OPAKI RIFLE CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8458, 7 June 1907, Page 5

OPAKI RIFLE CLUB.

ANNUAL SOCIAL. The annual social of the Opak Rifle Club was held in the Exchange last evening, and proved ; very enjoyable function. There wen nearly 50 couples present, and danc ing was kept up until an early hou: this morning. Included among thos< present were representatives of th< Fairview Rifle Club and the officer; of the Masterton Mounted Rifles and Masterton Rifle Volunteers Corps. The music was supplied by Mr S. Ballard, and Messrs W. Winslade and J. C. McKillop acted as M's.C. An excellent supper was provided in the Arcadia Tea Rooms by the Misses Whitcombe. Before the dancing commenced the presentation of the prizes won by members of the Club during the past year took place. Mr W. J. Welch, Captain of 'the Club, in a neat speech, said the Ciub felt honoured at seeing such a large attendance at their social. He then detailed the movements of the Club since the opening of the season last September. Their first match was at the Palmerston North district meeting, where £BO in prize money was shot for by about 80 competitors. The Opaki • Rifle Club sent eleven men to that meeting and won £4O. They also won the Teams Match, and Rifleman Winslade carried off the championship as well as the gold medal and the Rifle belt. Rifleman W. J. Henry, the Club's secretary, was second in the championship at that meeting. Six weeks ; later the Club sent a team to the Norljjf Island meeting at Wanganui, | and again Rifleman Winslade won the ! championship and the rifle belt and ' gold as well as a sum of money. In addition the Opaki team won the Teams Match. In February ten members of the club competed at the Exhibition meeting at Christchurch, where there were about 350 competitors. Rifleman W. Feast held the first position in the championship until the last day. He eventually finished fourth. Several members won various sums of money at that meeting. After meeting with some success at the Wairarapa meeting at Papawai, the Club sent a team to Trentham, where the New Zealand Championship Meeting took place. Out of the 450 competitors, Rifleman Cameron was leading in the aggregate until the second last day, when he struck a "Trentham wind," which put him back to eighth place at the finish. Out of the 37 teams competing at this meeting, the Opaki team finished second, being beaten by four points for first place. The club then sent a team to the Mangaweka meeting, where Rifleman Cameron won the championship and gold medal. The team also won the Teams Match. The club, he continued, had every reason to feel proud of its position. The. shooting on their own range had been quite up to the usual standard, if not better than previous years. Captain Welch went on to say that in New Zealand, unlike the Old Country, the people always thought they were safe because they had the- British Navy to rely upon. The colony only paid £50,000 to England for pre taction. New Zealand could nob build a navy, so that its main defence force was its riflemen. If the Government were to encourage the Volunteer movement in the cities, and give the country men plenty of ammunition and rifle ranges, there would soon be 150,000 Volunteers in the colony, instead of about 20,000 as at present. He considared that the Government should do more to assist volunteering than it had done in the past. Mr H. G. Williams, President of the Club, said he was pleased to have the honour to assist at thr presentation of prizes to the successful members. He went on to say that Mr Hogg had very!serious designs against the club; he was not so Iriendly to them as they thought. He (the speaker) had it on good authority that Mr Hogg was preparing a Bill to be introduced] next session to be called "The Limitation of Champions Bill." (Laughter.) The Opaki Rifle Club had won nearly all the championships during the past four or five years, and the Bill would provide that a championship could only be won once in ten years so as to give other clubs a chance. (Laughter.)

Mrs Williams then presented the prizes to the successful membeis. The list of prize-winners is as follows—

"A" CLASS COMPETITIONS. G. Hyde—Winner of Club Championship. Competitions 8. Total score, 676 points. Wins Mr F. "C. Cooper's gold medal and holds the club's Championship Shield for 12 months. Wins' and holds for 12 months Silver Cup presented by Cap 7 tain W. J. Welch for highest scorer over the fiist five competitions; Cup to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals.. Total score, 442 points. Also wins outright Messrs Levin and Co.'s trophy, value £5 ss, for the highest scorer over all ranges of 600 yds and 700 yds, 500 yds, 600 yds, and 700 yds, and fifteen shots at 700 yds. Also wins Mr J. Sutherland's silver shaving mug for the highest score made with fifteen shots at 700 yds. Total score. 65. J. Turnbull—Second in aggregate, total score 666 points, wins Messrs Hyde and Co.'s trophy, pair of pictures. With highest score over first six competitions, gets Isg iij and holds for 12 months handsome marble clock presented by Mr W. G. Beard; this clock to be won outright in three years. John McKenzie—Third in aggregate. total score 652 points, wins Mr A. J. Cameron's trophy, eight day clock. W. Winslade—Fourth in aggregate, total score 652 points, wins Mr H. Mawley's trophy, telescope, A. J. Cameron—Fifth in aggrfgate, total score 646 points, wins Mr C. E. Daniell's trophy, glass and silver biscuit jar. With highest score over two competitions of 200 yds, 500vds and fiOOvds and fifteen shots at 700 yds, gets leg in for rose bowl presented by Mr H. G. Williams, and wins outright salad bowl and servers presented by Messrs McKenzie Bros. R. J. King-Sixth in aggregate, total score 644 points, wins Mr D. Caselberg's trophy, biscuit jar. A. Dawes—Seventh in aggregate, total score 634 points, wins trophy presented by Wellington and Wairarapa Motor Company. W. Feast—Eighth in aggregate, total scoro 627 points, wins Mr J. Elliott's trophy, hunting crop.

