THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 14

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By Skntby.

The four new guns for B Battery will shortly be delivered in Dunedin. Of the three guns at present in use with B Battery two will be forwarded to the Nelson and #ne to the Canterbury district. Waterproof sheets can now be obtained from the Defence .Stores, Wellington, at the rate of 5s each for a quantity, and 6s each for a single sheet. The competition for the Plunket Shield has been indefinitely postponed. The contract for four field cable carts for engineering companies- has been let. An endeavour is ' being made to have these carts handed over to the companies for the Easter manoeuvres. Captain Barclay (late adjutant of No. 1 Battalion 0.R.V.) and Mrs Barclay left Dunedin last Wednesday for their newlio"me in Sydney. A number of friends were present to say farewell. Sergeant M'Kenzie (79 per cent.), Sergeant Thomson (81 per cent.), and Corporal Kempthorne (59 per cent.), all of D Squadron Second Regiment 0.M.R.V., have passed the required examination for N.C.O.'s. It is expected that the maps of the country to- be covered in connection with the Easter manoeuvres will be finished shortly. Colonel Collins will represent the Defence Council at the Otago manoeuvres. Individual members who have been unable to attend the annual camp of their own squadron, may put in the parades required to capitate et the regimental camp to be held near Falmferston from the Bth to 16th April, 1908. Swords and bayonets will be worn during manoeuvres, except that Infantry Company officers will not wear swords. In no case are swords to be drawn or bayonets fixed when opposing forces are operating. The detailed result of the Sargood Cup competition is as follows: —

An order issued throughout India prohibits officers who may visit -tfrinking^Jjaf^ from treating their fellow-officers to drinks. The position of adjutant of No. 1 Battalion, left vacant by the departure of Captain Barclay, is to be filled by the' appointment of Captain M'Ara, of the moribund Dunedin City Rifles. Captain M'Ara

brings to the position the faculty for doin/r things, and doing them promptly and thoroughly. He is one of the keenest officers of the battalion, and has neglected no available opportunity for acquiring personal efficiency. Like his predecessor, he has fcehmd him a sound commercial training in addition to his military experience. He ie not unpractised in the duties of the position, for he has been acting-adjutant upon two previous occasions — March lij to 'November 26, 1904, and October 1 to December 21, 1907. Joining the Dunedin Oity Rifles in April, 1899, he was appointed subaltern jn September of the same year. In May, 1902, he was appointed actingcaptain, and he became captain in September of that year. At, the School of Military Instruction h«ld in February and IVXaroh, 1904, he passed in all subjects, with speoi&l' mention, and distinguished in musketry. He also attended the 10 days' general course in September, 1907. The battalion will be well served by its new adjutant. The following paragraph from a Home paper suggests a. successor to Major Johnston: — "The War Office has notified that an officer of Royal Garrison Artillery (not below the rank of captain) is required for the post of Director of Ordnance and Oommandant of the Permanent Force* of New Zealand." When 6o muoh in the pessimistio strain is being heard ooncernnag the defence forces it ie refreshing to refer to a corps which pulses with vigorous life from head to toe, so to speak. Captain Ritchie had some interesting things to tell the members of B Battery' at the annual social on Wednesday evening, and the function waa necessarily joyous and enthusiastic. The battery is to be heartily congratulated i upon winning the Rhodes Cup for the best •shooting during the year. And there is the prospect of a> ye* more acceptable announcement when the full results of the competitive tests are known. From latest information it appears the proposed new mounted corps in Dunedin is scarcely likely to struggle into existence. The task of forming a complete new mounted corps in a district where an established corps is short of fuU/strength was almost too formidable. A final meeting of the prospective members will presently decide the question one way or another. ' It is opportune to remind those who signified their willingness to take up the burden of defence in the proposed corps that there are vacancies in the Otago Hussars — a corps both well officered and up to date. Attention is directed to the conditions for the Daily Mail's fifty-guinea challenge cup, the first competition for which was won by the Guernsey and Alderney Militia Rifle Association last Empire Day : — Open to rifle associations and rifle clubs; silver medals to be presented to the winning team ; the competition to take place on Empiio Day (May 24); ranges: 200, 500, and C4O yards ; rounds : sighting shot at each s'junge, seven scoring shote ; position : any, ritn head to target ± team : eieht

highest ecores on the day of the match to oount as team ; there will be no entrance fee, at leaet, for this year^ all competitors to be bona fide members of the association or rifle club* under which they shoot, and Bisley rules for current year governing the conditions of tho match; the match to be shot under the direotion, of an independent range officer, who will sign the score sheets, which must record the conditions of the weather; Major J. .G. Hughes,.. D.5. 0., superintending officer for rifle clubs, will issue the necessary detail, and all correspondence on this subject to be addressed to him, " Headquarters, Wellington." The members of the Oamaru Rifles held a social for the purpose of bidding farewell to Captain A. G. Mah&n. Lientenant Jessep, in making a presentation to Captain Mahan, said the company had improved both financially and numerically since the O.C. took charge until now it ranked amongst the best in the district. In replying, Captain Mahan urged upon the men the necessity of pulling together in order to keep the corps in its present satisfactory condition. Upon the younger members he urged especially the necessity of going to the rifle range and improving their snooting, which was one of the essentials of Volunteering. A NEW BAYONET. The usefulness of the bayonet as a modern fighting weapon is still to be acknowledged. The original style of bayonet was a long rapier blade fixed in a handle and carried in a sheath. The British army will revert to the sword bayonet with a sword hilt? — the singleedged weapon with which the Japanese are equipped. As will be seen by the following illustration the new bayonet will be longer than the present one by four or five inches.

