LORD ROBERTS AND RIFLE CLUBS.

Auckland Star, Issue XXXVI, 21 October 1905, Page 4

LORD ROBERTS AND RIFLE CLUBS.

One oi tbe most extraordinary facto in the recent history of the great movement towards Imperial defence is the absolute failure of the appeal made by Lord Roberts for the establishflkent and support of rifle clubs throughout the United Kingdom. During the last year the late Commander-in-Chief haft lost no opportunity of urging upon public notice his conviction that England's military defences are very inadequate to our needs, and that much could be done to remedy the defects by popularising rifle practice. In an article which appeared in the January number of the "Nineteenth Cen- j tury" Lord Roberts declared that "it is I the bounden duty of the State to see that j every able-bodied man in this country, no matter to what grade of society he may belong, undergoes some kind of military training in bis youth sufficient to enable him to shoot straight and to carry out| simple orders if ever his services are re-' quired for the national defence." Within j the last three or four months the veteran j Field-Marshal has elaborated a scheme for the formation of rifle clubs, which I should enaqb the rifle to become in British hands what the long bow was in thej i days of Crecy and Agiucourt. In letters | Ito "The Times," the Daily Telegraph/, the "Daily Express" and other leading.j | journals he advocated this method of training as the only alternative to com- j j pulsoTy military service for the nation. I 'He has quoted the report of the Royal i , Commission on the South African war to j I the effect that without unduly the regular army the Imperial authoriI ties should take advantage of the immense reserve force ot untrained civilians j I who need only a little practice in shooting to form a. most formidable barrier] Ito any hostile invasion. He cite* -with I ' approval the opinion of the American military authorities, who hold that at j I least SO per cent, of a soldier's military efficiency must be credited to skill in rifle | | shooting: and he has finally appealed to the nation to subscribe £100.000 for the j | purpose of putting his scheme of defence upon a practicable ,basis. The exact I amount that Lord Roberts has secured is, 'according to our cables this week, £1017; and it may be worth our while to con- ' J sider briefly the reasons for the ignominious collapse of a scheme publicly assoI ciated with so distinguished a name.

No doubt when the Empire's history for this last half century comes to be written the military services of Lord j Roberts will receive due honour; nor does any Englishman need to be reminded of the personal popularity of the old Field-Marshal and the enthusiasm which his appearance in public al- \ ways evokes. But it would appear that not only among expert military authorities but by the general public, this rifle club scheme is regarded rather as a special "fad" of Lord Roberts to which no serious importance need be attached. It was certainly not regarded with any favour by the defunct War Office, nor does the Council of Defence appear to take it very seriously. The career of Lord Roberts himself at the War Office does not seem to have been conspicuously successful; and no doubt the talents which have made "Bobs" one of the popular heroes of England lie rather in the direction of strategy and command than of military policy and organisation. However this may be. there is no mistaking the general tendency in England to treat this rifle club scheme with somewhat scant courtesy. A few months ago Lord Roberts made a rather alarmist speech as to the possible consequences of a sudden attack upon England by a resolute and well prepared enemy; and he was promptly followed by Mr Balfour, who certainly succeeded in calming the apprehensions of the .nation as to the risk of invasion. Our own conviction is that Mr Balfour was altogether too optimistic on this question, and that the danger of a sudden onslaught upon the coasts of England is very real and may be even imminent. But Mr Balfour's cheerful self-confidence produced its natural effect, and his speech, which was very widely commented upon in England and on 'the Continent, certainly helped to discredit and force into the background Lord Roberts' favourite project for national defence. .Further, we must remember that the advocates of a naval rather than a military policy are especially active just now; and the efforts of the Navy League and its allies to promote the increase of England's fleets has naturally reacted upon the amount of support now forthcoming for purely military schemes. At the same time, Mr Arnold Forster and the Committee of Imperial Defence have been making strenuous efforts to reorganise and improve the army; and the Secretary for War has lately declared taht in three years' time England will possess a thoroughly efficient military force adequate for all its needs. All these considerations have naturally played their part in the formation of public opinion on the question of rifle clubs; and so Lord Roberts has found that his appeal has fallen upon deal i ears. But it is quite conceivable that the new relations with foreign Powers I into which England has so lately enI tered may yet compel her to reserve her regular army for service abroad and | entrust the duty of home defence chiefly Ito comparatively irregular or civilian troops trained in some such way as l suggested by Lord Roberts.

