MATCH BARRELS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 757, 4 March 1910, Page 6

MATCH BARRELS.

ITi the Editor.l . Sir,—Will the • defence authorities enlighten the volunteer companies and rifle club men, competing at Tlentham, why they suspended the rules of the Defence Association to permit match barrels tj be used this year at Trenth'am. Is it because the Australian team is coming to compete? Well, as one swallow does not make a.summer, and as this team the-whole of the expenses oi rrentham, it .is" manifestly unfair to the other 600 competitors, that have to pay their own expenses, nominations, board and challenges (which, by tho way, is too stiff, 2s. 6d. each challenge), which amount to a goodly sum, to allow the match barrels at: Trentham. Of course ILV * hat P,P er cmt ' of the memoers ot rifle clubs and volunteers cannot _aftord a match barrel, and, moreover, it Aew: Zealand is ever threatened by an enemy the Government of the day will ™i= r lV n 01 S or two dozen mattill carrels, but on the rack rifles, which are issued to the volunteer and rifle clubs inese have been served out to us. We have served the purpose for which we ?n lf o^ an i training is tn™ \ ' tb f defence a «ttorities have turned round, and said we have always barred match barrels, but we have got no. further need of you lot-that is the voluntoei-s-and you can go to Trentham, and compete against the best barrel in the world, and some of Australia's best marksmen at the back of those barrels, l rusting some abler pen than mine will ventilate . this matter, thankinK vou--1 am, etc., 10 YEARS AN EFFICIENT VOLUN- ' TEER. New Plymouth,. March 1, 1910.