THE VOLUNTEERS AND SOALL'S TARGETS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9091, 27 June 1888, Page 6

THE VOLUNTEERS AND SOALL'S TARGETS.

TO TIIK KDITOK.

Sir, —In your paper of last Friday is an account of a trial of some now targets, which it is said " have always beaten the regulation target in years past," and also those in present use. This is proved by the fact that the distinguished officers who spent considerable time in shooting at both kinds, managed to make a score nearly half as large again at the proposed, as at the regulation, targets. Now, if the object of New Zealand rifle practice be to ease tho European situation by letting the Great Powers know of the phenomenal shooting of our colonial volunteers, and thereby causing the Emperors to tremble— and good—the cost of the alteration might repay itself. If also the object be to win cups and glory and halfcrowns of prize money; provided these be proportioned to the number of points made, then from the point of view of the young volunteers, something is to be said for tho change. If, however, the object beas is sometimes, perhaps erroneously, supposed —to train men for the defence of their country, surely practice at a more difficult target is better than at an easy one, especially as the most difficult is very much easier to hit than the living, moving, and shooting target that would have to be encountered if real war arose. It seems hardly worth while to spend money on an innovation which would remove the training even farther from the conditions of actual warfare than is at present the case. The proposer of this new system not long ago wished the country to spend £40,000 on new weapons for the volui.teers. In these depressed times such enthusiasts are to be watched with care.— I.am, etc., W. Steadman Aldis. June 26, 18S8.