The following is Captain Edwin's weather forecast for 24 hours from nine a.m. this day: "Strong winds to gale from between north-east and west and south-west, glass rise, rain probable."

The plan of reserved seats for the "Elijah" concert by the Watkin Mills Company, Choral Society, and LiedeTtafel next Thursday is being rapid!v filled.

Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane, the local agents, are in receipt of cable advices stating that the R.M.S. Sonoma en route from San Francisco to Auckland, left Honolulu at 6 a.m. on Thursday last, six hours late. She is expected to reash Auckland on the evening of Monday the 30th inst., or the following morning. The R.M.S. Ventura arrived at yionolulu from Auckland and Pagopago at 6 a.m. last Tuesday, contract time. The Yenttua, should arrive at 'Frisco next Monday and "the mails by the steamer are timed to reach London on November 4th.

Tenders are returnable on Thursday, November 1, at noon, for the erection of a boro-fh office for ItirVanwaad.

j The celebration of the Trafalgar otri- | tenary will be continued at the charches to-morrow. The whole of the Auckland defence garrison is called out for church parade to-morrow morning at St, Mary's Church, Parnell, the Volunteer* assembling at the Drill Hall and marching down to Custom-street to meet £he Prometheus sailors and the Permanent Force. The cadets parade and march to St. Paul's for service. Reference to the centenary is to be made in most of the churches to-morrow.

The rowing season in Auckland was formally opened this afternoon by the Auckland Rowing Association. The boats of the various affiliated clubs assembled at the Railway Wharf about three o'clock, and formed into processional order under the marshal of the day, Mr H. A. Marriner, the president of the association. The procession proceeded up the harbour for a short distance, and then returned to the wharves, where the boats were dismissed.

The filling-in operations by the Railway Department of their portion of the Mechanics' Bay intake is now on the verge of completion, and the result, when tbe material used has settled down solid, will be tbe addition to the Department's area of several acres of very valuable property. How that the quondam mud fat has become dry land, no time is being lost by the jroprietary auI thorities in defining the boundary of their estate, a corrugated iron fence, considerately spiked as to the top, be- : ing in course of erection to check all undue curiosity on the part oi the vulgar.

The general appearance of the Albert Park at the present time invites the visitor to linger in it. Many of the grass plots present a. short thick sward of deep green, while most of the remaining ones have been operated up-n by the scythe preparatory to treatment by the mower. The flower beds in the vicinity of the fountain are now covered with a wealth of spring blossom, and a General spring trimming is noticeable "bout the whole of the southern end of the Park.

A licensee who refused lodging to a bona fide traveller at Obaeawai was fined by Mr F.orance, SAL, at Kaikohe recently. The defendant, George C. Payne, landlord of the Ohaeawai Hotel, was charged by the police with having refused lodgings to one George Edwin Foote, a bona fide traveller, and the magistrate came to the conclusion that there had been a technical breach of the Licensing Act. brought about by -a misunderstanding. The defendant was fined 1/ with costs 9/, and ordered to pay Foote's expenses as a witness, amounting to £5 16/.

The Northern S.S. Co. is advised that their new steamer Aupouri left Aden yesterday for Colombo, en route for Auckland.

There was only a moderate attendance of members at a meeting of the Mount Eden Bowling Club last night to consider the proposals of the Auckland Bowling Association in regard to the pennant competition. Mr O. Nicholson (president; was in the chair. The proposal to utilise inter-club competitions for the pennant contest was fully discussed, and the meeting expressed itself as being against the suggestion to divide bowlers into A and B grades. The members were also of opinion that clubs should be allowed to play their best rinks each week, making whatever changes they desired.

A meeting of creditors o£ Herbert Subrit-sky, licensee of tbe Awanui Hotel; held at tbe office of the Official Assignee (Mr E. Gerard) at Auckland this morning, agreed, on the motion of Messrs McCallum and Mennie, to accept a composition of 5/ in the £ and to assent to the annulment of the bankruptcy.

The Board of Management of the Parnell Orphan Home desire to acknowledge with many thanks tbe following additional donations towards the fund for the erection of the new buildings:— H. F. Edger (Cambridge) £2 2/, CM. £1, A Friend 5/, D. B. Kindle £2, BL P. Oakden £1 1/, A. H. Waring (Hamilton) £2 2/ to buy toys for children. Total amount to date, £1828.

