IN OTHER CENTRES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 97, 17 January 1908, Page 5

IN OTHER CENTRES.

\ (»T TELEGRAPH—SFJCUIj COIIBESrONDINTS.) : * —, * AUCKLAND January 16. . The: agitation which has been-carried, on for the.past eighteen months or' more,for the extension of the Penroso riflo range to !900 yards and 1000 yards has at last borne fruit. .Early'this week the-,Secretary of tho Penroso Rifle Range; Committee (Captain' Dormer) re-ceived,advice-from. Captain. (Assis-tant{Adjutant-Genera): for tho district) ;that the Defencc Council.-, had to grant £72.-10 a.' fer', the-'- purpose, >wm -tho amount applied for when the . schcme- was originally" promoted, but- sinc'o'then thi cost' of labour and has \ increased con«dera.bly, and it is -estimated that it-will ' require' ji- farther >£25 to : coyer : the'extra expense.' Though the: grantfails' short of'tho estimated -eoit '.'through; .the Council's plieable doiay,- still tlio range 'committee have HecidedjUn. tho interests $f'local .riflemen^-to go on 'with'.thi and : to ciirryiit oiit' with the';' Outmost, -expedition*.- ' Captain ; Dormer states that the committee, in. order to,pro.vido the/lengthenedranges .required, had decided' to erect two " shutter" ; targets ; 200 yards -to the rear of tho 'present' targets, and at'tho: same, time a little to-the right. ' 'Thus, riflemen'.' when they wish to /use the 1900 yardsV: and. 1000 yards' ranges will have to firo' from ' the present 7QO -yards' and, .800 yards'., firing ppints^arid-in'a diagonal: direction across tho field,, • The work of the erection of the ",sbutt6r " targets, which'aro reported to be among the most up to date.in nso, has been .chtrusfed.-to Captain''Skimier, th<). well-known - , marksmany, who , will endoavour to in ■ readiness ; by tho 20th of next month/ This, should' give Auckland marksmen ample opportunity of practising ' at" tho longer ' ranges ; for.' the Trentham 1 riflo meeting in; March, a privilege which they have been denied so long, and', it is-hoped that when tbey meet the southern eracks again thoy will bo able to bring back the. laurels; A Salt-water Lake. The question of'turning the Orakei basin to practical account by converting it into an .attractive pleasure' resort is being rovivod. The' matter will probably bo discussed at the next'meeting of the Remuera.RPad Board Mr. : J. S. Dickson, Chairman 1 of' th'o 'Board, ii\ the..coiirs& of an interview yesterday with the"' Hon. . Jas: M'Gowan .(Actirig-Minister for Publjc Works),, explained the proposal that has; been mooted, viz., that;if ,tno Harbour., Bpard'would hand over the reserve'for. tljo' purpose,' locks would;, at';th'e biidgq.at tho mouth .of' t-be'-basiri. By thus confining ' tho ' water'/at '.high fide; it."would ' -,^M'^n>^^t/wJi^i : '.vbnld : -|)t>l'adinirabiy adapted'.' for - boating; and... bathing; purposes. Mr. Jl'Gowari' t 'said -tiiiit if siich :a schenie wliat ho could to assist iti,carrying it'out;';;' '•% Advice :to:Constjtuents.\ .. '.Some■ -'sound. ; ad.vicb.-..to';. constituents:. was tt?aereaiby'Mr'/-F;;^;;.li^.il';p.^'ai' , .tK« spikiar'meeting:of;the' On£.bunga : .Chianiber of Gpinmercp. heju: last : evening '.t<) : ' consider.',the qiiostion'i'bf Ithe '.'control :of IMariakau Harbour which lie was basked up; in connection., with; his : endeavour tb.'sgcurb- some refrormCafc' OriehurtM ,'WhaiJ, hid resultd in a vote of. £1000 being put', oaf .the';: estimates, .and; this . showed the necessity for.'a constituency banding- together and representative. jAfter;the turmoil .of an election allpartjes.'iri a:constituency should sink party differences 'and - with their member for the best interests of the constituency and lof the..Dominion as . a' whole; '.' Those constituencies wnjch v; did not' consider that ..their duty/Jended at the elections,. but worked right, through' wjtK, and in sijpport of,"their members; were. far'' ; bef-ter oft' than those whioK' : _ allowed political feeling to . divide them: into' factions all the time. •