THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 14

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

By StNTBx. The Maxim gun has been returned from Oatnaru, and will presently be despatched to . Milton for the training of the troops there. The dearth of efficient signallers has always been felt in connection with manoeuvres. On some occasions the few available experts have been worked day and night, and in other cases .dependence has had to be placed upon the much slower method of communication by orderlies. In order to obviate this difficulty, the O.C. District has issued orders that each regiment and battalion is to provide for the proper training of six men as regimental or battalion signallers. The numbers of efficient signallers in the district are furnished in returns recently sent in as follows :—Garrison Artillery, 15; Battery, 8; Engineers. 11; Pioneers, 6; First Regiment, 0; Second Regiment, 0; Dunedin Cycle and Signalling Corp3, 10; First Battalion, 4; Second Battalion, 7; Third Battalion, 0; Fourth Battalion, 0. In addition, the Engineer Cadets could provide about six efficient signallers. Medals for the following await presentation — viz. : Sergeant Crawford, Sergeant Fraser, Sergeant Morrison (all of No. 1 Company N.Z.G.A.V.), Corporal Toase, Gunner Frew, Gunner Porter (No. 2 Company N.Z.G.A.V.). In my notes last week I made brief mention of the fact that the men did not quite relish the lengthy period of inactivity in connection with the mobilisation. As far as the troops were concerned, they simply mustered, waited, and were dismissed. Speaking with the O.C. District, I asked whether it would not have been possible to arrange some operation in connection with the mobilisation test. Lieu-tenar.t-colonei Smyth replied that it was purely out of consideration for the Volunteers that nothing further had been carried out. Had he been dealing with regulars they would certainly have been required to do something further than merely to muster ard prepare for entraining. He would have liked to actually entrain the troops and despatch them to some point where some skirmishing might have taken place, but this would have meant that the Volunteers would not have reached their homes till early m the morning Preliminaries in -regard to the organisation of the Officers' Training Corps in connection with the local University are pretty well disposed of, and those concerned Are anxious to get under weigh. Ihe following military committee has been formed : Lieut. -colonel Allen and Mr L. Harrie (representing the University Council), Dr Malcolm and Professor Marshall (representing the Professorial Board), and Messrs W Fraser and W. G. Borrie (representing the students). The University offered the folin WlU^-n roop l : ~ln£ant~ In£antr y 21 - fieW hospital 40, artillery 9, engineers 13. The probability is that the Defence Council will accept an infantry and a medical conipanr, otairing that the representatives of the other arms mentioned should become incorporated with one or other of the two companies, as U would scarcely be practicable to provide instructors for a few men of each arm Regulations for the Officers' Training Corps are published in the New Zealand Gazette of August 5. It is set out that the primary object "is to provide students at uiimrsilies and high schools with a standardised measure of elementary military training, with a view to their eventually accepting commissions in the reserve of officers or the Defence Forces." Men who can produce certificates of proficiency gained in the Officers' Training Gorpa will be exempted from a portion of the probationary training ot from certain examinations required from other officers. A senior division, composed of university companies and a junior division, composed of high schools and colleges, are provided for. For purposes of organisation and control the O.T.C. will be directly under -the O.C. District. The training will be under the direction of the chief of the general 6taff. Universities and school authorities will retain their present powers of supervision and discipline. Offioera will have, as individuals, the same liabilities for service as other officers of the •Defence Forces, their services on embodiment being at the disposal o f the Council of Defence. Trainincj will comprise instructional parades and exercises, musketry, end annual training in camp. Catnips of not less than six or more than 14 days' duration will be held annually for unite at convenient centres. Pay and allowances will be as laid down in " General Regulations for the Volunteers and Cadets." The corps shall be uniformed unless permission be given to the contrary, and arms, ammunition, and equipment will be .as per " General Regulations for the Defence Forces." should in their own time undertake the instruction of school cadets, receiving remuneration in the shape of bonuses, .is being received with approval by fehe local staff instructors, by whom the duties will no doubt presently be -taken iqp. Captain Hdckey, A.A.G., conducted at Invercaxgill classes of instruction for officers, following out the lines of ih& classes held recently in Dunedin. On I Monday next he goes to Balclutha, and on j September 1 to Oamaru, to conduct similar ■' classes if the number coming- forward warrants it. The attendanoas were better at Inveroargill than at Dunedin. The average was a little over 13, and 12 of the number I attended every evening. The classes for 9on-commissioned officers produced en at

tendance ranging from 23 to 29, and as in the ease of the officers, a large proportion attended every night. I It is interesting 1 to note that the 15<pounder guns, similar to those with which the New Zealand Field Artillery are armed, ar-e being transformed into quickfiring guns. With this adjustment it is ! possibe to get off about 15 rounds per minute, instead of four or five. The new 18-pounder being issued to the artillery has a range of from 7000 to 8000 yards. ! The programme for the Victorian Rifle 1 Association's forty-nintih meeting, to take place at Williamstown Range from October 25 to 30 should attract some of the- New Zealand riflemen who will be attending the New South Wales meeting from October 6to 19. Tho« reduced railway fare from Sydney to Melbourne will be £3 first class and £2 5s second class. The principal ' match, the King's, is fired in four stages: . First stage— 2oo, 500, and 600 yards ; second stage — 300 and 600 yards; third stage — £00 and 900 yards : and final stage — 10 shots at 1000 yards. The highest 72 only take part in the final stage. Exclusive of special trophies, there arc 198 prizes, totalling £455 10s, the first prize carrying a gold , medal valued at £10, a 20-guinea trophy, ' and" cash £50. Other open matches are "The Marshall." 500 and 600 yards, 71 prises value £110 15s; "The Templeton," 700 yawls, 63 prizes value £100: "The , Sargood." 800 and 900 yards, 63 prizes , value £100; "The Frank Stuart," 600 yards, 63 prizes value £100 ; " The Members." 300 yards, 63 prizes value £100; and , " The David Syme Aggregate," which has a firat prise of £100, end the V.R.A. ■ medal ; 174 prizes value £450. j The final results of the Empire Schu- ( macher competition show that the remarkable total of 3258 points, put up by H.M.S Pembroke, was easily first, the 91st Punjabis running eeeond with 3038. The i best Australian score — made by BalLarat I Infantry— was 2092, and that was over 600 | points better that tbe picked Randwick teams could do. It is abundantly evident (says the Sydney Mail) we have something to learn yet about the peculiar Schumacher conditions.