A NEW RIFLE RANGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 688, 13 December 1909, Page 7

A NEW RIFLE RANGE.

■ !; t OPENED AT EASTBOURNE.* ■■■-. : ;';, AN. INTEIiESTING FUNCTION.- ,:; - ■'. Certain yery wliito spots on a hillside above Roha; Bay gleamed upon the inquiring eyes oi the trippers on last Saturday's harbour steamers. The new- Eastbourne ritlo woe the explanation.-v One- of the steamers carried Mr. ,'JLV M. WiltordV MJ?.j who was to'officiate at! the opening ceremony, and'with him were Messrs :W: l>. <S. Macdonald, J. Vigor Brown, and M.IJ/s., These: and. other visitors from town 1 wo'ro inet at Houa Day and conducted up ,th'e steep .hillsides, to the range by. way, of a-newly-cut track through, pretty bash and y ;besido a murmuring, stream. Only Mr. Dillon, who is alleged not. to bo so youuy as :he.,was- once, oxcused himself from' the ascent. / Those who reached .'the butts were '■■■ rewarded by the ladies of Eastbourne with afternoon, tea.- : ■.' :•' .■'■•■'.:•;■.;. •■■.".■';..,■■.'■; ---V- : . ~'•.■■'■ ■-,'> . Captain.W. Hobbs, in a short speech, told ;hd story .of this- formation of: the..JDastbouriit Jefence llifle Club, and its brief history up to the present well-omened-'function. , -TV ■ . ' The Mayor (Mr. J. Barr), at the request, oi Captain Hobbs, tendered tho wolepme of the iorough .of: Eastbourne aud the Riflo Club to ;he member for the district (Mr.- Wiiford), hi! tellow-lcgislators,' and tHo other visitors. . ' .-' ■ Mr. , Wiltprd, addressing ;; gathering which numbered about 60 people,- spokof. of; the present position of the defence question in' New Zealand, , and 'alluded to iiis,owu ; share in the retention of rifle 'clubs fts part' of the '■ national means of training in marksmanship under .the now ,, measure, now ' . before ■ -Parlintnent, He J ■..-. also' . referred "•'• to, the "■ comparatively low : , cost of defence to,, the people, of■ ittw Dominion,'' stnting -.that; under otllftj-.ar rangiimonts iexisting Mthi'i'to"- it only Is. 2d. per head per annum.of the.pdpula tionj and would, under tho new ■ scheme, comi to 3s. a'ljerid,'' r includhi(f''.the /money for;' tin gift battleship, whereas the 'people-,',6f; '..thi Unitsd Kiiigdom, were called iipbn to pay IDs 1(1. a head for, 'defensive , 'purposes. Ho ex pressed tho view that' a "baby iiiavy" for Nei( Aeiiland .tfbuld be -iiiuolf less, useful and mpn costly, than being joined tb' the' , great:linperia Navy.', , '-Finally, he-'forecasted a useful :caree! for the Eastbourne Defence Rifle'. Club, am wished .it oyery,success. ' ■ '.' ...... ■-,-■■■■ : . Mr. J. Vigor' Brown,, M.P.,- and Mayor o Napier, in a, pleasant,,speech, -said he ■ wooh tike to be permitted to become an ,hbnorar; member of the club,. and to 1 present a cup which, .perhaps, xould be : ,won back by ai'ifli team from Napier. ■• -.-;'>; ':■;■ ..:' ; ■ , !. Mr. Mncdonald, M.P.; spoke, in 'mf— irt',6: the Government's defence ' policy, ;'amV- icom iheudcd'.the work of rifle elubs; He urged thi ladies, and especially the younger , ones, to tab ah interest: in''.. the' miliary ■■ training of. • th( young men. .;• : ."•";.•. .'■.-.■<. '-: : ■:■:.'■■:■'■■■:<■ Cheers and the s National '.. Anthem followecl and the tifle ranjje : was declared by Mr. Wil .ford .to- be '-officially.opened: '• -< i v ... ;■' . -,:, .The party then repaired to a firing mound where Captain Tfobbs trained a: rifle, and Mre Croft Yacting 'as the deputy of i tho Mayoress Mrs..-Bow)'-.fired-tho first shot by,'.pulling I blue ribbon, and. thus scored an "inner."-Thi visiting members of Parliament , also firoi .Several'shots. • v ,: - . ,':.■.■.: s ; ; ,'." ■'.;:.:;■ _ A elnb, match for , two trophies was thoi begnn,- and, continued until 6: o'clock.' It wil be completed next Thursday. The'condition were; 10 shots at- 200: yards,-eight shots' ti count; The best score made by the visitor was that of Mr.iMacdonald-5, 4,"2, 4,2:2,*, 427. Mr. , Wiiford,; who also fired, registered ai average of outers. The result of-the competi tion woe,as follows:— •:■■ .'■:.' ■-:.....■■ '■ :;■••.•;•;....•;.';,:;•:.;:.•.:;,'■; r.'O::2oo' V- : ' ■-.'■ »ii"Hv : '- w ,''" ; -'■■'••'■ r";-'yds.:H'd. T\ 'President Hobbs .................... 36 , 0 S Rifleman Msford; 28 i-' 8' '' 3 Eiflemafr.Phelps ...,.,„.....;...........' 25 ; 7'., 3 ; Bifleman J. Avery, ; j Rifleman G."K Mils, 25-r6—3l; Ememah R: : M'Guirc,' 30-0-30,-Rifleman W. Dick,' 22-7-20) Eifleman H C,. Baker, 24-4-28; Rifleman Croft,' 19-8-27 Bifleman P. Wilis, 21-5-26; Riflemafr Bullen ~"--B—'2s j Rifleman Bidgway.' 4^-12—10. ■ - . *ocore did hot count in competition. ; Before Itiaying the lange, Mr. Wiiford kindl' consented that the range shonldbe called "Th' ■Wiiford,-Range." -..;:;■; ..,..':. ./ -