STORY OF THE PAST.

Northern Advocate, 9 March 1920, Page 1

STORY OF THE PAST.

RIFLES A BURNING QUESTION.

EXPERIENCES OF THE D.R.A

'' This rifles question has been a burning; topic for years. The Government will have to find you rifles. . .

As New Zealanders, you must impress on the people who are running the country that you must have proper rifles, so that when you come here no , -- , ; year you will all be ar.r.cil with weapons that yoii how. , confidence in."—So remarked Colonel R. J. Collins, C.M.G., 1.5.0., chief executive officer of the Dominion Rifles Association, when addressing the competitors at the opening of the association's annual prize meet-

ing at Trentham

"1 am rather disappointed at the entries," said Colonel Collins. "I anticipated that the entries" this year would hove beea more numerous than they are, but we have not got to go far to seek the reason —which, of course, is the rifles. This rifle question has been a burning topic for years. We were promised rifles, or rather rifle-barrels, in October last, but they are not here yet —they are on the way from England. We must have rifles, and I do hopp that next year you will have rifles hi which you will have confidence. The Uo vernment will have to fiad yon rifles. You men are prepared to piy for tout rifles, so what more is wanted? But, there is delay somewhere. It may bo due to the after-effects of th? wiir, but at all events something should bo done in the matter.

"Year after year w> henr<i that a new weapon had been ordered for the New Zealand Volunteers, and we were promised the best weapon tint England could produce. Again and again we were disappointed. First, the MartiniEnfield was promised, but this idea was cast aside, and we had a number of Remington-Lee rifles aetuaUy issued for the 1888 meeting. Those were suddenly withdrawn, and have since been sold. Then we were told to wait and we would get the new Imperial weapon— the ne plus ultra of weapons, the LeeMetford. Once more we wore disappointed, as this rifle, I understand, had failed both in accuracy and in r.-mgo power. These rifles failed so signally that they were recalled into store from the British Army. For many yeara the association urged upoa the Government to send Home for 2000 Martinis. In the meantime, the association was getting disgusted, with having to use the old 'gas-pipe, , the obsolete Snider. At that time, the New Zealand Volunteers and the irregular service of China enjoyed the distinction of being the only forces in the world armed with the Snider. (Laughter.) Our Wingatui meeting in 1890, will ever be remembered from the fact that the shooting men of this Dominion, at their own expense, supplied themselves with Mar-tini-Henry rifles, and cast aside the Snider for good. Five hundred of the new rifles were imported for the association, and were paid for by its n.cmbers. The arming of the volunteers with the magazine rifles compelled the association to adopt that weapon, but the barrels have, as you know, become smooth, and accurate shooting cannot be depended on. Again, we asked for the importation of new barrels, and these were promised six months ago, but again we have been doomed to disappointment. The barrels are not hore, but are on board the Tainui, which is timed to arrive next month. "Such has been the position of the association in respect to rifles, not only how, but in the past. I call this a story of the past, because I carry my recollections back 41 years. From first to last we have always been disappointed with regard to rifles. It behoves you, as New Zealanders, to impress on those people who are running I the country that you must have good rifles, so that when you come here next year you will all be armed with weapons that you have comfidence in." (Applause.)