THE TRENTHAM MEETING.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13063, 13 March 1908, Page 6

THE TRENTHAM MEETING.

Hie a.nnua.l mooting at Tre nth am o tho New Zealand Defence Forces Rilb As.soeia.tion, which wos (-oui]ile.t.ed yes terday, was no* only a record for tin pom in ion in; the matter of eintricts, bu also in the ex*pcdition with which th< programme was oan'ied through. I*o the first time tho' system of a time table, wire]*, is in vogue at Bisloy, wa: adopted, a.nd this wins carried on l irn-vpeetive of w-nather. The manage rnent of tbe meeting iv.is a<l mirable. Oolonel G-t-llins is skill ol in t.he conduct of rifle meet ings, but this year's gathering, ir which over five hundred eomiH-ititor: t-Hik part, was the heaviest task ho ha.yet undertoken. In tho Iwist majiagev: i.tistitiiHoiiN. h.vw.'ver, i.iero is nvrm foi iinproveiuent, a.nd there are ma.ny mat t<'t*s that at.te-n.t-ioni if the. TVenth.im Alee,t.ing is to become worthy ot tin*, title of the New Zealand Bisley. Of th«**se. the mo-t jiromuii.ent is the matter of aunnunit-ion. At tlio meeting .just closed, this was oi a very mixed [•liarant.oT, and was evidently juackod in the J)i-fc-nce Stores without duo atlen tion beinig }>aid to getting the same fat-en of manufacture, a.s some -w;is Voir yoa.rs old, and .-«*nie iiiutst. have fated back six <ir seven yeors. If cor--e<-t niarki-nvan.sh.ip is to bo oncouriged, the qae.-'tioii of iiJiimunition must ie studied closely. At Bish.y t.he amiinnition is specially m;ide for the neeting, and this (onid easily be don-e tore. It is rce.vgnriscd that cordite -aries n great. <bal in its strength. Hid it would he a. go.wl idixa if iillliiuiii;ion made from different rolls of corire n-cn- separately pack..). This would ;ive nt Ux\nt- 50,0(10 ioiiikls exaeiiv he -uime strengijh. 11. would ai.s<>l**'wed o initnxluc** more coniiietit ions under erviee coind.it ions. Of th.-.-c there are ■Iready two on the programme- —tho '•olonia! Ammunition Company's Cup n<i the Chat-tie Ala ten. ,-,.. hot which o:upri-." v s .judging diftaneo with ..h<snII.;. As the ..bjeet ol iho Asso.-iat ion ii'.uld be ;o]>rep-ai-o rub un-n lo meet lie . i.eniy in the. ti. M. a eeriaiu nunier <-t niateh's .-it iinlai.wii di.--t.-i.net>> I'd d :>-.•: ppea ring targets oould xi.-aiv cmi rod uc. d. Thi-sc are tw<> i.-oiures hull we believe wveu'.d to popularise the mi-eting and iiir-;.;ise its us.v_ uinest-.