Oversea Shooting.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3753, 9 April 1908, Page 2

Oversea Shooting.

There is at present in Wellington a gentleman, a New Zealander by nationality, who was practically the originator of the Oversea Rifle Competitions which have attained so much popularity. Mr P. C. Rutherford went to South Africa some eight years ago, and with the exception of the time he was on service during the Boer War, he has resided in Rhodesia ever since. For more than a quarter of a century Mr Rutherford has been a strong advocate of defence through the medium of rifle clubs, and he has by his personal efforts formed a number of clubs in New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and South Africa. RIFLE CLUBS v. VOLUNTEERS. In the course of an interview with a representative of the New Zealand Times, Mr Rutherford said he had been much interested in the letters which had appeared in the Times regarding the respective merits of rifle clubs and volunteer companies. He would not enter into the controversy except to say that rifle clubs were less expensive to the Government in times of peace and expert rifle club men were more useful than volunteers in the event of t hostilitie?. A good rifle shot was always ready and anxious to meet his foes and could use his weapon with the best effect in a tight corner. Mr Rutherford is of opinion that the youth of the colonies should not be allowed to leave school unless they are proficient riflemen, can swim, and sit a horse decently. All this he points out, can be done without much expense while boys are at school, but if left till a later stage would be next to impossible of achievement. Mr Rutherford is emphatic in his belief that men so trained in their youth, will always be much more useful defenders of the country than those who have a knowledge of drill which is more or less useless, but has been relied on in the past as being all that is necessary to qualify men for active service.

THE ORIGIN OF THE SCHEME. •

The history of the oversea competitions is an interesting one. Mr Rutherford, who has been settled at Umtali, in Rhodesia for several years, formed a rifle club there in 1905. Eearly the following year he, with the assistance of the editor of the Daily Mail, originated the overseas competition. His first idea was that any bona fide colonial rifle club should be eligible to enter a team of eight men to fire on a fixed date, namely, the 24th May, regardless of the state of the weather. An independent umpire was to be present to see that the Bisley conditions of firing were strictly adhered to: seven shots and one sighter each at 200, 500, and 600 yards. On the conclusion of the firing each team should cable its score to the Daily Mail, and the winning team should receive cabled information as soon as the results were all in hand the final results to be published in detail as soon as the certified score sheets came to hand. The first of these contests took p lace on the 24th May, 1907. Twelve teams competed, and the highest aggregate was made by a Guernsey and Alderney team. The new Umtali Volunteer Rifle Club, of which Mr Rutherford is the champion shot, came sixth on the list. "CATCHING ON."

Mr Rutherford believes that the idea of these oversea competitions has caught on all over the British Empire, and it cannot fail to encourage the promotion of a healthy desire on the part of the colonials to become good marksmen. Colonial youths, he believes, could easily be encouraged to take up rifle shooting with enthusiasm, and this would naturally militate against the desire for drink and smoking. Entries are now being received for the competition, which is to take place on Empire Day, May 24th of this year. Over three hundred have reached the editor of the Daily Mail at Carmelite House, London, E.C. Ihe original intention was that each club should enter a team of eight men, or several teams of eight men each. The conditions have now been altered so that every member of a club can compete for a place in the club's team, the eight highest being chosen. This gives clubs with a large membership an advantage over small clubs, but the idea Mr Rutherford considers good, as calculated to stimulate the mediocre members to compete for a place in the team. A handsome challenge cup is given for yearly competition, and a silver medal for each member of the winning team. Entries should be made before the end of this week, so that they may reach London in time.