RIFLE CLUB "SHOTS"

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1940, Page 10

RIFLE CLUB "SHOTS"

SERVICES NOT UTILISED Keen disappointment at the lack of response of the 'authorities when offerecl the services of the New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club, was expressed by the president of the club, Mr. S. Higgs, recently. "Some time ago," said Mr. Higgs, "the Dominion ex/cutive of the National Rifle Assoclation placed the services of members throughout New Zealand at the disposal of the authorities. We received an acknowledgement of the offer and were advised to join various reserves. However, when it is recalled that most of our members are well over military age and, while extremely valuable as shots, are too old to go running round the countryside, the suggestion left us no further advanced." - "In New Zealand there are well over 7000 active and ex-members of rifle clubs available, and typical of most sportsmen, ex-members have almost invariably retained their rifles. The whole position is amazing. Before any member can purchase a rifle or a club grant him ammunition he has to be sworn in as a member of the local defence force. Naturaliy, we look on ourselves therefore as members of a defence force. Why then the refusal of our offer of services?" Services not Utilised. "Ifc is a great pity that our services are not apparently to be utilised," he continued. "All members and ex-members would be invaluable as regards proper instruction in rifle shooting and at no expense to the New Zealand Government. The only expenditure that the authorities would have to provide would be a sum of money to cover the cost of the ammunition used. Throughout the past ye^rs, the Government has aided rifle clubs in the Dominion tremendously. Grants of ammunition and range facilities have been freely forthcoming, all leading up to the necessary pitch of efficiency to prepare for just such a crisis as we are now facing. Yet when the time does come we are told that we are not wanted. If the authorities look on rifle shooting as merely a sport why didn't they allow the clubs to stand on their own feet like any other sport and not continually aid and ofier them the facilities they did?"