SHOOTING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 25, 30 January 1923, Page 5

SHOOTING

WELLINGTON UNION OF RIGLE CLUBS.

The ■ annual report presented to the Wellington City end Suburban Rifle Clubs' Union disclosed another year of successful work on the part of the union's executive. The report states that the purpose of the union, as indicated by its initial constitution, was to promote and to encourage teams shooting among the Wellington City and Suburban Clubs. The valuable shields donated to the union at the time of its foundation in 1916 had been competed for regularly each year, and the ' annual shield matches were now definitely recognised , by all local rifle clubs as an essential feature of each season's programme.

The report proceeds: "Whether in the 1 course of time the union's activities may be extended beyond those of organising teams matches among clnbs is a matter which must be determined by the future development of rifle shooting in Wellington, but in the meantime the union may iook upon the success which has attended its annual fixtures in- the past to reassure itself those efforts have been upon right lines. The shield matches for 1.922. attracted a record entry—five teams for the senior shield and seven for the junior shield. A total of twelve teams, comprising in the aggregate 120 riflemen, requiring a target accommodation of 24 targets. These figures speak for themselves, arid require no elaboration to demonstrate the interest taken in the union's matches."'

' The report congratulate^ the Suburbs Rifle Club on its double victory in winning both the senior and junior shields. The club's performance in the junior shield competition was all the more creditable by reason of' the fact that the club had two teams, each of ten men, engaged in the senior shield competition.

The annual district representative matches, are also mentioned in the report, which states that although these matches are now conducted by the New Zealand executive, the Wellington union bears a fatherly interest towards them, since their inauguration was the direct result of an offer'put forward by the Wellington Rifle Union three years ago. The union has its arrangements well in hand for this season's shield matches, which are to be held at Trentham on Saturday. The conditions are to be 7 shots at each of the ranges, 300, 500, and 600 yards. For both th« senior and junior competitions the teams are to consist of 10 men. Lieutenant P. Barcham and Serjeant-Major King have been appointed as range officers, Messrs. W. Cowan arid J. M'Donald as trench officers, and Mr. R. Smith (of Gisborne) is to be the statistical officer.