NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2923, 12 September 1896, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Deputation of Members to the Minister of Defence. A numhor of members of tho House of Iteprusentativc.s waited on tho Minislur ot Defence yesterday evening, wil-li a request Hint the subsidy made in the past to t ie Now Zealand iiillu Association should ho continund this year. Mr MoNah, who introduced the deputation, mild it appeared as if thoro was a deficit from tho mootin'; or tho Association hold last year at Oarnaru. and that a sum had boon placed on tho Estimates this year for tho payment of that deficiency, so that thoro w/ifj apparently no aubamy to ho ('ranted for tho approaching meeting ot tho Association at Auckland. All ol tho morn born to whom ho had spoken on tho mihjoct wero in favour of a continuation of the subsidy, The Minister would remember that in speaking -to a former doputation he said ho proposed holding over consideration of this matter until tho arrival of tho now Commandant. The deputation, however, would suggest that until tho arrival of tho now Commandant tho course hitherto adopted hy tho Government in this matter should bo followed, and tho subsidy to the Association continued, as it was quite possible tiio Commandant might consider tho Hiflo Association a very important factor in volunteering and might suggest some scheme in connection therewith. Mr Carneii spoke of tho necessity of fostering shooting among volunteers. Tho Minister, in reply, said no provision had been made to subsidise the approaching meeting of the Association, the XdSO on tho Estimates this year being to cover a deficiency on tho Oarnaru mooting. Ilia own fooling was. and ho should move in that direction, ponding tho recommendation of tho Commandant of tho Forces, that a sum should ho placod on tho Supplementary Estimates as heretofore, and ho would bring tho matter before ins colleagues. With regard to rifle clubs, ho thought if they wero formed in centres where they could form volunteer corps they would ho an evil, but where there worn no volunteer corps rifle corps might fairly he encouraged. As an old volunteer hia sympathies wero entirely with men who gavo their ti.no gratuitously and made very considerable sacrifices to render themselves efficient as volunteers, both in drilling and shooting, and his intention was to put before liia colleagues the views ho had indicated. Thoro was already a sum of JJI2IX) on tho estimates for the carriage of volunteers, and judging from past years’ experience it would not he possible to grant passes for shooting competitions among volunteers, unless tiiey increased that amount. Ho was not at all inclined to bo parsimonious in tho matter of grant- j ing passes to volunteers whon it was a matter ot attending bona fide shooting competitions. In conclusion, tho Minister said lie would do as ho had indicated, and it remained for members to carry tho proposal into olfoct. Tim doputation then withdrew.