MINIATURE RIFLE RANGE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 59, 12 March 1915, Page 7

MINIATURE RIFLE RANGE.

A STRATFORD INNOVATION. Although weather conditions were rather unfavorable, there was a large attendance at the School Gymnasium last night on the occasion of the opening by His Worship the Mayor (-Mr \V. P. Kirkwood) of the miniature rifle range, built by the Stratford Homo Defence Corps. The gymnasium was draped with Hugs, and the lighting arrangements were perfect for .shooting. To judge by the interest evinced by those who attended the opening ceremony, the range should prove very popular. The rifles nsed were the ordinary .;JO3, fitted with accommodators. Captain .McMillan, addressing the gathering, said he wished to than!; all tiiose who so nobly assisted the Corps in bringing the idea of the miniature riile range to fruition. The public had responded handsomely in a general way, but he desired to tkank particuiarly the School Committee for granting the Corps permission to erect tiie range in the gymnasium, the Borough Council (shingle;, Mr Uoon (£1), Messrs U. Syme and H. Brown and Co. (timber), Mr X. J. King (door), Bellringer Bros, (cement), Mr J. Baflorson (supervision of erection of rangei, Air J. McAllister (photograph, for advertising purposes), Mi H. Trotter (lion, carter), Electrical

! Supply Co. (free light), and tlic Stral ! ford Evening Post. There was a bal. , ance in hand alter purchasing their re I quiremeuts, but it was intended to oh j tain two inpre rifles of tlie same patI tern as the two on hand. Captain : McMillan stated that these riflos were I practically tlie same as the service ' rifle as far as the weight, sight, "pull," I etc., were concerned. The presence 'of so many was gratifying to the I Corps, and it was to be hoped con- | tinned and growing interest would lie | taken in the range and in Defence niat--1 tors generally. Captain McMillan, in conclusion, called upon His Worship the .Mayor to open the range by firing a ,'ound of five shots. ' Without any ceremony the Mayor

lay down on the, "mound" and rattled up a score of 10, registering two •I's, two 3's and a 2. On rising, ho \ias heartily applauded. He said it gave him great pleasure to declare the range open, and he hoped the pastime would become very popular during tho winter. There was no doubt that tho man who understood a rifle was more ready to volunteer for the defence of his country than one who never had one in his hand, and in making themselves proficient with the miniature rifles they were approaching as nearly as possible to the actual conditions of ! shooting at the rifle range proper. It I was an institution not only for the ' adults, but also for the cadets, and as i one who was closely associated with the Hoy Scout movement, he announced that it was his intention to present a trophy for competition among the young people His Worship complimented the Corps and all who had lent ' assistance in the establishment of the range.—(Applause). j A triangular match between teams representing the Home Defence Corps. School Committee, and Borough CounJ oil, was then fired, and resulted in an ■ easy win for tlie Home Defence Corps i by 29 points. The scores were as fol--1 lows:— j HOME DEFENCE. McMillan 5,5,5,5,5,5,1 ~. 31 Brocklebank 5,5,5,5,5,1,4 ... .'i.'j v Robson '1,4,4,5,5,5,5 ... 32 Howaitli 3,6,5,5,1,1,4 ... 30 Richardsou 4,4,5,2,5,4,4 ... 28 Total ... 157 BOROUGH COUNCIL. Fredriis 4,4,4,5,5,5,5 ... 32 i Mo isoii 3,4,4,3,4,5,5 ... 28 Kirk wood 3,3,4,1,1,-1,1 ■' ... 26 Boon 2,2,4,4,4,3,3 ... 22 Thompson 5,1,3,2,2,2,2 ... 20 Total ... .. 128 SCHOOL C(JMMITTEE. Skoglund 5,5,5,5,4,1,4 ... 32 Jackson 4,4,4,4,5,5,5 ... 31 Smart 1,1,5,3,2,2,2 ... 22 Hancock 5,4,4,4,3,0,2 ... 22 Lawson 2,2,2,3,T, 1,1 ... 21 Total 128 A very keenly contested match was shot off for a trophy, three shots being fired, and some fine scores were put up, these being as follows:—Pivac 10, Allanson 11, Skoglund 12, Howarth 14, Gregor 15, Robinson 14, Kirk wood 13, Fredric 14, Rogers 13, Gollop 14, Elford 14, Belcher 15. \n the final shoot (standing), Gregor scored 8 and Belcher G. Among the many visitors present, - - . Rev. Pattison, Messrs J. Masters, C. D. Sole,'P. R. Stewart, Lieutenant Gray, and Sergt-Major Gregor took advantage of the opportunity of having a shot. In declaring the result of the match, Captain McMillan presented His Worship the .Mayor with his target (which is framed and will bo suitably in. scribed) as a memento ol a pleasingly auspicous accasion.