THE SOUTH ISLAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING. (By a Competitob.) On arrival on the ground it wa.s found that only a few tents were put up, and late arrivals had to put up their own in the dark. Plenty of etraw was provided. Private Sonntag* (of the Dunedin City Guards), in practice the evening before the opening of the meeting, at 200, 500, and 600 yards, made the splendid score of 102. Private Johnston (of the same company) put on 98. Only 154 entries caused a reduction of the prize money by 33 per cent. One man down at a time was the style of shooting, which proved fairly satisfactory, only it is slower than when two are down at a time. Also, one has to fire nine shots in nine minutee, including time for marking, etc., while 18 minutes were

| allowed by the other system, which gives the rifle longer to cool. A good many ; rifles got nickled by reason of the hot day and rapid firing. One man had a bullet stuck in the barrel of hie rifle, and had to go to the armourer to get it out. Sergeant-major Evans (Christchurch ! Engineers) won the firet match with 101— I a fine shoot. The light was very bright I all day. At the commencement of the Peninsula Match, however, the light toned down, and tome good scores went on. Corporal Geddea won this with a score of 49 for 10 shots at 600y.de. Two scores of 48 and five sboros of 47 show the quality of the shooting. On the second day of the meeting the two-men-down-at-a-time system ' was adopted, and this proved more satisfactory all round, giving competitors and markers more time and rifles a reasonable : time to cool. The Public School Cadet Match, seven shots at 100 yds, was won by Cadet Kilner, with Sergeant Sonntag (Kaikorai) aecond, each 32. Some unfair scoring occurred in this match. In some cases any shot on the blaok was put down a bull ; in other cases only those inside the 6in ring were bulls, which was correct. The reason, perhaps, was want of knowledge by those responsible. In the Otago Match (seven shots at 500 and 600 yards), the scores were again high. A young shot, Private Welsford, won with two 34* (total 68). Lieutenant Gee (Ljnwood) shot well for 67. Lieutenantcclonel Smith's Cup was won by Sergeantmajor Hyde, H.8.M.R., who was highest . scorer in matches 1 and 3. Eighteen team 3 competed for the Watkinscn Shield. M^ch time was losr, before a ' start could be got, the men waiting upwards of an hour on the mound. In competitions of this kind captain* of teams should be allowed to draw for their targets. That would stop any grumbling ; 500 yds, then 600 yds, then 200 yds was the order of firing the ranges. Hawko's Bay Mounted were favourites, with Linwood and Kaitangeta next. Hawke'e Bay won with a total of 476, last year's winners, Green Island Rifles, ( being eeventh with 454. ) Redcliffs is a fairly good range, the , mounds being well done up and the targets good. The marking is good, and those ] responsible for the running of the meeting , do their work well and are most obliging. | The range officers do their work well and \ with the utmost fairness. Telephones are provided at the different distances, and a canteen and a luncheon booth are on the ground. Competitors hare the utmost fieedom and plenty of elbow room, and when down to shoot are not packed like ' sardines in a tin, as at Pelichet Bay. { If this meeting could be run with a lower entry it might bring out more competitors ■ and help to make rifle shooting /more | popular among young men. Those at this meeting are all doing well and getting ■well into the prize lists. I A strong head wind was blowing on Mon- i cay, the last day of the meeting. It sud- i denly fell to a liarht rear wind, and at L

500 yds a good many possibles were made But at 700 yds ths conditions were not so good. A gale was blowing when the men went out for the Kings (ten shots at 7CGyds), and many of the targets wore out of action. Some very poor scores were : m,afde here. Sergeant M 'Galley (Australia) won with 43, but most of the scores were from 28 to 30. Sergeant Edwards (Australia) did no good at the meeting. The final act of the meeting was the presentation of prizes, which was done by Captain King. Sergeant M 'Galley won the Aggregate, Sergeant Bradley (Dunedm) the Belt, Hawke's Bay the Watkinson, Shield, Private G. P. Crimp (Green Island) the Stead Cup (under 21 years). A fine framed photo of last year's winin era of the Watkinson Shield was" sent for presentation to Mr Watkinson, the donor of the shield, and was presented to him by Captain King on behalf of the Green Island Rifles in a happy speech, to which Mr Watkinson replied in splendid style. So ended a pleasant meeting.

>rder or Aggre[erit. Corps. gates. 1. Blenheim Rifles 290 2." Orepuki Rifles . . 268 8. Waimea Rifles . ..246 4. W*ng»nui Rifles .. .212 5. Taranaki Guards . ..189 6. Gxeen Island Rifles .. 189 8. Eketahuna Midland R. 177 8. No. 1 Co. G.N.A.V., O. 176 9. College Rifles, Auckland 17S 10. North Dunedin Rifles • 150 11. Dunedin Highland R... 130 18. Wakari Rifleß 126 18. Dunedin City Guards .. 101 Percentage of Hits. 90.6 88.4 76.6 66.2 59 ■ 58.7 55.3 54.6 54.25 46.6 39 89 30.6