In a Woodville licensing case, a man charged with being on the premises during prohibited hours set up the defence that he was in the stables, which did not come under the Act, being leased by a person who was not the licensee. The magistrate held that they were licensed premises, and fined the defendant 40/ and costs.

A united meeting of scholars attending the Sunday-school at North Shore was held last night under the auspices of the Auckland Sunday-school Union. The meeting was held in the Devonport Methodist Church, when Mr A. J. Entriean presided. Short addresses -were delivered by Revs. Griffiths, Lee, and Bertram. Messrs. Armitage handed to the children the prizes and certificates \w>n in the Sunday-school examination. During the evening solos were contributed by Mrs Macfarlane, Misses Simmons and Bain. The collection was on behalf of sending children in London for summer picnics.

We are informed by Henry Hughes. patent agent, Queen-st., Auckland, that the following applications for patents have been filed by residents in the Auckland province since the 29th .of September: R. O. Clark, kiln for earthenware; J. Fenton, hat fastener; C. V. Fulljames, and B. Crawford, acetylene lamp; A. S. Ford, weighing machine; J". H. Love, horse collar; W. G. Medding, fire alarm; A. R. Morrison, wire mattress.

A resolution was passed last evening at the Birkenhead Sugarworkers' Union urging the need of having a money-ord-er office and savings-bank ait Birkenhead. It was decided to approach the Postmaster-General on the matter.

The concert tendered at the V.M.C.A. rooms last night by Herr and Madame Wielaert was attended by only a moderate audience, although the programme presented was worthy of a full one. Those who were there, however, appreciated the excellent musical fare provided, and to their repeated demands encore numbers were given in nearly every instance. Among those taking part were Herr Johann and Madame Wielaert. Misses Tewsley, Tucker, Easor, Schischka, and Moon, and Messrs. H. B. Coney, W. Frith, and G. E. Poore. Next Friday Mr. Arthur Boult will tender the final concert of the winter series.

A grand Scottish entertainment will be given on Wednesday evening next in St. James' Hall, Wellington-street. The programme will be under the direction of Mr Walter Impett, and will include gems of Scottish song and story. Stirring Jacobite choruses, Scotch dances and realistic tableaux, form part of the musical mean. Amongst those assisting are Mr and Mrs Abel Rowe, Miss dames C. A. Edgar and Higginson, Misses Tudehope and Paterson, Messrs T. Brough and Peter Smith, and pupils of Mi D. -impaon. * r^

