AUCKLAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1351, 20 November 1860, Page 3

AUCKLAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

A MEETING of tlio Members of the above Association w»» held in Messrs. Merriinan and Jackson's office on the 17th inst. Mr. S. Jackson, Chairman ; when th'e following Report of the Preliminary Committee was read: — '1 he Preliminary Committee appointed on the 26th October to prepare Rules, and arrange other business connected with the Auckland Rifle Association, have now to submit the following Rules together with a statement of what has been accomplished towards the formation of the Association. 1 he Rules have been framed so far as possible, in accordance with those of the National Association, and *re as follow : —

RULES. 1. That this Association be called the Auckland Rifle Association; the objects of the Association being to encourage the formation and maintenance of Volunteer Eifle Corps, and the promotion of Rifle shooting generally. 2. That all persons subscribing not less than one guinea per annum, or making a donation of five guineas shall be members of the Association, and entitled to jail the privileges thereof. '" 3. That the Association be governed by a President; twenty-one Vice-presidents, with power to add'to the number, a, General Committee consisting 6f thirty members, together with the Captains of the various Volunteer corps, and a Working jCpromittee of seven. The Committee and Working Committee to be elected at the annual meeting of the Association. 4. That a meeting of the Association shall be held annually, or oftener, at places to be determined upon by the Working Committee, to which the several Volunteer corps will be invited to send a certain number of their best shots, who shall compete for prizes according to rules which will be prescribed by the Working Committee ; and that prizes be also offered for competition among riflemen, whether they are connected with Rifle Corps or not. 5. That the prizes given by the Association for the encouragement of Volunteer Corps shall be open to all members of such corps, qualified as in resolution 4. That the prizes given for the general encouragement of rifle shooting, shall be open to all competitors, but persons who are not members of the Association shall pay the sum of ten ■hillings as entrance money. 6. That the Working Committee shall be the executive and governing power, and shall be fully authorised to deal with any question arising from time to time, and the decision of the Working Committee on every question decided by that Committee shall be final. Any officer of the Association may at any time take a seat in the Working Committee, and vote on any question under discussion. Your Committee recommend the following list of officers of the Association, believing that it represents fully all classes of the community; their endeavour having been to place the movement on as -wide a basis at possible. They have much satisfaction in being able to report that a general interest has been expressed in. favor of the Association, and that nearly all the gentlemen who have been requested to give their names and influence in promoting its objects have given a ready and willing assent.

President : The Hon. E. W. Stafford, Colonial Secretary. VlOB-PRKSIDENTS : Hifl Honor the Superintendent, F. Dillon Bell, J. P. . Thomas Henderson, J.P. Ja». Thos. Boylan, Joseph May, J.P. F. M. P. Brookfield,, William Mason, J.P. J. Logan Campbell, William Morrin, , Wm. 0. Daldy, J.P. Every'McLean, J.P. J. C. Firth. Lieut. Pol. $Tixon, J.P. J. A. Gafillan, M.L.C. Thomas Russell, Robert Graham, J.P. D. B. Thornton, ; JohnGrigg, Henry'Walton, , , I William Hay, , , Hon. F. Whitaker, M..L.C.

Genehjj, Committee: The Captains of Volunteer Corps. William Buckland, ' A. A. Melvin, J. H. Bumside, Win. Motion, Samuel Cochrane, L. O'Brien, Walter Combei, Eobt. Patterson, W. Coombe, Geo. P. Pierce, Jas. Cruickshank, Wm. Kattray, S. J. Edmonds, Richard Hidings, John Graham, Jas. Riuuell, Henry Graham ( Chas. Stitohbury, Chas. Heaphy, J.P. 0. R Strickland, Henry Hardington, Daniel Tole,' H. M. Jervis, Gibson K. Turton, Edward King, H. Thorpe, Jno. Kissling, S. Welli. Thos. Maoky,

Woiiking Committee: William Aitken, Samuel Jackson, J". C. Firth, Stannua Jones, Henry Gilfillan, William Morrin,

Thomas Russell. Treasiner : Wm. Morrin. Hon. Secretary : H. Gilfillan. Your Committee have had under consideration several localities suitable for Rifle practice. They are happy to state that with regard to some of these, as also of other objects in contemplation, they have received from the Hon. Mr. Stafford the assurance of his desire, as a member of the Government, to do all iu his power to promote the interests of the Association. The number of Members already enrolled, and the liberal subscriptions promised, afford the best proof of the good wishes generally entertained for the success of the movement. Thereafter, the following Resolutions were put »hd passed : — 1st. That the Report now read be adopted. 2nd. That tho Rules a» read be the Rules of the Association. > 3rd. That the officers recommended by the Committee be the officers of tho Asiooiatiou. 4th. That a paid Secretary be appointed xt a salary of £25 per annum. Henry GilpiliiAN, Honorary Secretary,

The late Fike in Queen Street. — An inaccuracy appears to have crept into our report of the fire of Sunday week, which has been pointed out to us by Mr. Coombe. Our report stated that the fire broke out in Coombe's Buildings, but it seems that, though in the same block it was not in one of the buildings known by that name. It commenced in part of Mr. Boon's premises, and spread from that to Mr. Francis's— one of the houses erected by Messrs. Coombe — and then extended to the whole block. Our reporter's impression at the time of the fire was that the whole of the block went by the name of "Coombe's Buildings." We hasten to mention this in justice to the Coombe, as the impression might otherwise arise from the conclusion of the report, that their buildings, consisting of four houses merely, were insured for £1600, whilst in reality they only were for about £800. The Waikatos.— 'Tamihana's tribe of Mata-mata natives have at last made up their mind what to do. Information reached town on Saturday that they were to leave for Taranaki, some 600 strong, yesterday. It is not supposed that Thompson himself goes with them. Eobbeuy AT Maungatawhihi.— On Sunday week two natives called at Mr Baines' place, at Maungatawhiri, and asked first the use of his fire, and then permission to remain during the night, which was granted them. All went to rest, and about midnight Mr. Baines was disturbed by the natives, who, it appears had, whilst he was asleep, brought up their guns from their canoe. They made him strike a light, and then, fowling-piece in hand *nd cocked, robbed him of money, clothes, a gun, tobacco, &c. Having some compunctions of conscience, probably, they kindly rereturned him 7s. 6d. and Bome figs of tobacco, and took an inventory of their plunder with a view to a future adjustment of the account. Mr. Baines has left the Waikato. The natives around are, it appears, very inindignant at this robbery, and threaten great things if they can only catch the offenders, which, considering th»t they are pretty well known in the district, they may possibly do, though we hardly think it probable.