OFFER OF A RIFLE RANGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 878, 26 July 1910, Page 6

OFFER OF A RIFLE RANGE.

AND WHAT FOLLOWED. A- somewhat unusual mattery _as far as school committee business is concerned, was discussed at a special meeting of the. Petono District High School last .night. \ The chairman (.Air. M'Kensrie) explained that the object of the meeting was the outcome of a letter received from 'the Loyal Orange Lodge protesting against the installation of a miniature rilie range to be used by the public school cadets on the Roman Catholic school grounds. Sir. Cairns mentioned that it was the intention of Father ■ Maples to establish a rifle range on this ground for the Catholic School, and ho had generously offered the use of the range for the State schools. There was no idea of forcing it upon, the public schools; the offer was ma.de in purely a neighbourly way.

Mr. Arahall (a member of tho subcommittee set up to establish a rifle range for the public school),.in answer to a question, said that it was on ac,./unt of the question of expense that tJie sub-committee did not go on with the idea. He was of the opinion that there .was room for a range in their own school grounds. The Rev. A. Thomson expressed the opinion that Major M'Donaid had placed the school committee and Father Maples in an invidious position.

On the motion of Mr. Cairns, it was resolved to take into consideration ways and means for the erection of a miniature rifle range for the use of the Petone District High School. . A letter is also to be forwarded to Major M'Donaid informing him that the committee intend to establish a rifle range on their own ground.

The secretary was then instructed to. advise the Loyal Orange Lodge that tho matter had be«n dealt with, and that the decision of the committee was to be forwarded to Major M'Donaid.