TE KAPUA. NOTES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3330, 7 November 1919, Page 6

TE KAPUA. NOTES.

RIFLE CLUB REDIVIVU S.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

','l‘he‘*Te';Ka.pua. Rifle "Club has been revived into life by: the infusion of several young men, and promises to become a fairly strong one again. Of course, some little time will elapse before rifles will be got for the new members, but meanwhile the old members are ‘tutoring them with theirs, and endeavouring to put them through the first book of expressions. ‘ HOW»ever_. there are indications of a great movement to educate young 111011 in the art of rifle shooting——an art which may in the future take first Place in the defence of New Zealand, which in its rugged and mountainous state would be a. hard nut to crack in the care of large bands of capable sharpshooters. Two competitions have been fixed by the remaining old members for their Belt ( four comptitions —3 to count, but last one in February compulsory) and of course shooting is not good which is as folloWs: I

In the young men’s competition there was of course a little loose shooting, but some give promise of doing 'a lot better, and as there are six competitions for a medal presented to their class by Rifleman S. Parsons, it is somewhat early to guage their efforts. _ THE TOLL OF THE WAR. 1 Since the club has beeninactive the names of the following members arej among those who volunteered early in the war, never to return. ‘ Rifleman C. J. Canton, :1 distinguished pioneer of Te Kapua, a founder of ‘ the club; killed on Gallipoli. . Rieeman Hughie Gilchrist (bi-other‘ to Mr Jas. Gilchrist), a popular and! esteemed member;' killcld in France. Jack Cross, 2. fine young man, who‘ volunteered‘ early in th war. " ‘ Rifleman St. Clair Henry, {L keen, shot, who volunteered in Australia‘ after leaving Samoa, but died in Aus-', tralia from fever while in trianing J c:am‘p. ' John C. Munro, who proceeded to] Trentham camp early in the war, but there died from fever. Jack carried the Tfirst mail into Te Kapua from Mangiionoho 24 years ago, and his old mare “Minnie” still lives in good health, “pensioned ~offf’ _ Harold “Curl” Weeks~—a -pleasant and esteemed young lad, mourned. by all who knew high; killed in France.‘ 3 Louis, his brother, who carried him} in, was shortly afterwards shot hrough l the stomach, and though he returned to New Zealand,.is very frail through! this wound. i I

‘Alec. Floyd, a well-i~:nown lad, an active young shepherd. 'Alec’s dog’s will wait long for him. His mate, Herbert Riley, returned with a. shattered arm._ Roy" Gorrillge, the reduobtable Roy —served with distinction in France as lieutenant of avstillery and returned safely, and we hope he may live long. Riflenlan E. Coddington, for some time schoolmaster at Te Kapua, threw lllp an impol'tiull: positlorl, auld Went ‘to the War, returning safely, I underfijsalld to take up his for‘mer position. Willie Reed, a former young scholari of the old Tiriaukawa school, and a., son of one of the earliest settlers oil Te Kapua and a. brilliant young man. He was in Australia at the outbreak of the war, and went from there to Palestine, where he was killed in action. His "Pb-rothel' Sid was also there, rcturning safely. Riflemaln James Thorpe volunteered, and was fortunate in that tricky trip 'of visiting France to return sound and whole. _ Not so, however, for Ted McGovern, who with many a splendid lad, remains in France. l}ifleman_Joseph McNeil] went to‘ Palestine and returned -home last, month safely. Len. Tucker, 2; . sclloollnaster here for some years, saw much service at Gallipoli and France, and returned home “slightly gassed,” It will be seen that To Kaplla has painful recollection of the great war by the names mentiond, there may be some; omitted-—but I shall quickly add to the list on being corrected by those who know. V THE WEATHER A.\’D,F-UTURE " ,‘ , PROSPECTS. . Rather extensive fires occurred here 13;: last: Saturday and/.Sunday nightas a ;Ij;fre"slllt;__er the ~hea-;ry gale which’ was ‘!:‘».:‘vel_’gi'v'i‘s{Ja’l{ere.. 1,-flpwever; rain coming

on, no serious dznnage was done to stock, the fires being quickly subdued,‘ but matters would have been serious had the gale, continued without rain. On Tuesday slight snow fell on the high lands, with hail and ‘bitterly cold weather, and any shorn sheep would be having 3. bad time.

E. For some weeks past the ‘weather has been very cold, with considerablewind—hard, dry ~and. cold—Which could have no good eifoct on pastllro: ;in fact, nothing could be worse for the f:3.rnlel'. Yet the country looked fresh and green still. Now, however. with the rain coming down plentifully,‘ it. is quite all right for the country——just whatywas needed, and we can well do with it, as everything was very dry. Stock are coming out of the winter very fair: Lambing has been good, and the lambs particularly bright and healthy. Generally farmers speak of results as favourable compared to other years.

- 300 500 600 T1. yds ‘yds _vds ' Thurston . . . . 27 31 27 85 Batt . . 25 34 25 84 Parsons ’ _ 25 31 24 80 P. Munro . . 23 30 25 78 Gilchrist . . . 22 22 24 63 McDonald . . 22 22 24 68 Anderson , . . 22 26 20 68 Mills _ . . 20 26 20 _ 66 2 1st COMPETITION. Parsons _ . . 28 ' 31 25 84 Mum-o . . 27 30 27 83 Hints . . 30- 26 23 79 Batt ‘ . . 23 30 25 78 Anderson . . 24 24 24 72