H|je council of the Auckland Sailors' Hoove adjourned their ordinary matting last night to enable membera to attend the velebrations in the Drill Hall in honour of the Traialg-r Day Centenary. A sale of work at All Saints' Schoolroom, Po-sonby, will be opened on Wednesday nest. The sale is on somewhat the same lines as that of last year, with the addition of a nursery StalL The stage and class-rooms axe to be tastefolly and cosily fitted up as tea rooms. The small library will be devoted to flowers and ferns. Mrs Neligan opens the sale at 3 pan. Miss Rimmer and pupils will give a concert on Thursday, November 2nd, in Wesley Hall. Messrs. Dufaur, Aspinall, and Ryan will assist. The Auckland Amateur Boxing Club announce that entries will be received by the secretary at Victoria-street up till November the 16th for the bantamweight, feather-weight,i light-weight, and middle and heavy weight contests. . Mrs. Harrison Lee delivered an address on prohibition in the Miners' Hall, Waihi, last evening. The building was crowded. The Rev. Pattullo presided. The speaker received a good hearing, < and replied particularly to statements made by Mr. Dixon Ward. The Mount Roskill Baptist Sunday- I ; school celebrate their second anniversary \ to-morrow, when special services will be held morning, afternoon, and evening. | The leader of psalmody (Mr. R, 8. Abel) ' has had the children in practice for some I Weeks past with special anniversary i : hymns, which will be rendered from a ] large platform erected for the occasion. ; The anniversary tea and public meeting j | is to be held on Tuesday next. The link that binds! Gfeo. Fowlds will j i satisfy your desires in cuff links, studs, 1 I etc—Ad. Just . opened! Ladles' suede Lisle j I gloves, in all shades, at Is, Is 6d, Is \ 1 Hd, 2s fid, 2s lid pair—Smith andi Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. I | Our noted value in "first eho : ce" j Japanese silk ivory and black, 9fd to! I 3s lid,! colours, 93d to Is BJd. Just in, ] I untearable glace, 2s lid; check glace, now so fashionable, 2s lid; at McCul- | agta and Gowers*. —Ad. ! Just arrived s large shipment of gents' j black flexible hats in the latest styles, j | These goods are exceptional value. Price 5/11 to clear.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.\ ■—Ad. ;; • I I See • our window; fringed chenille table covers for round tables, 8/11 each, j j Tonson Garlick. Co. —Ad. New'shipments to hand of our famous j "Trilby" kid gloves, reliable for wear, j at 2s" 6d—Smith and Caughey, Ltd- — Ad. ' ,__ "| A careful look through our dress department will convince you of the j economy of purchasing from McCullagh I and GfoweT, the popular drapers. Cotton fabrics 4|d to Is U_d; wool 101<L Is OJd, j to 4s lid yard. Silk and wool, 2s 3d j yard up.—Ad. Smith and Caughey for children's mil-1 linery. Washing sun hats and oounets all prices. Button crown hats 2/9, 3/11, 4/6, 4/11, 6/lL—Ad. Nelson's centenary this week! Give the boys their, heart's desire in sailor suits from 8/9, at Geo. Fowlds'. —Ad. White flannel and serge cricketing trousers, in all sizes, splendid value, from Bs 6d—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.. men's and juvenile clothiers. —Ad. 4-dome French kid gloves, beaver, brown, grey, and blacks, 2s lid, 3s lid, 4s lid. 5s lid pair. White kid, black j backs, Is «a, 2s lid, 4s lid. Wbite ' washing kid gloves, 2s lid, 3s 6d, 4s lid pair—At McCullagh and Gower's.—Ad. Smith and Caughey, Ltd., are now showing- splendid range of trimming, draw braids, ornaments, buttons, etc, at their well-known prices.—Ad. Boys' all-wool serge knickers from Is lid per pair; tweed ditto, 2s 9d— Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. Calicoes: In fine, medium, and heavy makes, 3s lid dozen up; white and unbleached damask serviettes, tablecloths, direct from best Irish manufacturer's—At McCullagh and Gowers.— Ad. Just to hand: Magnificent stock of cushions and tea cosies, splendid value.' —Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. New goods. Fringed tapestry table covers, 2 yards long, fancy centre, only 8/11. Plain centre, fancy border, 2| yards long, 10/11. Plain serge centre, fancy border, 14/11. Tonson Garlick Co.—Ad. Ladies "underwear" and "slumberwear" in great variety. Woven combs., cotton. Is lid, up; wool, 6s lid, up; silk mixtures, 10s fid, up; ladies' cambric and calico nightdresses, trimmed lace, 3s lid to 32s 6d; chemises, 2s fid to 12s fid; knickers, Is fid to 8s lid; j combs., 3s lid to 19s 6d.—At McCullagh and Gower's.—Ad. Teneriffe work: Just opened up full | range of Teneriffe table cloths, tray cloths, dnchess runners, d'oyieys, etc. Sole agents for this celebrated work-. Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. Millinery: We make effective repro-i auctions of the season's smartest successes in hats, toques, and bonnets, from Paris and London, for every occasion, j to suit any purse—McCullagh and Gower. —Ad. Summer clothing! Geo. Fowlds' for ! alpaca and white drill coats; also every article of men's Wearing apparel.—Ad. Dainty washing dress fabrics, in the most charming combination of designs, lovely colourings, in voiles, muslins, j mercerised lawns, etc., etc., s|d, 6|d, 73d,. B§d, to Is 9*d.—At Mc-CuUagb and Gowerfs. —Ad. Smith and Caughey are now showing new spring novelties in ladies' voile costumes. Serge and flannel costumes from 29/6; holland and crash -costumes, 14/9, 15/6, 19/6, 22/6 to 45/.—Ad. Choice models in ladies' skirts, blouses, and costumes. We invite critical attention to these goods, being the newest and most falhionable styles, colourings, designs, and moderate in price.—McCullagh and Gower.—Ad. Special job lines in fancy Holland | blinds on spring rollers with fittings, !only 1/6 each. Great bargains. Tonson Garlick Cc—Ad. Morley's summer cashmere hose, guaranteedwear % well, Is, Is fid, Is 9d, Is Ud, 2s 3d, 2s Od, 2s lid; lace cashmere hose, Is 6d, Is lid, 2a 6d, 2s lid; embroidered cashmere hose, Is fid, lr Ud, 2s 6d; lace lisle hose, Is 3d, Is fid, ■ is lid, 2s fid; sanitary cotton hose, la, Is 6d, Is 9d, Is Ud, and 2s fid pair; spun silk lace hose, 2s lid, 3s Ud, and 4* Ud pair.—At McCullagh and Gowers,—Ad. Ladies' costume skirts in new designs, black and cream voile, coloured voile, crash and Irish embroidered linen skirts' at out usual low cash prices.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. Just opened: 2-Dome imitation suede gloves in beavers, fawns, grays, white. Mask, Is, Is 6d, 1» 9d, la lid, and 2s -faColLsfk ud Gowafa.-

