A conespondent sends us the following account of the activities of the Shot Gun Unit, a little-known branch of the defence forces which did valuable services during the recent state of emergency The Shot Gun Unit as it exists to-day was formed in 1922. Some} 40 members were recruited by Mr. R. F.C. Master, most of them being men who were in the habit of going up-country and could use shot guns. The idea was very much the same as that of the old 12 bores" who ceased to exist as a "unit" some years ago, and that, ras to provide an organized force to which senior men who had done their whack in the Volunteers and who were anxious to take part in' the defence of the Settlement in case of emergency could belong and at)' the same time be relieved from the: necessity to wear uniform or attend drills or parades. Their equipment consists of a shot gun and 25 cartridges, a baton and an armlet, Dut at present no special form of dress is compulsory. During the recent trouble the strength of the Unit increased to 86 and at least}
70 men could be turned out for duty. at short notice, The Shot Gun Unit no connexion of any kind with either the S. V. C. or the Specials Mr. R. F.C. Master, but is at the disposal of the Commissioner of Police. The Unit took part in the sceneral mobilization which followed the May 30 incident, their duties consisting of patrol work to relieve the Specials and lar Police at night; they also carried out a certain amount of motor patrolling. The Unit having proved its usefulness, steps are now. being taken to organize it further—the idea being to form a pennament motor section which would enable the Unit to be mobilized and tran ported to any given point with the} tutinest despatch. The members of the Unit were detailed under Mr. A. de C. Sowerby to act as guards for: the coffee wagons which visited the troops on duty nightly and every night for many weeks these daties were performed. It is also hoped that the services of the unit will be made more use of for further motor-patrol work,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.