RIFLE CLUBS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 909, 31 August 1910, Page 8

RIFLE CLUBS.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER, COMPULSORY MILLS TO BE ABOLISHED. ■ More encouragement to rifle clubs wa»-. asked by a deputation of twenty-foui mcmbci's of i'PiirliumAnt which ' waited upon the Prime' Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday evening Tho deputation was inh'oduced ,by.'Mr. \\ : H. Pield, M.l\, who expressed ' the hopo that when the new defence' regulations were prepared. more encouragement would lie''given'to rifle"clubs." '.The' rifle clubs had never been called, upon, to perform m'.ts of discipline, and they had , never received the' pecuniary encouragement which was given in Australia and which it was " felt by the deputation.' . should be given-in' New- : Zealuud.'. Th« . movement, urged Mr. Fiold, could be made a most economical and efficient 'pcrrA tion. of the' defence'sykem." Largely ow- ■ ing' to tho Prime announcement at the Hiitt that further encourago- ' ,ment\)Vould be given to" the rifle/club '~ movement,, it had shown, a greatly in. c-reasßd Mtality,"especially in. the coun r try. districts, -which thus 5 provided ni«i; v ' rkle well and shoot, but could , , not-spare to beloiiß to a voluntcflt--corps.; The--present.-cost to a rifleman : ..who, belonged to a rifle club was ,£l6 per- - ahnuin, and it would be conceded that only tlio- 1 most - enthusiastic-would'',bo-come members under-suoh ciroumstancea. ; Though there ,wor<v seven ur eight rifte • clubs betw€ou Wellington-and Palmerston ; iSorth, there was no ranged and a, central range' would be a great. advantage. Siroh : should-also, ; he argued, no pro- . vided in- other parts of the country, : Mr. James Allen mentioned that he had previously . not ; regarded the rifle, .clubs i with favour, but he recoghisrf'that con- . ditions had. now- changed. " He thought'. ' the rillc club movement should -receive ft.- -. .reasonable-amount; - of- - enoonraseineni.q.- .- The. clubs-should -be- composedi ••• *vho had served thmr time in tn« volun- t ; teer forces. - - .. ; ' : Mr. J. P. Luke stated that a rifle cluti • was being - formed :iu Wellington'.mit* urbs. ".' '- - ...

; Messrs. G. W. "Russell, ■A. W. 'Hogg; T. M. Wilford, D, Buick,- J; Duncan, j3, - M'Lareu, : ' G. M. Thomson, C. : H. 'Pobl&" and ' G..' Witty also. • spoke; ; , Mr.' Wilford' ithought that- the-, volunteer corps:- off -, the lines of communication ■ should bo; co&i yerfed, into rifle -clubs. . 'i; Sir? Josepli Ward, ill his. reply,: eaid ■ ne .had already announcedfaii-increase' }a" free' and he could, add that there would be no .limit to th'e quantity, T1kj.,120 rounds of-free; ammunition- would.. be inc'reasbd, and' personally ■bo favoured-' giving 150 or 175 rounds, though he' dii not ,want to vseo .extravagance, in the. niatli:?. He ■ recognised'' : the - importance ■ of young,men.being-giyen shooting pr'ao tice, ; and. old volunteers ! being given ,'<in ;opportunity of keeping themselves.fit in' case. ; of: emergency.c .Thi6 yided ifor. - When the Defence Act : cani9 into operation,'-rifle clubs wonld;be under, the administration of area offlcbra, and the members would, have u full.share, of ' the' facilities' which. existed ,'for. mill- v tary instruction throughout New Zealand. This would, ihe) believed,- eneourago- thd movement,, .and it. was desirable to have 1 , co-ordination between the' rifle clubs and ~ the defence system "generally.' Regarding' .the ,cost of ,rifles'; member# "of. clubs/were'.called, upon to pay £3 153. dowji,'.':but,.he proposed to-'nance this ,'to Ji3 135., and allow; the amount to K» . paid in two equal- instalments.. The Hfler were to be sold at-less than cost, and if the payments:;were.-..spread-Lover,,too ': long' a_ period," it : , wpuld bo practiually impossible to keep control- of the matter. '. Tho drills, which wore compulsory, for members of rifle -clubs, .would wi abolishedj"-but they,-', would ■be brought under, the control of' the. area .officers, and would no- doubt- avail . themselves (if their tuition, though;this would' not ;.6e compulsory. He. was-quite'sure .that' >.the : new; arrangemehts. Tegarding riflb ■ clubs. would ■be appreciated,- especially '.by the older, ■, members of . volunteer. and those.'who, '-through .'the age' limit; were'not able to continuo in the- Terri- ; torials.- ■ ' ~ '";■ -•