— At a meeting of the Birk«__a__ S Workers' Union, held at evening, it was decided H. Banfield as a workers' at the forthcoming election of : — *** Bishop Lenihan will hold &s£*■ t_on at St. Patrick's Cathedral M? " row (Sunday), and preach both man ing and evening. IS.; Mr J. M. Shera will address the *_«. Nell electors in St. Mark's Hall Rmmm. era, next Tuesday evening at » hj_* Special novelties! White e_ibrJidi«j muslin and linen blouse white embroidered box dtoam ul skirts at our well-known cash _r____. Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ai To-morrow evening in tha o_m_ House, Mrs Harrison I_* wiU •££■"' address on the nodic —r mnTiiaa_i_ she finds it in New Zealand. . ' Of the best, comfortable, suitabl* sad - economical shirts, at Geo. Fowlds- ym just try a Neglige shirt.— Ad. ■: - Cream silk embroidered voiles «1n fc " lames in single and double widtS-'aJga" novelty French wool voiles in exclusive floral design* and exquUta [colouring, 1/11J yd.—Smith and Ck_. ghey, Ltd.—-Ad. ~. Boys' Norfolk suits, strong and s made, from 10s. These suits ate tilwool and good fitting.—Smith and CMI ghey r Ltd. —Ad. \ Round and square collars, muslin aad j silk, With lace insertion, ia white and I ecru, Is 6d, Is lid, 2s 6d, 2s lid, 3s Ud, \ up to 0s 6d each; lace and silk scarvail J 9|d, Is, Is 6d, 1» lid, 2s fid, SalLd/i, | lid, up to 15s lid each.—MeCunaah 1 and Gower.—Ad. : —f. j "That hat." Cents' black hard hats. : \ Is lid, Is lid, Is lid; soft black felt i hats, 3s lid, 3s lid, 3s lid, worth ?s I 6d; a neat soft and pliable straw hat i3s 9d, 33 lid. See window to-night — I John Court's lower shop.—Ad. Persons about to furnish should visit Smith and Caughey's Furnishing Shaw- . rooms. —Ad. 1 Picture frames in art green, and | brown oak, all sizes. The very latest. Inspection invited.—Ad, Sideboards in artistic design selling for £9 10/.—Smith and Caughey, LUL —Ad. • -- Wire gauze window screens to fit any size window, 2/11 each.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. 1000 picture frames just to hand. The: latest art design.—Ad. Wire gauze doors, all sizes, only b/H , each.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. ' I Ladies spring cleaning would do well to inspect our large stock of carpel square, all sizes, from 24/6.—Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. • ■>'- j Specimen skin hearth rugs in kaa* 1 garoo, fox, bear, opposum, wallaby, etc,' J can now be seen at Smith and Caugheys I Complete House Furnishers.—Ad.IYou mc invited to inspect out line; and varied stock of linoleums and carpets, hearth rugs, door mats, etc-— Smith and Caughey, Ltd.—Ad. I Special value in white twill sheetings we have a good line 72in. wide, Vs per yard—Smith and Caughey, Ltd—Ad. "' To-night: Straw hats for boys.yaaths, and men in all shapes, sizes and *- finest prices in City, To-night tSI * pan.—John Court, Queen-street. —Ad. 40 pieces of white calico at 3s lid per dozm, a wide width, and free front dressing—Smith and Caugbev, Lti.--Ad. ' ;■■'; "Saturday shoppers," For lace and chiffon ties, collarettes, stock collars, in endless variety at our well-Jaio«n values. To-night till 9 pjn.—At* John . Court's, Queen-street, lower .shop,—-Ad. A special line in white Turkish towels, 7Jd each, worth much , Smith and Caughey, Ltd:—Ad. To-night! To-night! Ribbons, Ribbons, the best value ever shown, all shades, C inches wide, 6jd; 12 ihehef wide, IOJd. See them to-night at John Court's, lower shop, open till 9 p-m.—* . Ad. ■