THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 640, 18 October 1909, Page 8

THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.

'? MINIATURE- RIFLE-RANGE OPENED, h : ' ; ' ■■' • '>'.: ; Tho formal of tho. miniature riflerange :in "connection with' Northland" Scho'6l— tho first raugobfits kind opened.at any school in tho Dominion—took place • on Saturday, afternoon.'- .'Amongst■' those present were: .Tho Minister .'for Education, Hon. Goo.' Fowlds, Mr'. J..;.P.VLuke,.M.P.,''Messrs'. R. Leo and'. Wm. 'Allan,-'representing, the--Education' Board, Mr. J.--G: W. Aitkeh, Major M'Donald, and 'Mr. A. ■C. Pearce.: The range, which is 25 yards long, hris!been cut out or;the hill at thesouthwestern;' corner of, the . school-grounds, and affords practice somewhat similar to that given 200 yards Bisley range. Tho construction, was carried ou.t'by Messrs. Gapes Bros., of.-Northland.'" ; , - - ..... '.:--'.■ -Mr.:'A..'C-. Pearce, chairman .of the - School .Committee, in welcoming , : tho. for Education, .pointed out that there had always

been, keen' rifle shots about Karori, and their great-in. seeing such a "range erected. .By-teaching-.tho young people how to shoot, and having, trained -riflemen/therb ought to-.be no :iieed 'for. 'coiiscriptiOn. He : suggested that'tho 'aunisUr-KeHould', e'n'de'dvour. to have' similar ranges cstablished , 'ih th'e other schojlsV ■i^Mi^ , ' Mlr - - F ? lr lds stated.that,he hoped' that the range at Northland, wouldbe- the- forerunner: of a large' number of' similar"ranges in , connection';with. : the;public,, "schodls/.-^he.duty : 01-defence devolved upon, every able-bodied man in every.''.coTJiitry.V' If was riot sufficient to bo merely, willing to .-take, part 'in-ithe'.'defence of .one s, country; everyone must be able to ; discharge, that duty.-Nooiie wanted the opportunity or the necessity! to arise, but everyone , should be ab'lo to '■ shoulder:'a rifle and ready to give; a good account 'of! himself if the necessity should be forced upon them. .He that, the cadet, movement was an important factor-in -the- defence of .the Dominion, and. •the object-of- the. new movement—the estab- 1 ;hshmeht;of ranges, such as this at North-. . .'..-.to-i. .'-provide..-'.,-■ opportunity. . for shooting'practice .without losing time in travelling; to; distant ranges. :The''..Governmerit !?ave a} £ : for £. subsidy f to encourage 'the mbvera eut, and regulations'for safety, have been'circulated. ■Although the regulations had only been adopted a few months ago,; eight'applications for ranges had: been granted, and 52,-' applications were under consideration. ,'. Of course, the cadet aystem must-not .interfere with'the workfur which the schools were primarily established, but beyond'this the Government, was prepared tp,.do everything they:;could to fit.tho boys for, the defence."of/their , .country. The range rifle was. true in : test;' and a:' really serviceable ..weapon, aud its cost v was.only.one-third of ,'he .cosi-.of the ordinary cadet Tiflo, '.while'. the ; oost of the ■' ammunition was -correspondingly lower.' .When, the junior.-'cadets . had been fairly ;.well trained'.'on the:"miniature rangethey would.prooeed oh , ' to-further training, on larger '-ranges • lrith ithe -' previously ■ in' use, and,', when they. had been. trained in these two.- stages,'! they-.!would 'have -Teached. early manhood;.-and , wouM bo,able 'to take .up or--dinary. Service ' shooting." Mr. Fowlds paid ■'. a tribute;to the work.done, by Major M'Doriald since he' took : charge, of • the cadet movement, /and went, on.-.to say that'.an r effort had.-been : made to' reduce .the! amount' of clerical work imposed-; on' cadet 'officers.- Musketry instruction hadj been, brought, up , to-date, and the rtraining'which-the bovs-now reoeived■:was aa nearly as possible'in conformity with ordinary : service; regulations., The' Government'by any pi its recent, changes, including -the appoint-' ment of the .Permanent; Force as drill in-, structors,- did not ; wish.'to supersede the cadet ■officers, but .wished; to .help, towards efficiency,, so .that 'the :cqiuitry. would- get' the.-best value for the money- expended. . . .'-'' ':.; ■ '*.'. ;-.'•-. .

: The Minister;, then• lay- downv : on the.firing ramp;. tbok , careful' aim. for several seconds, fired, and-/missed.., L the altogether. 'A second. attempt, however, was more 'successful,' the' bulletjpioroing_'the upper'edge of. the cardboard square. 'Heathen declared:the range .open,-arid expressed the ..hope :that' the' boys would make better shooting than' he had done/ (Applause.) ■' ■ V ' ,: '■■'.'■■",'■", .'". Mr. Pearce referred'to the work done on.be-v half of the range .by;, Major Poulson,'who .was deserving of great-credit.;' '... : : ■'.. •'.. ■•';..•■■.. ; - ■'Hγ. Eobe'rt Leei" chairman.of ■ the Education Board, stated,' in the bourse of a': short speech,' \t]iat it 'was/gratifying.'. to see. the. position which drill now occupied .in the'schools. It was .fecogriised' that physical education was essential, arid they were iridobted/to : the ilinis-. ter for -for assistanceirendered,. mak-.. ing practical training in 'the use': of the rifle possible. The cadet-system, which, had'now caught hold; had been advocated for many years, although, "perhaps,' riot' ejnctly- in-its present '■■form,''ana he. saw. no .'...reason : whj' ( shooting should;.not ';be ns. populaiv,ns football. ;or ■ cricket. ■ :K was. just ,as good a sport; exercise, 'and test.of ability. ' ,■ , .-.; ■. ''■Mr. .T.P;- Liike, M.P., spoke bnetiy on the advantages' of 'rifle shooting -to yonng people, and-th6'necessity■■ for-extending, the teaching of shooting,'though he didnot believe that the 'country-' was going .in for conscription right away. r He 'also 'thought .that'it.was . the duty : 6f ■ employers .to ■ ■ give.',' their apprentices. facilities to go-.into training/ and ,so make themselves (fit to ■'. defend • the country. . (Ap- • After ithree cheer? Had : been given for 'the Minister . forvEducation -and' for ' the'. School, Coiriniittee and its , ohninrian.v afternoon -tea was'.prOvidcd in , ' .'' '.. y;•■