RIFLE SHOOTING LONG AGO

Evening Star, Issue 18533, 16 January 1924, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING LONG AGO

AN INTERESTING REMINISCENCE. At the jubilee meeting of the Otagb Rifle Association last night the chairman (Mr E. R. Smith) referred to its early history. The association was constituted sixty-one years ago, in 1863; but, owing to the difficulty in securing a rifle range, no competitions were held till 1865, and there have been several years in the interval when for various reasons no competitions were held—e.g., during the Great War. The first matches wore fired on a range in the Kaikorai Valley, and the site was probably that known later as “Barr’s paddock,” about opposite the junction with Hawthorn road. The rifles used were muzzle-loading Enfields, and one of the conditions was that unless a certain number of points was made at the first two distances the competitor could not continue at the final distance. The first match was won by Vol P. Tresider, of the City Guards, and the other prize winners of the meeting were Gunners Thomas, Morris, CarterMr W. Taylor, Liemtonant MTarland, Captain Ross, and Sergeant Devore. Amongst the competitors was Captain Staveley, who in later years was president of the association, and will always be remembered as its most ardent supporter. That the value of trained rifle shots was fully recognised in those days is shown hy the fact that a public function was made of the presentation of the prizes. All the Volunteers were paraded in Custom-house square on the succeeding Saturday afternoon in the presence of some 700 spectators. Headed by the Port Chalmers Band (which was accompanied by about fifty Volunteers from that centre), the parade was marched through Princes street, the Octagon, and George street, to the buildings rat the rear of the Exhibition, which was then in session (now our hospital), where arms wore piled by the troops, and they were conducted into the main hall, where the presentation of prizes was made by the lady mayoress, Mrs John Hyde Harris, supported by Mrs Richmond, wife of Judge Richmond. The chairman was Sir John Richardson, and in the course of a speech appropriate to the occasion he announced a fund of £l2O to be given to the High School Cadets. This fund exists to-day, and the interest is used annually for their benefit. The Cadets were, as a mark of distinction, allowed to cany their rifles into the hall, and were provided with a special position where they could see 'and hear all that took place.