The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR, 15 1906. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1699, 15 March 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR, 15 1906. NATIONAL DEFENCE.

The movement initiated by Captain Beere for the formation of a Rifle Association for the East Coast district deserves warm encouragement. A visit to the Trentham meeting has convinced the local representatives of the urgent neeed of securing proficiency in rifle shooting, and there- can be no question that wo have tho material in this district. Commenting on the annual gathering Christchurch Truth states :—The Government has made many improvements in this annual tournament; since the last meeeting two new ranges have been set up, making a respectable total of sixty - two available targets. This is still less than tho range properly requires. Lieut.-Colonel Collins, in congratulating the competitors on the record number of entries, and the improved range on which they found themselves, gratefully acknowledged the action of the Government in authorising the expenditure of £I2OO on the work, when only £SQO has beep estimated for, but stated that he considered that a total of £2OOO-would bo needed in ord ‘ to provide the seventy-eight jtargets which he has in view, " making the most up-to-date and largest range south of tho line.” But it is evident that a great deal of interest has been stimulated in rifle shooting by the improved conditions under which the competitions are held, and although tho most important of the innovations, the long-range shooting competitions, cannot bo carried out in th.e'y entirety with the present limitation to twelve targets, owing to the time it would entail—it takes a day to complete a match at these ranges—Colonel Collins holds out hopes that by next year the Association will be able to deal comfortably with a thousand marksmen. We hope his expectations will be realised, and that the record “will be so handsomely beaten. . The importance of rifle shooting is coming home to the colonies just as it appears to be coming home to the Imperial Government j ust now, and any efforts Mr Seddon may make to popularise rifle shooting will be enthusiastically seconded by the public. We want to see every I young man in this colony able to shoot with a rifle. Thore should be | ! keenly-contestod district championships in every contre, and the thousand men Colonel Collins expects to see at Trentham should be men who have qualified by their local success for the grand test of a rifleman. It is a pity that more of our citizens will not patriotically provide challenge trophies for rifle shooting, and assist in its en-

couragement. The surest defence a country can have is the ability of every man to handle a rifle. The skill which

enabled 40,000 Boers to hold out so long against the British would make

New Zealand unconquerable by any force that could bo spared to invade jier.

Tho Tolago Bay rnoe oarda'will bo oa ealo to-day at tho Timics Office. Business plftcoa oloso at noon to day on aooount of Bt. Patriok’s Sports at tho Park tacecourso.

Mr H. T. Jonoß, of tho Gisborno Timics, loft for Auckland yoßtorday on a Bhorl visit.

Tho obiof holiday attrno don this aftornoon will bo St. Patrick's Sports at tho Puik raocc jucso. Exojllont entrios have boon received, and thoro should bo a record gathering. At tho Police Court yostorday, a first offending “ drunk ” was finod 5s and oosts in default 21 houiV iinprirooment.

StjMails deßpatohed from Auckland on February 10th, via San Francisco, arrived in London on Maroh 18th. '

Mr D. 0. Murray, assistant stock agent for Misers Murray, Roberta and Co. in Hawke’s Bay, ha 3 been transferred to Gieboino.

Important Btock solos at Matawhcro to-day. Messrs Williams and Kittle have a Dumber of vory special lines to offer. Upwards of 300 entries have been received by Mr T. G. Lawless, tho wellknown land and ortato agent, for the Hospital Raoo at St. Patrick’s Sports today. Entries will bo received up to the hour of the raco starting. At tbo Tolago Bay races, where there arc five or loss starters, tho dividend will bo paid on tbo first horee only. Tbo Kotaio (lato Shirley Hasoll) letf Auckland at 5.45 . p.m. yesterday for Tolago Bay and Gisborne.

The Bov. J. G. Paterson returned to town yesterday from hia holiday tour in the country. He is much benefited in health, aad takes up his duties at St. Andrew’s Cburoh on Sunday morning next.

At tho meeting of tho Provincial Executive of tho Farmets' Union held yesterday, leave of absence was granted to Mr H. H. Wall, who is leaving next month on a visit to England

Mr S. Earle, the well-known hairdresser and tcbaooonist, notifies that bis saloon is open friin 8a m. to 8 p.m, and on Saturdays to 10 p in. Ho has a first-olaes etock of smokers’ requisites and goods pertaining to a gentleman's toilet. The complete returns for tho Waiapu lieensing eleetion sooure the return of Captain Tucker, and Messrs Darton, Somervell, Dewing, and Hepburn, whilst the other candidates were well up. Little or no interest was taken in the oleotion throughout tho oountry distrio's, end not one-fifth of the electors in outlying plaoes took the trouble to record their votes. The total number of votes recorded amounted to about 2700. The result of the tLotion cannot bo deemed a victory by either Eide, and loaves matters pretty much in tbo position of former years.