D. McCalmont—Ninth in aggregate, total score 622 points, wins J. D. Cruickshank and Co.'s trophy, electric torch. W. J. Henry—Winner of championship, last year. As gold medal was not made in time for presentation last year, it was decided to present it this year. "B" CLASS COMPETITIONS. S. McNabb—Winner of "B" Class, grand aggregate, total score 600 points, takes and holds tor 12 months, Silver Cup presented by Captain Welch, and wins outright shooting case presented by Messrs King and Henry; Also wins a handsome writing-case and pocket book presented by Mrs Welch for the highest score at the final competition fifteen shots at 700 yds; score, 56. W. D. Bennett —Second in aggregate, score 572, wins Messrs Graham and C trophy, silver teapot. F. Miller- Third in aggregate, score 560, wins Mr J. Prentice's trophy, photo frame. W. Springs-Fourth in aggregate,, score 541, wins Mr A. J. Cameron's trophy, epergne. A. Lewin —Fifth in aggregate, score 524, wins Colonial AmmunitionCompany's trophy, silver pencil. G. Blane—Sixth in aggregate sccre, 507, wins photo frame. MrC. Wilton, who has been handicapper to the Club for a number of" years, was also presented by the members with a handsome marble clock as a mark of esteem. Captain Welch thanked Mr and Mrs Williams for attending the function that evening and presenting the prizes, and also for having allowed. * the members to shoot on their property for a number of years past. Captain Welch also heartily thanked, the donors of trophies. Mr Williams, in acknowledging Captain Welch's remarks, said he would be pleased to do all in his power to assist the Opaki Rifle Club. At the supper adjournment a number of toasts were enthv nastically . honoured. The Mayor, Mr J. M. Coradine, occupied th" chtir, and Mr A. W. Hogg. M.K.R., was also, present. The toast list was as follows:—"The King," proposed by the Chairman; "Patrons of the Club," proposed by Mr D. McGregor, senr., responded to by Mr A. W. Hogg;"The Citizens," Mr G. Hyde—The Chairman, ai.d Mr J. Prentice; "Local Corps," Mr R. J. King—Captain Morton and Captain McKillop; "The Ladies," Mr H. Bennett- Captain McKillop; "The Press," Mr WWinslade. ( In proposing the to-ist of "Patrons of the Club," Mr D. McGregor, senr., made a vigorous speech, in . which he characterised the Defence Department as being out of date, in that they did not do as mur.h as they might to assist rifle clubs. The regulations, he said, were also too severe, as they prevented a young man from joining a rifle club without first serving as a volunteer. He contended that under the present conditions ; there was no encjurager- nt for young men to join rifje clubs. There were a number of young mu, ever* in this district whj would, but could not, join rifle clubs, simply because they were not allowed to under the department's regulations. He suggested that rifle clubs should be supplied with free ammunition, provided it was placed under the control of a responsible officer of the ;lub. He hoped that "the Defence Deparment would wake up, and, instead of spending large sums of money in putting submarine mines in the Wellington Harbour, which, he did not think, would go off, pay a little more attention to the rifle clubs."

Mr Hogr, in responding io the toast, said) j would do his best to get rid of the grievances referred to by Mr McGregor. The rrfle clubs were doing good work i;i the colony, arid he considered thi t they should be helped. Now that the defence matters wera in tne hands of a set of officers who were identified with the colony he looked forward to great reforms in defence matters. He was sure from what he knew of the present Minister of Defence and tne Cabinet, that rifle Clubs would receive every assistance. He believed' that rifle clubs and volunteers could work hand in hand in spite of what might be said to the contrary. During the evening songs were sung by Messrs W. Iggulden, R. Henry, P. J. Hunn and Miss,J. McGregor.