THE RIFLE CLUBS' CAMPS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1909, Page 9

THE RIFLE CLUBS' CAMPS.

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR. A circular issued by the District Defence Headquarters, giving particulars of arrangements made for the Easter encampments of rifle clubs, verifies the forecast published in The Post last Tuesday. Theie will be two days' camps at Te Aute, Palmerston North, and Wanganui, under Staff-Sergeant-Major Dovey, Staff-Sergeant-Major Burr, and Staff-Sergeant-Aiajor Rose respectively. Field firing exercise with ball cartridge and blank ammunition will be obtained, and the camps will extend over Good Friday and Easter Saturday. If any club finds these days inconvenient it may attend on any other two days, provided intimation be given to the department not later than Monday, sth April. The camp will be kept going for four days, and any club which desires to remain for the full time may do so, but the billeting allowance will be given for only the one night essen : tial. An allowance of 4s per day for two days will ba made to cover cost of rations. Members who intend to live in the tents provided by the department must bring their own blankets and necessary utensils, except cooking utensils. These, and tents, will be piovided by r the department. The Wellington men are to go into camp at Palmerston North, and railway order.«, to enable men v to travel free on the trains, have been forwarded to the various clubs. A cateier will provide meals on the range at Palmerston at a price within the daily ration allowance. A special general meeting of the Karon Rifie Club was held last night, to discuss the matter of participation in the camp. Mr. H. Marshall, deputypresident, was in the chair. A letter j was read from the president, Mr. W. | E. Jackson, stating that he was unable j to attend, through absence from Wellington. He thought the club would be wise if it accepted the invitation to go into caaip, for the public would ccc, then, that there was no truth in the old statement that rifle club men were unable to take their place in the field like volunteers were. The deputy president endorsed the opinions of the president, and said that for the concessions the rifle clubs were receiving from the department it would be no great thing to put in two days' training. There was a long discussion which showed that though the members were favourable to the call .they wished to make public some of their disabilities. No uniform is given them at present, and the lesult is that they wil l have to take the field in clothes of their own providing. A few of the members will be unable to get leave for Easter Saturday, but it is anticipated that about 25 will go into camp.