EXHIBITION RIFLE MEETING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14170, 19 September 1906, Page 3

EXHIBITION RIFLE MEETING.

(TRIGGER; in “ Canterbury Times.”) j At a meeting of the Executive Committee of t’ho Nor Zealand International Exhibition, held last week, the matter of the Exhibition rifle meeting was discussed. It was pointed out that the late Minister of Defence, the Right lion li. J. SeotKrn, had decided that the next championship meeting of the colony's Defence Forces Rifle Association should bo held at Christchurch, nemo time during, the Exhibition period, and the Executive considered that the ; wisheo of the late Premier should be j given effect'to. There are many good reasons why the meeting should ho held in Christchurch; possibly the only one that can be adduced against it is the matter of expense in making the local range suitable for a big meeting. But surely this phase of the question ehoiild nob be a complete bar to holding the meeting in Christchurch. It has already boon pointed out in this column how the Redolifi’s range could bo made to accommodate a largo number of targets, and a scheme was also suggested in regard to a suitable programme. There is no reason whv the authorities chould bo anxious to have shooting at distances beyond 700yds; of course, it must bo said at once that, although the Eedcliffs range extends for a thousand yards, the accommodation for firstclass targets is limited. It has -been pointed out in this column that there is room for nearly thirty eecond-olass targets, and, by making a new trench in front of the present A butt, forty third-class targets could be used. A popular programme could he framed, such as I gave particulars of a few week® ago, ana, even if seven hundred marksmen took part, by a proper system of working a meet satisfactory programme could be got tlirough, including the teams matches, in the time usually allotted to the championship competitions. From what I can gather/ the fatal objection to the meeting being held in Christchurch is the matter of expense in range improvement; but I believe that the whole thing could be .'done for about the same amount that it cost the Association annually in the peripatetic days of its existence. There can be no question that during Exhibition year the Government should hold its champion marksmanship gathering at Christchurch. The attondanc© . would, no doubt, he nearly double that of a TrcntJiam gathering. Friends would accompany thq marksmen, and the Ex- - hibition would certainly benefit beside® the city. Marksmen would attend the meeting in Christchurch for a double purpose—to participate in the shooting and to ee© the Exhibition. In this respect the Volunteers should receive every ©noouragemeao. It has been arranged to invite Australian, marksmen to New Zealand next year, and a special teams’- match is to bo arranged. But of what interest is it to invite the Commonweialthcrs across' when it is the intention of the authorities to make them spend about a fortnight on the Trentham rifle range. Those men should be invited to Christchurch, where they could take part in the rifle meeting and see'the Exhibition at the same time. What a fillip their presence would give to Volunteering—the practical part, of course, rifle shooting. What a rare public interest would be aroused by a meeting of Australasianmarksmen at the rifle range of this city. No such enthusiasm could ever be expected over a Trentham gathering. _ Trentham is seventeen miles from Wellington, in the Hutt Valley. It is a pretty spot, but a fearful place for rifle practice. And it is quite out of touch with the public. Were the meeting hold at ReddiSh, In Christchurch, there would be a stream ot marksmen, and their friends coming and going during the day between the Exhibition and the range. For Exhibition year everything should be done to concentrate championship meetings in Christchurch. The Government would never regret spending the money necessary to put the range in order, for Volunteering would, by means of the great sheeting competition, he more publicly advertised than in any other way possible. It is to be hoped that the local Executive will net let this matter drop, and that they will bring strong pressure to bear to have the meeting held in ‘Christchurch. Should, however, all efforts be unavailing, the Executive should compromise by asking for a grant to subsidise the annual meeting of the South Island Rifle Association. Were this body given pome assistance,- there is no doubt a highly successful meeting could be arranged. Besides a money grant, the Executive should ask the Government to give free railway passes and to allow the Association a certain amount of ammunition free. There is no time to be lost', and I would urge the Executive to act at once, even to sending a deputation to Wellington to interview the Minister on the matter.