. District, and Captain Rosa. The O.C. ) District then introduced to the hon. captain the officers of both corps, commencing with Captain Roes, whom the hon. captain , seemed to have met before. The hon.

captain's address to the men was very brief. , He was surprised and pleased to see • such a creditable turn out oi such a fine body of men. Though not an active officer, he hoped to be of service to them from time to time. i Colonel Robin pointed out the significance of the function. The acceptance of I the position of hon. captain by a man like Sir Jamee Mills meant a great deal more than they perhaps thought. They were committed to a voluntary defence force, and the fact of public men coming forward and idpniifjing themselves with the Volunteer poips must lift Volunteering into gieater prommfnee in the public eye and , gain for it greater respect and support.

The visitors then retired, and the subsequent march out by the two companies, headed by the Garrison Band, was witnessed by a large number of people.

Her Excellency Lady Plunket, who was recently elected hon. colonel of the 2nd North Canterbury Regiment Mounted Rifles, promptly indicated a live interest in Volunteering by presenting a shield, to be known as the Lady Plunket Shield, for competition amongst the Mounted Rifles of New Zealand. The first annual competition will take place at Christcuhrch on March 13. Each squadron may enter one team only, to consist of two sergeants or corporals and six men, under the command of a non-commissioned officer, who will not fire. All the members of a team must have gone through the previous year's annual training in camp, and the horses must have been through the same training. Each tea-m trill fire for 60 seconds in any military position, extended order, at targets 2 by 2 (rowe of four), hits on target to count one each. The competition is free, and ammunition will be supplied. Pointed sights or orthoptics are not permitted. The squadron whose team has the highest aggregate numbev of point* will hold the shield for a year. The winning squad will be the one which obtains the highest aggregate of points for time, judging distance, riding, dress, drill, and hits on target. It is probable that a team will be sent to represent the Otago Hussars.

It is proposed to hold on March 12, at Christchurch in connection with the Lady Plunket Shield competition a military tournament, open to competing teams, the idea being to provide funds to defray the expenses of the teams. Free railway passes for men and horses will be granted. The first competition of No. 2 match in connection with Wednesday -hooting was commenced at Pelichet Bay last week, the number present beiryj up to the average. In this match there will be four competitions, the three highest to count, .Two ranges will be used in each competition, seven shots at each range. As the match is a handicap one there is equal opportunity for recruit and champion to annex the prize. In view of the large number of picnics arranged for that day there will be no shooting next Wednesday. In war time the gathering of the harvests is left to the old men and the physically unfit, whilst the muscle and sinew of the land perform prodigies of valour in the field of a different character. In the time of peace to delegate the same iiseful offices to the veterans in order that the ablebodied youth might practice war woujd border iSpon the absurd. Besides tho old men. might reasonably protest. The. defence authorities endeavour to avoid the absurd, hence several mounted corps in tne Otagp dlstriot have had their camps postponed because of the pressure of harvest work. The North Otago, Clutha, Mataura, and Maniototo Mounted Rifles camps have been deferred. These will take place in March, and the capitation will not be affected by the postponement.

The Kel<=o Mounted Rifles will hold their annual training us arranged, and a good muster is anticipated. Lieut.-colonel Smyth, O.C. District, went south yesterday and will inspiect tho corps.

The new short rifle will presently bo issued to the mounted troops. Supplies of the new weapon are in the stores, and will be issued at the various camps. The Kelso Mounted Rifles will be the first to receive the new arm.

In connection with the formation, of the proposed new infantry corps I understand there are olose upon 50 names on the roll. The establishment of the corps as practically assured, and it is a pleasant indication of a gathering interest in defence matters. Captain Creagh has resigned command of the Waikiki Mounted Rifles, the reason alleged (according to the North Otago Times) being- -dis^a-ti^-action vrith _ The methods by which the department administers it« affairs. Captain Creagh was attached to the Dunedin Navals from 1867 till 1874. He then went to Oamaru, joining the I Battery, of which he" became captain, retaining that position until the Oamaru Battery ceased to exist. In 1892 he was plaoed on the active unattached list, but in 1900 organised the Waitaki Mounted Rifles, of which he has been captain up till the present time. Two other officers of the company have also resigned. The Noith Otago Times understands that a petition from the whole of his corps will be presented to Captain Creagh asking him to reconsider his decision.

The Electric Light Volunteer Company, recently formed in Wellington in succession to the disbanded corps of Submarine Miners, is (says the Post) becoming well established, and there is a thoroughness characterising the initial phases of its work that augurs well for the company's future. At a recent parade Lieutenantcolonel Campbell, officer commanding the' division, expressed himself well plea-aed with the progress the men were making.

Recently the Army Council issued a memo, pointing out that firing at fixed targets of known ranges was not the best way to train men for service, in which distances had to be judged and moving and frequently very indistinct objects had to be fired at. The outcome wa» a storm of press criticism on behalf of the rifle meetings. The subject is thus dealt with by the United Service Gazette: — "The true test of successful military shooting lies, first of all, in the soldier being capable of making a fairly accurate guess at the distance over which he is firing, and then to be expert enough to bring down an object that is in motion, »and tnie is quite the antithesis of Bisley, where_ the distances are marked and the firing is at familiar objects and fixed targets. Of crack shots we have enough and to 3pare for all the real use they will ever be_ to us, but what we actually need is practical shooting under conditions as nearly as possible approaching those that would obtain in actual warfare. This it ie that the War Office wants to see done, its -lan for

making shooting at rifle meetings approximate moi c closely to service conditions bemcr the bone of contention that has raised such a storm of opposition in shooting circles. -It is thought that if the National Rifle Association is induced to relinquish stationary targets at Bisley, the .entries will diminish. As the entry money pro\idcs the funds of the National Rifle As-ociation, the falling off in number of comppthors might have an effect on the financial prosperity of that body for a time, which it i_ not prepared to afford, and which it certainly decs not regard with equanimity. But there aie two sides to a question generally, and the other side of this is th«.t ammunition is euppleid to the I-i«ley meeting at the expense of the public, and should therefore be expended in the wav that is deemed most advantageous to the country.''