NELSON DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 28 September 1908, Page 4

NELSON DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

ANNUAL MEKTIN'G. j The annual meeting of the Nelson De- I fence liiflu Club was held at the Drill j Hall on Saturday evening. There was a\ large attendant.-, und ilr A. T. ilagin- j nity (a patron oi ths Club) was voted toj the' chair. Lieut. -Colonel Joyce and i Captain Stiles, A.Q.G., were present by i invitation. The balance-sheet, which was present- ! Ed by Mr J. P. Smallbone, the scc.otary "and treasurer, showed a credit balance of £29, was adopted. The President (Mr R. Catley) read his annual report, which stated that the club had had a successful season, the competitions having been well attended and the finishes on many occasions, owing tothe good handicapping, very close. The seiifon was opened on 9th October, 1907, with a Un shot range at 500 yards, 25 members firing, when Rifleman Milner proved the highest scorer with 49 out of a possible 50. There were 21 competitors for trophies during the season several being won outright, as follows :— A class: Mr A. T. Maginnity "s trophy, Rifleman J. W. Milroy; Messrs E. Buxton and Co.'s, Rifleman W. Kenning ; Mr Lock's trophy, Rifleman W. Milner; B class: Mr C. Snow's trophy, Rifleman F. Jones ; Mr Levien s trophy, Rifleman F. N. Jones ; Mr Campbell's trophy, Rifleman W. iCennin". The club championship resulted iv a tie between ' Riflemen W. Milner and Milroy, with a score of 381 each for 84 shots, "being 45 over inners. In the shoot-off Rifleman Milner won. President R. Catley came third with a score of 367. In the B class Rifleman \V. Kenning came first with a score of 341, Rifleman J. Bush second with 339 and Riflfmen F. iN. ones and Gledhill with 338 each. The latter won the shoot off. The Club was successful in the three local teams' match, and since the formation jof the club in 1901 it has won o3 matches out of 61. The club representatives wore only fairly suecessi ful at Trentham. Rifleman .). W. Mili roy being the highest scorer amongst them, finishing well up in the final fifty. The exceptional tricky weather oxperieueed wns stated to have upset members. The club's team finished 12th in the teams match out of 44 competing. In the opinion of most of the best shots the club would never equal the crack rifle clubs until an open range was secured to shoot on. Many fine scores were made on the Toi Toi Valley range with dead shooting, but tho club did not advance as a shooting club. Members should seriously try to get an- , other rango to place them on an equal i footing with their opponents. Ap- ] preciation of courtesy and assistance I shown by Lieut.-Colonel Joyce and 1 staff was" expressed, and thanks were ! rendered the donors of trophies and | Press for publication of reports. The 1 report concluded by expressing the , hone that the club would be strengthened by the introduction of new menii ensued on the reference 'to a new range, it being pointed out ; that it was not intended to give up tne 1 present range, but simply to give memI Vrs an opportunity of shooting at longer ! ranges than were available at the loi Toi Valley range. The report was adopted, and the I resident was thanked therefor. Officers were elected as follows:— Oflicers were elected as follows-— Chief Patron, Hon. F. Trask M.L.C. (re-elected) ; Patrons, Messrs C. \ ■ ' Fell, G. M. Rout, J. Bockmann, T. Gorman, W. Lock, H. Baigent, A. 1. 1 Maginnity/E. E. Trask, F. "vv. H™' l " ton (re-elected); President, Mr li. Catley (re-elected); Vice-President, Mr > J Holland ; Secretary and Treasurer, i Mr F. Gledhill; Executive Committee, Messrs O. Small, F. N. Jones, T. M. Brown, J. Sherwood junr., and J. W. Milroy ; Record Secretary, President Catlev ; Handicappers, Messrs W. Milner, 'f\ M. Brown, and J. Milroy. There were ballots for the offices of President and Vice-President, and for the Executive Committee. The retiring Secretary, Mr J. P. Smallbone, was thanked for his past services, and was presented with a breakfast cruet. The President (Mr R. Catley) was presented by the Chairman with an oak and silver biscuit barrel as a mark of the members' esteem, on the occasion of his marriage. • Trophies won during the season were . then presented. I Lieut. -Col. Joyce made some reI marks, in the course of which he urged members to co-operate with the Voluni I ' For Bronchial Cougar lake Woods Great Peppermint Cure. ls 6d ltd td.

t.ers on field days, when ball cartridge •as uted He offered the club the ser- • cVf an instructor, and expressed a wiTh t"h . ub -uid alloW o the S | e <re Cadets to use the Toi loi vaiiey oTaf.owing the cadets the me'of the range was left to the Executive Committee. ,jyyjs"f*?™& On Mr W. Mi ner's motion, rule > o was altered to admit honorary member^ of the age of 21, and the words or to take part in any club match were .tie leted This throws all competitions open to honorary members. At the request of Mr J<™<*. Chairman presented Mr J. W. Milroy with the barrel of tha rifle with . whicn he won the New Zealand Championship three years ago. Mr Jones said that he had obtained the barrel from the Defence Department, when the rifle was handed in, and he felt sure that Mr Milroy would appreciate a memento of his winl Mr Milroy returned thanks for the gift, and expressed appreciation of Mr Jones' thoughtfulness. He would greatly value the memento. Votes of thanks to donors of trophies, the Press, and the Chairman, brought the meeting to a close.

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