FIRES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 89, 27 March 1902, Page 2

FIRES.

HURLE'S CYCLE DiCFOT. About 11.30 on Wednesday night fira was discovered st the back c Hurle's Cycle Depot, at the corner c Davon and Queen-streets. The Fir Brigade were on the spot shortly after wards, and after a slight delay in get ting the pressure of water on, succeedei in extinguishing the flames Before the Brigade's arrival, how ever, the fire had been Doticed b; several persons at the White Har Hotel, opposite, and a small hose wa got to work, which did good serviee it keeping the flames in check, and pre venting their spread to Jury's stables the wall of which was charred. Will iag hands soon had most of the cycles out of the front shop, but the con tents of the kitchen (whore the fire i elievei to have staitud) and adjoinio/ rows were considerably damaged b; fire and water. The building, which is in the estati of the late Mr D. Shuttleworth, wa insured in the South British Office Fit: £3OO. There w;»s no insurance ou thi contents. The South British has also I small line on Jury's atables, the dam age to which is slight. Mr Hurle was unable to say las night the extent of his loss. FATAL FIRE AT DUNEDIN, PEil PRESS ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, March 26. A fire occursd to-night at Allanton in a two roomed cottage occupied bj Mrs Signott, whose body was subse quentlv t'oand in the debris. The cauei of the lire is unknown. The cottagi was burned to tha ground.

CORRESPONDENCE. [We do not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondents.] TARANAKI RIFLE ASSOCIATION MKETING. TO THE EDITOR. V Sir, —The very disagreeable contre- g temps mitt d by some members of the Kaiy-)ki Rifl.j Club at our la'x meeting, s and some Kubss quent reports thei'toa, 1 compel me, reluctantly, to reply through ! your paper, and I desire to state t!>e ] unbiassed facts, Your report in " Vol uateer Notes" on this matter, though c practically fair, misses one or two im- c portant points which I desire to Bet out. I (1.) There is no mention made of the t fact tfeat when the loud-voiced baran- 1 gues of the dissentients wore quieted, the council present decided " That tht> subscription to the Association (ss) • should be paid under protest, and re- e turned afturwarde, if in the opinion of t the kind framer of the match, Lieu-tenant-Colonel Ellis, V,D., it was their ( just due." Is there anything dishon- ; curable or dishonest in that, "Cap- , 1 tain" Crewkurst? (2.) Of tha 64 con- < testants in this match thr«e (Martiß, ; Julian, and Mills), all members of th? Kaitake R.C. (if not, I humbly beg , i their pardons), entered under protest. 1 Seven, please note, Messrs Crowhurst, , ' G. Adlam, W. Adlam, E. Adlam, ' Richard Putt, West, and J. Looney, declined to shoet at all, and conso- , queutly forfeited their entrance money, and now claim it with an addition of . ten shilling* a day for expanses on a i free (Government pass. True spirit of 1 volunteering, doubtless, at Kaitake! Further, I may mention that this club had not even denoted their annual subscription to the formation of the Association, which any corps or club, one [ would imagine, would in all honour be I hound to do. (3) Farther, I may explain that the Association programme t was published ten days before the I council knew anything about the Govarnmeat District Match. This came under my notice on Wednesday, 12th inst., in New Plymoath, when the mutch was finally arranged and decided b upon. On Thursday I got an additional i poster printed and ponced it that even--3 ing to all and sundry corps Rnd clubs, ] whether thsy had affiliated and paid r their fees or not. Thii circular eom- . meaced as follows:—"In addition to s matches already advertised," and con- ' eluded with the conditions of this parj ticular match. Identically the same - as in the four matches on the first pro- ° gramme, but the rules and regulations "j, ruling the meeting of course remained as on the first programme, and what- [, ever the intsntions of the framer of the 3 match might have been, nothing was |j ever said or written to me about 3s " beiug the only charge. (4) The matter y is in the hands of Lieutenant-Colonel s Ellis, V.D. to adjudicate upon 88 decided by the council, and if decision ■' says refund the 5a to those who entered , under protest, I shal! do so with the ereatost of pleasure, but a return of the 3s to the seven KnitaHe men shall '? not be with my consent, for it is forfeited by non-compliance with the n council's ruling. And now, Sir, I trust I have done with this miserable, p- tty i business. I have no time to waste on 3 paltry matters of this kind, but I can . and do most heartily thank the large body of true rifleman who aided us by their presence and assistance, overlooking a few faults incidental to a first meeting, and sincerely hope tkat we meet again next year, and heartily enjoy ourselves, as we should on such occasions. I enclose a copy of a letter from a " Captain" Crowhurst, which 6 amply shows how the Kaitake cat J > jumps, and the value of their " interest 8 in rifle shooting," and their anxiety to 6 promote meetings &f the Association. j " I am, etc., I e W. M. WOODHEAD, 8 Son. Sec. Taranaki Prov, Rifle Association. >r >, (Copy of letter from Mr T. E. Crowhurst.) 6 "Oakura, March 24th, 1902. II "Mr Woodhead. "Dear Sir, —My«elf and Mtsjrs G. Adlam, E. Adlam, W. Adlam, B, Putt, fi G. West, and J. Looney, members of v the Kaitaki Rifis Club, who entered H for the District Match, and complied with all the required conditions, but r - were prevented from firing in the ;s match unless we complied with tin ex--6 tortionate and unjustifiable d-matd for t: a further subscription of 7s 6d (wrong, y ss, W. M. W.) in eddition to the en--8 trance fee of 3s, have lodged a protes'. P with Colonel Eilis with a demand for 0 the return of our entrance fees, toy gether with a claim for ten shillings £ for each member for loss of time and expenses incurred in attending the '■ meeting. (By free Government pass, " W. M. W.) On this claim being setd tied we have agreed to let the matter ° dtop, as if we pushed it to extremes the " match would have to be fired over ''' again, and the Assoeiation compelled to return all entrance fees, as well as pay 8 for the Government ammunition exs pended. (Why not your railway passes, too, "Captain" Crowhuret? " Hosv loud the Kaitake frogs croak.) a Trusting in the interest of rifla sho..ting (sic) that t.he Association will sic; more honourably and honestly in the future.—Yours faithfully, " T. E. Okowhuhst, " Captain, Kaitake R.C." (Copy of W. M. Wood head's lep'y.) a "Mr T. E. (Jrowhurst, 1 " Kaitake 11, Club, Taranaki. I " Dear Sir, —I am iu receipt of ycur letter 24th inst. My previously formed opinion of you is correct. —Youra truly, " W. M. Woodhead, " Taranaki Prov. R. Association."