THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1912. THE RIFLE MEETING.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 27 March 1912, Page 2

THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1912. THE RIFLE MEETING.

From tlio wealth of tho country to its defence is only a natural step. We take it on reading the account of the Association meeting at Trenthan—the Ntw Zoaland Bisley—and of some othor meetings of n somewhat different character. Like the meetings of the Methodist people m hostile discussion. The latter may be dismissed as missiug die ulaiu point.of tJie situation. It is of course, right to inculcate peace oh all men, and in the name of Christianity. But ajl men, unfortunately, are not always inclined to listen to reason ; they sometimes prefer lighting. History shows how deeply ingrained this feeling is. Its plam moral is that there uever was v line country that peope had not to fight for at some time or other in its smry. Nevertheless, by ah means go, on good Metho~ dists and Quakers, trying to get man* kind to turn-over anew leaf in place of the old war-moth eaten one we havo so constantly before our tired eyes. But do not assume too readily time mankind is going to listen to every resolution you nuvy like to pass. It would be moie prudent to encourage the young men of tho country te go on learning the hindlajg of rifles, pom-noma, aud Held pieces, to say nothing of yreat guns, uutil the resoluiions are present in universal peace based on Christian .sont.imentH. Tuin with us to the Tronthum. meeting and I study the arrangements made at that excellence nsseinbhiirw of men qualifying—not {-polling -for v light. x\.^ tlio jiifiin business «»f thf solJiur is to flhoot, tlie Ti'unthaiu occusiou is tho largest in our year. It is plcisaut to seb r.lmt tlie bui vice c.'iuJitiuii is beginning to j'rudo'.imuilo, tho interest beini; now fairly divided butweeu tliM moving target of suiall dimension, and th'j statiunary bull';* eye whiuh is never by any chancy, seen in \v>ir. Progress wiil eventually kill this later condition, and our men will only get priz?s for I'iming at the su tof thing they will have 10 aim at in battle. Ano \ivv thing good in tlie mnnageumut ot our liigiey is tJ.ot tiiu we.Uuur condition^ are never permitted to iuterferii .witli fhe »vori£. Just as iv action, so on. this paiaue. the riiienian li.ts to plug away whether the bieeze is flirting goutly with his first cjUrfin Zephyr, or the dead qalrn is on the lniid, or rude Boreas is fowling and shalung things,

including rifle shots. It may be bad for his chances of the championship, but a championship that makes warriors, must make them under the conditions of war. Under this condition, it is pleasant to see at 1000 yards se many bulls and so high an average o" shooting. The two best things in the training line are the final decision of rifl.9 clubs to foim the second fighting line of the Dominion, and the posting of the physically unfit to the tfifie clubs for service there. The first is of incomparable importance, for it will embrace eventually, eveiy able-bodied man who has been trained to anna in the Dominion. The second is theresuit of the patriotic demand of those rejected for some physical imperfection from serving their country, to be allowed to fit themselves for its defence, nevertheless. We commend this spirit to Messrs the Methodists and Quakers and others whose conscience leaves their country and. their homes and their altars out of the consideration. We commend the military authorities for meeting this patriotic demand of our young people half-way, for they are thus rising superior to the martinet regulations which are made for showy militarism, rather i;han for sturdy patriotic defence. The training, we note, is going on well all over the Dominion thanks to the wisdom of the authorities—Government and military—in recognising the needs of the harvest which this year is somewhat late in coming. We understand that some of the soldiers newly imported, being unaccustomed to letting anything whatever be placed before their department, were inclined to -resent this. Some, indeed, went so far as to hint that the service was going to the— and required their absence accordingly. But they saw reason readily enough, realising that there are other departments to be considered.