DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 102, 23 September 1914, Page 8

DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETIN'G. The annual meeting of the Now Plymouth Defence Rifle Club was held at the Town Hall last night, Mr P. J. Ilill presiding over a large attendance of members. REPORT AND BALANCE-SHEET. The report congratulated the members on the success of the club during the year. On the outbreak of the war it was decided to offer the services of tiie club to the Defence Department, and to enrol as many members as possible, the result being an increase in membership of '250, and the committee trusted that these new members would make the club a strong unit. Weekly parades were i being held, and were being well attended. Major Fletcher and his officers wer« thanked for the great interest they were taking' in training the members. The shooting last year was not up to the ' usual standard, due partly to the range I not being available as often as in other I years. Six matches were fired in the club championship, a silver spoon being given to the winner of each match. Rifleman Winslade won three matches, Riflemen Evans and Bruce one each, and DeputyJPresident Oliver one, th'e'&ggre- | gate being won by Rifleman Winslade, with Kieflman Bruce runner up. In the Saturday cup competition, Deputy-Presi-flcnt Oliver won the aggregate, Rifleman Bruce being second. Government prizemoney (£2 14s) was also competed lor, being won by Deputy-President Oliver, Riflemen McWhirter, Blanchett, Slaughter, and Blanehard. At the Taranaki Rille Association meeting, 17 members of the club competed, and Won prizo-money amounting to £26. Nine matches were ' fired against other clubs, four being won and five lost. The. clubs visited were Kaponga, Patea, Inglewood, and Mangorei. A cballange shield was procured for competition by all clubs in No. 8 area group, and has caused keen interest, having already been competed for seven times, but only two clubs succeeded in ! having their names inscribed on it. Kaponga defended it four times before Patea obtained it. Stratford, Eltham, Inglewood and New Plymouth competed for the shield, Patea being the present holders, after defeating Inglewood and Opunake. Members were urged to put iu as much practice as possible, in view of the next shield match. The balance-sheet showed a substantial credit balance, and the secretary was thanked for having done go much to improve fcha club's finances. Thanks were also accorded to the ladies for afternoon tea, to the Press, and to the members of the club. Tho .balance-sheet showed income as £124 10s lOd, including the balance brought forward, £72 16s 7d, and expenditure £O9 &s 2d, leaving £55 Is 8d to carry forward. Assets were set down.jis £39 4s, including unpaid sub-' ; scriptions £lO 2s fid; and liabilities were j stated as £34 18s (id.

In formally moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet, the Chairman stated that the payment of markers in all competitions had cost £lO, and that £lO 10s bad been donated to the Patriotic Fund. He alluded to the shortago of ammunition preventing target practice, but hoped some might be borrowed. He suggested opening the shooting at an early date, and that instruction should be given to all new members willing to go to the range. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. . ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The following officers were elected: Patron, Mr A. McHardy; deputy-patron, Lieut.-Colonei Okcy, V.D.; vice-presi-dents, Major W. 11. Fletcher, Lieut. F. llartnell, Mr C. T. Mills; president, Mr F. J. Hill; deputy-president, Mr W. Oliver; secretary and treasurer, Mr A. Jones; auditor, Mr llartnell; 'handicappern and selectors, Messrs Blaachard, Bruce and Oliver; general committee, Messrs Arnold, Renaud, Blanchard, Blanchett., Jones, senr., Bruce, and Hill. An honorarium of .€u was voted to the outgoing secretary, Mr Evans. It was decided that there was no seed to appoint a canvassing committee, as the number of members was now to large. A suggestion, made by Sir Mackie, by way of a recommendation to the committee, to divide the club into two divisions, and that the, highest scorers in tho two divisions shoot for the championship, was adopted. Tho opening day was fixed for Thursday, October 1. Votes of thanks were aetorded to the ladies and tho Press,