VOLUNTEER NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 26, 12 November 1901, Page 2

VOLUNTEER NEWS.

SHAM FIGHT AT BELL BLOCK. (By our Special War Correspondent with the Southern Army.) Monday morning broke clear and bright, and almost ideal for outdoor! gatherings, but later a cold winds sprang up from the west, which made' •liinas rather dusty and uncomfortable, j F r locil volunteers the attraction was J the shiitn fight, wh'c'i frok place near 811 Block. Punctually r<t 9 o'clock I he town complies, forming the I ''Southern Army," moved off from the I Drill Hall. Tr.is " Army " conoprisßd the following : —Rifles, under Lieutenants Oock and Hooker ; Guards, under Lieutenants Oook and Holmes; and Cadets, under Captain Dempsey and 1 ; eutenant Gmy. Major Okey was in command. After crossing the Waiwakaiho a halt was made to enable advance guard to bo thrown forward, and this pvrty, acting under instructions, baited at Beil Block, and remained in observation till the main force came up. Shortly afterwards the observing party descried the enemy—the "Northern Army"— about two miles along • the road towards Waitara. The " Northern Army" consisted of the Hawera Mounted Rifles, under Lieutenant ' Percival; Rifle', under Lieutenant Loech; Waitara Rifles, under Oiptain Gray ; the whole beiDg under thtf leadership of AdjutantCipSain Taunton.

The Southerners at once thtew out a firing line at wide intervals. Shots were exchanged almost immediately, the Noithern scouts constantly retiring. Near the Mtngoraka stveam a large body oF the enemy wns encountered, who immediately fell back, by the ro d, thus exposing themselves to a heavy fire, to which they did not attempt to reply. They llwn took up a position on the north bank of the stream, which was apparently their stronghold, as their supports held the same bank on th« seaward n-ide of the main rod. .Before retr-ating thpy destroyed the bridge over the riv"r, to chtck thu S .uthern advance. Firing then became genera], and a small party of Southerners under ColourMacDiarmid forded the river and took the Northern supports in flank. Shortly afterwards the " cease fire " was sounded.

Colonel E lis was acting as umpire, but did not give a decision, though it was tenerally considered the result; was in favour of the Southern Army. After a light lunch the companies were put through a Lumber of evolutions in battalion drill, including the "march past," and then returned to their various headquarters and were dismissed.

The mounted men were not much in evidence, owing to the enclosed nature of the country; but (hey nevertheless did good work in reconnoitriog for the Northerners.

The Southern Army maintained a fine extension, showing no disposition to bunch, a tendency that was noticeable in the Northerners, Both sides showed an inclination to tike cover behind detiched bashes and trees, wbicb, under present day conditions of warfare, has been proved to he very bad tactics. , The parade states were as follows: Rifl-s, 3 officers, 30 men; Guards, 3 office's, 22 men; Inglewood Rifles, 'I officer, 41 men; Wai'ara Rifles, 1 [officer, 21 nun; Hawera Mounted [Rifles (Inglewooj contingent), 1 [officer, 19 men; Cadets, 2 officers, 29 men. Volunteers will be pleased to bear chat the money for payment to those who wer>t to Wellington and Christchurch on the occas'on of the Royal vis ; t has at la«t cme to hand.