NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10215, 8 December 1893, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib, —A letter appears in your Monday’s issue above tha signature “ An. Intending Competitor,” to which, with your permission, I should like to reply. Regard-, ing hia query as to whether the amount of money required would be forthcoming in Oamaru any more than in Christchurch, I can satisfy him on actual figures. When tho meeting was held in Oamaru in 1888 tho citizens gave £lO5 net cash. At Christchurch in 1887 the citizens gave £63 11a 6d cash, and trophies which would not exceed £2O more. In your issue of to-day Captain Harman has a letter, in which ho says that, so far, only £lB has been guaranteed. On Monday evening last we held a public meeting here (tha Mayor elect presiding), and £SO 5s was subscribed in the room alone. We can raise another £IOO. These facts ■ will surely satisfy “ An Intending Competitor ” that he has a “guarantee ” that the money can, and will be got here easier than in Christchurch. Regarding the range, Mr John M’Lean, of Kedcastle, has given us a magnificent spot, within three miles of the town, absolutely { ree _no rent. You cannot come up to that in Christchurch. My friend “An Intending Competitor,” will thus find another reason* for knowing taat our “guarantee” of a range is thoroughly sound. Christchurch has as much right as Oamaru to get the meeting morally, but when you come to Bay, “ What guarantee have wo in Christchurch that certain things will be carried out in Oamaru any more than the northern city,” then lam sure you cannot blame me for coming forward with facta to prove the contrary. “An Intending Competitor” also m&kes a big mistake whan ha says “Christchurch has twenty shooting men to Oamarn’s one.” You certainly have more Volunteers, if that is what he means, but we have a very large number of shooting men in and around Or,main. Why, in our Martini Club alone wa Lave forts' shooting members, and I can easily pick another sixty round and about, and all these men are shots—good enough to compete at the Now Zeeland Rifle Association meeting. I think " Intending Competitor’s ” remark about certain gentlemen wanting a free trip to Oamaru unmanly. He surely cannot believe that anyone would throw over the interests cf his town to gave a few shillings. In conclusion I can assure my friend that if we got the meeting in Oamaru, and he comes down, he will find a pleasant and good range, plenty to shoot for, and will, I feel certain, return with the same feeling of satisfaction au to tho genuineness of Oamaru and her people aa our visitors of 1888 did.—l am, &c,, W. S. KING, Member of Council for Oamaru.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib,— ln to-day’s issue of your paper in b letter signed by Mr Harman, I think I can see tho cause of the present check in the collection of funds for tho ensuing rifle meeting. Knowing that that gentleman is one of the beat supporters of the rifle in Canterbury, and his thorough enthusiasm in anything attached to volunteering, I am somewhat surprised that he, although advised by the Chairman of tha New Zealand Rifle Association, should have allowed the question of guarantee to stand in bis way. He shoaiu have insisted cn Christchurch and nownere else but Christchurch when he found tha range could bo obtained here so easily, and as he allows that he expects a very successful meeting will take place. Promises of support from good men are guarantees in ihimselves, and it is imprasiblo to expect gentlemen in any position to give written guarantees of money in a case like tha present. But ha must know the fooling of moat of the shooting menmCanterbury as.

regards tin holding of a meeting here in 1894, and that should have been quite sufficient to show that ha at least would have ample support ia anything that ho might undertake for their help or benefit. I believe the cause of the present money trouble—if there really is one—is either that the business wps not entered into cariy enough before the elections took ail attention to themselves, or that it would be better not to be too hurried in the matter for the present, and simply collect what is available and go on with that. As it is now stated that the meeting is to take place here and nowhere else, that telegram is alone worth the best part of the money required, coming, as it no doubt l does, from Captain Collins, the monetary manager of the Now Zealand Rifle Association. Money no doubt ia still scarce, but, es I have shown in a former letter, wo need fear no loss, but a good return on anything advanced to assist the approaching meeting. —I am, &0., AN INTENDING COMPETITOR.