TRENTHAM-1912.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1376, 29 February 1912, Page 6

TRENTHAM-1912.

CHAMPIONSHIP RIFLE MEETING. GREAT SLUMP. ONLY ABOUT 150 COMPETITORSDEPRESSING START. SOUK OF THE CAUSES STATED. Depression, many feet thick, sits upon Trcntham rifle raugc. Last year the opeuiug day of the Now Zealand rifle championship meeting witnessed a parade of nearly 600 competitors, high enthusiasm, and the customary ceremonial —an encouraging harangue by the colonel, wherein tho contestants were- exhorted to play the game, do their best, and like truo sports acclaim in appropriate fashion tho winner of tho Belt when he emerged from tho trying ordeal of the King's Match at 1000 yards, after many days of consistent effort. Yesterday something like 150 competitors put in an appearance—not all at once, but in depressing driblets, as if en route to the obsequies of the honoured dead. There was no parade, no harangue. The opening day of the. 1012 championship meeting was as flat as it well could be. One almost expected to fee one of tho executive "powers that be" come forward with an apologetic air and announce that "owing to circumstances entirely beyond our control, tho management regrets, etc, etc." Practice Matches. The programme was to have Tieen opened with three teams' matches under service conditions. Thero were no teams. To lift the general depression that prevailed four "extra" matches were put on, to provide tho riflemen with some opportunity for practice, and, more important in a psychological sense, fill this air with tho inspiring sound of musketry. Of these matches nothing need bo said than to refer the reader to the prize-lists below— they were of no importance in tho official I scheme of things. <

Even Colonel Collins, who has n reputation for optimism, was affected by the. prevailing depression, and seemed to bo living in tho past—the glorious past. To a representative of The Dominion he confessed to some disappointment at tho spectacle which confronted his vision when ho arrived at the range at midday.

"The Best Laid Schemes of Mies and Men—" "The best laid schemes of rnico and men gang afte aglcy," This year tho association has .taken a step which was dictated by. tho requirements of modern ideas in musketry training as-expounded by our new General Staff, and • has altered its programme. The-first two days of the meetings were to be devoted to teams' service matches, which wcro to lx) carried out under, conditions approaching as nearly as possible to the conditions of warfare.. There was to bo a "liegiinental Teams'- Match," which was expected to provide, an interesting test in tho efficacy of the respective units in collective lives; an "Observation and Mutual Assistance Match," where the ability of individual members of a team to assist each other in observing and gauging th.fi. accuracy 'of ,the,. shooting; a "Casualty Competition"—a "sudden-death" event; "Sectional Firing"; tho "Islington" route march and firing competition; the "C.A.C." Cup Match (an old friend), and a "Superiority of Fire" Match—another "euddendeath" competition. All these, of course, were optional events calculated to induce the liest talent of our new regiments—whereof anon— mid rifle clubs to strive in tho best spirit of emulation. Then Micro were to bo individual .service matches, compulsory upon all those dcsiriiiE; to proceed to the buitVeye championship contest on the last four days of the carnival.

A h'no programme, embodying a judicious compromise between tho old and the new, but its architects could not foresee—not being clairvoyant—the one circumstance which would kill tho teams' service matches, and reduce the entries for the bull's-eye events by 50 per cent.— tho delay in starting tho Dominion's new war-machine.

The programme was based upon the presumption—justifiable at the time—that the new Territorial Army, an army largely composed of raw recruits, would bo in training by September, or October, at the latest, "and that the shooting season which opened on the first of October would kindle the fires of ambition in tho breasts of tho younger men. Instead of that, the training of tho army was not begun till after tlio NewYear. The rifles were all withdrawn from the companies, and week-end shooting during tho season was out of the question, so far as territorial soldiers woro concerned. Many rifle club men were unablo to buy rifles because the equipment of tho army had to bo tho first consideration. Many of tho old hands who had had to give place to raw recruits in tho Territorial Force looked to the rifle club for the enjoyment of their sport, and although some of them did actually join, others were unable to do so hecauso they could not buy rifles. Tho Sounds Hide Club had 15 new members who were ' without rifles' right through tho season, and could only get some shooting by tho favour of those who had rifles, Since, therefore, the Territorial regiments were not prepared by sufficient practice for tho teams' service matches, and sent no teams, and tho rifle club men did not see sufficient attraction in them to incur the expense of putting in two additional days at the camp in order to participate, ■ these matches seem very likely to go overboard altogether, unless there bo a substantial increase in tho number of competitors in attendance at the range to-day. An attempt will be mado to get off the "C.A.1!." Cup match to-day, and' at least four "extra" matches (sweepstako events)' will hn put on the programme to maintain tho interest of tho shooting man. By Friday morning, of course, tho wholo of the 300 odd men who have entered for tho individual service matches, and the bull's-eye series next week, will bo on tho ground. Colonel Collius will formally open the meeting then, and the range will be busy all day. Anxiety for the Future. In reply to a question Colonel Collins said that ho would make eoiuo important announcements in the course of his address to the men to-morrow morning. Till then, he said, he would reserve anything ho had to say with regard to tho present situation.' It is clear, however, that trouble is brewing in tho camp, and will probably come to a head next week. Tho condition of the rango on the opening day has been tho subject of a good deal of comment by some of the old hands. Potent Cause for the Slump, The above explanation of tho fnllingoff in tho number of entries summarises the main points enumerated bv tho men in their review of the situation) but-there is an inducement of feeling against the policy of tho military authorities in their relations with, the men who make riflo shooting a hobby. Shortly put, this feeling .points to a desire among the shooting men for a change in the constitution of the association in the direction of the system at present in vogue in New South Wales—an executive consisting of nine riflemen and three military officers. The proposals of the dofenco authorities with regard to the future of the rifle clubs 'n Now Zealand, whereby' those who, liable for military training, cannot b« enrolled in the Territorial Force, will be dratted to rifle clubs—is also viewed with disfavour. A rifle club man, it is pointed out, is a volunteer shoolisf—if he did not love the sport he would not be (here—and he pays cheerfully entrance ami membership fees, etc., imiowd by tlw club. It would bo im-

possible to imposo such taxes upon men compelled to join the clubs, aJid tiio scheme would therefore bo unsound linaiiciiillr.

To Meoi tlia General, Thoso and other matters will be keenly debated in the tents during the days of tho meeting, and it is understood that when General Godlcy visits tho camp next week arrangements will be mado for representatives of llio rifle, club men and lbs'D.ll.A. Executive to meet tho commandant for tho purpose of discussing these matters.