WELLINGTON RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12775, 27 January 1905, Page 6

WELLINGTON RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

POSITION OF RIFLE CLUBS. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Thursday. At the recent Volunteer Rifle Association meeting members of rifle clubs were debarred from competing. The exclusion is resented by the rifle clubs, and they point j out that volunteers were allowed to compete at their meetings, and annexed a considerable amount of prize money. A supporter of the volunteers argues: "If members of rifle clubs are allowed to compete openly with volunteers a number of volunteers "will leave their corps and join rifle clubs for the following reasons: As clubmen they will still be able to take part., in volunteer "shoots ;v (2) they will also have better practice facilities, a* clubs have, as a rule, ranges close to town, and can get off their shoots in less time and with less trouble than volunteers who have to journey to Trentham; also (3), as clubmen, they will have less duties to perform in the way of drill, etc. The taking away of inducement No. 1, by excluding clubmen from volunteer meetings, has had the effect of steadying the tendency to drift from corps to*the clubs. To resume open competition would mean to revive that tendency. The volunteer companies ivould do the training part and their promising young shots would drift to clubs, .-which, as a matter of fact, offer every inducement to such men to join.'' Another objection to the admission of rifle club members was that, accustomed to an amount of freedom in the way of discipline, duties, etc.. they resented the restraints involved in the higher discipline of volunteers. The result was twofold —lack of complete control increased the difficulties' of officers in charge of the range, who were responsible for any accident, and the discipline of young volunteers was not improved when they saw tho liberty taken by their seniors from rifle clubs. , It is stated that it was intended- to reorganise the Volunteer Association in the direction' of having a garrison shooting tournament among companies on the lines of the battalion football tournament; also an inter-battalion tournament among teams of various battalions. It is also intended to have more than'one association meeting during the year. /