RIFLE SHOOTING ON THE DECLINE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1691, 6 March 1913, Page 6

RIFLE SHOOTING ON THE DECLINE.

(To tho Editor.)

Sir,—As an old rifle shot I cannot read your paper without wondering why it is that-you -publish so many aud_var;ntis reasons for the great decline in the entry at the Trsntham rifle meeting without intnrviewing sonic of the old niul wellknown shots who would ho able 10 give the real reason ill a very short space of time. There i? no denying the fact that rifle shooting is being killed as a snort. The conditions under which the bulk of the matches arc at present being eonducted will not encourage, the \youn? New Zealandcr lo take up rifle shooting as a naslime, and I can say from what T knaw to be true that the present programme at T'rentham lias so discouraged many shots in the country rifle clubs that it will not; be lone before many cf these clubs are disbanded, as they were only kept together by a few enthusiasts who would train the younger shots and make T'rentham their annual holiday. But now I have often heard the remark from promising young shots: "Oh, what is the #ood of taking on rifle shooting; we are only asked to nav entries to 'jhoot under conditions wo don't care about." The end of the matter will be, thai in many places in the country there will bo no rifle clubs .left to train tlip Territorials in. To say that the trained bull's-eye shot is no -good under service conditions is ridiculous. Look at the marvellous scores nut on at. Trontham under servicc conditions by the old and wdll-known bull's-eye shots. They are very deadly under all conditions because tliey have learned to handle the rifle. Would it not be in the interests of the defence of this country to have 600 riflemen at Trentham instead of 300? Colonel'Collins-said in his opening remarks that there were.only' G9 tvro shots on parade, whereas, in days gone bv, he had spen 300 tyro shots parade. 110 also quoted Lord Roberts as having said that SO per cent of the soldiers training was.in rifle shooting, and'that a soldier was not of much use unless lie could hit the enemy. T think that we will all agree with the colonel that there is liot sufficient encouragement given to rifle shooting. hut until conditions for shooting are made to attract the riflemen their numbers will not. increase, as you cannot expect anyone lo spend their time and money on a snort that is run on lines that do not apneal to them; and T think that some of the gentlemen who represent, us in Parliament might well nsk the Minister for Defence why the only sport in (lie interest; of the defence of this country is on the decline.—l am, etc., OLD SHOT.