AUSTRALIAN SHARPSHOOTERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2488, 15 June 1915, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN SHARPSHOOTERS

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Sydney, June 14. Numbers of crack shots from rifle clubs are enlisting. Their services will be utilised as sharpshooters. THE MAKING OF MUNITIONS A NEW ZEALANDER'S SUGGESTION (To the Editor.) Sir, —There are many men who for one reason or another are unfitted to go to the front, yet are eager to assist m bringing the war to a close. It is abundantly clear that there is urgent need of munitions. England has more than she can do, other countries aro helping, and Australia is already busy considering ways and means for turning out war supplies. Surely New Zealand will not be behindhand in doing her share? We have workshops whoro shells could be quite well manufactured. yhere is no difficulty .about raw material, which could be obtained from the Old Country or America. The finishing work takes time, and New Zealand could help in this respect. Rifles could also be made or at least the rough forgings could be imported and the finished article turned out here. We have trained engineers who would have no difficulty in learning quickly aU that is necessary for making munitions. One or two experts would lie required to supervise until the local men were proficient in the new industry. Some special machinery would bo required for certain kinds of the work, and until it could be obtained tbcro would bo plertty of work for our fitters and turners to go on with. • I find there is a. number of men who, liko myself, have had a practical training iu mechanical engineering and would devote their spa.ro time and week-ends to the ni;iiinf:u;turc of munitions if it was made known that their sen-ires would be accepted. It. is evident that for a considerable time we cannot look to the Old Country for rifles, and the lifitin£ hen un.v liihed here, the Domimou waald in

future be in a position to make her own rifles. Our Defence Minister lias more than enough on his bands, and I suggest that a committee could be sot up, including Government engineers and owners of engineering workshops, with the Minister as nominal head, for tho purposo of manufacturing shells and rifles.—l am, etc., E. S. BALDWIN. Wellington, Juno U, 1915.