THE DEFENCE FORCES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 4869, 22 January 1903, Page 3

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

VOLUNTEERS v. RIFLE CLUBS. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. Mr IV. H. Field, M.H.R., last night introduced to the Minister for Defence (Hon. R. J. Sodden) a deputation representing rifle clubs in all parts of the "Wellington district. The Commandant of the Forces (General Babington) was present. Mr Field, in introducing the deputation, said that owing to the very short notice given that the deputation would bo received that evening, Messrs Hogg, Vile and O’Meara, M.H.R.’s, had bcou prevented from attending. Mr Field referred to the deputation’s grievance, cwlhioh primarily was tho manner in which the programme for tho Defence Forces Rifle Association meeting had boon drawn up. In a subsidiary way there wore complaints made regarding the regulations that tho rifle clubs were subjected to, and also as to tho quality of the arms supplied to tho clubs. It ' had been said that tho rifle clubs wore a gang of pot-hunters, but as a matter of fact it cost £l6 per year to belong to a rifle club and follow up its practices and competitions, and there could not bo half a dozen mon in tho colony who cleared that much per year out of shooting. There was, ho thought, a tendency to debar rifle club mon. There was a man present with the deputation who had served sixteen years as a volunteer in this colony, but who, now that ho had retired to the rifle clubs, was supplied with an obsolete weapon, which would handicap bun in competition with volunteers unless he chose to pay from his own pocket tho difference in tho cost of his weapon and that of tho latest arm issued by the Government. Mr Field then handed in a letter from Mr Morgan Carkqek, of Otaki, who pointed out the trouble caused by the present regulations debarring the formation of a defence rifle club within a five-milo limit of a- centre in which a rifle club was located. Tho letter suggested that this regulation should be varied so as to provide that distance should not matter in the case of a man over thirty years of ago. Several members of tho deputation spoke in favour of this suggestion, and eventually tho Premier, without committing himself, intimated that ’something to meet this trouble might ho devised.

Before hearing tho deputation on the main heads of its grievance the Premier intimated that there was a correct way for the rifle clubs to move when they had any grievance, and that was through tho officers of tho Defence Department, of which the rifle dubs were a part. Ho had, however, consulted with the Commandant, and recognising that tho matter was an unintentional oversight, ho had decided, in view of the close approach of tho Rifle Association meeting, to waive tho point, and hear what the deputation had to say, instead of sending it away to make its complaint through tho proper channel. General Bahuigton added a few words to tho effect that he had no personal feeling whatever in tho matter, hut ho would point out that tho regulations wore drawn up to save trouble and unnecessary expenditure of time, and, therefore, they should be observed. Mr Ballinger, captain of tho Petone Rifle Club, remarked that the rifle clubs had no proper status, and hi some peculiar manner they were put in the background. In regard to the programme drawn up for tho annual championship meeting, Mr Ballinger pointed out that there were six gentlemen on the executive committee, hut only one represented tho rifle chibs—Mr F. IV. Williams, of Napier. Therefore it followed that the rifle chibs had been comparatively ignored. In tho programme drawn up the first six matches wore open to volunteers and riflemen alike; tho seventh and eighth wove snap-shot events; and thence onward through the long programme only volunteers were eligible to shoot. The rifle chib members thought they wore quite capable of competing in all those matches, and they thought it equally important that they (and even civilians) should he competitors ii\ these matches as it was for volunteers to be. Hr Ballinger also emphasised the fact that.ten men Wore now required to form a team for Competition in the teams match, which had also now been made an event for Volunteers alone, although the Petone Riflo Clnh team won the event last

year, and so had a “leg-in” for the mphy. The increase to ton men, besides, gave an unfair advantage to companies on the spot, and would lead -o complaints frSni i'ar-av. ay corps. Out of rhe total prize Ihi of i'Ohd, a sum of b’77o was reserved for volunteers. In the present programme, too, there was no provision made for what are called "tyros”—a class that should ccruwnly he encouraged. Mr Canes, of Karori 11 1 fie Club, spoke at length in support of Air Ballinger's contentions, and also as to the di-abilities rifle clubs were put under in Dio matter of arms. He had been obliged some time ago to buy an inferior arm—tho Alartini-Krifieid—for £2 os. and now that Lce-Eufiehls were to he bought ho could gee no Allowance for his old weapon. (The Premier jocularly interposed that tho department had already too many antiquated arms on hand without buying back more). Air Gapes made the point that practically all tho members of rifle clubs bad seen years of service with the volunteers, and that they wore now nearly all too old to actively follow volunteering. AJossrs Hale, Welch and Wurgan addressed the Premier on similar linos, and also spoke of the necessity that existed for a Defence Department officer to make a tour of inspection of the rifle clubs.

General Babington replied that an officer bad been for two months past making an inspection of tho corps or the colony, and That he would shortly roach the Wellington district. The deputation expressed satisfaction at tho news, and opined that tho existence of such an officer would greatly facilitate the business of the rifle clubs with tho Defence Department, and tend to remove tho impression tliat the clubs were not regarded with favour by tho department. Air Sodden, in replying, said the representations made regarding the programme for tho llifle Association meeting lie would discuss with the Commandant, and ho would Jot them know tho decision later on. It was only right that tho Premier should hoar what the association’s executive had to say regarding tHo changes it had effected in tho prograitime. Ho would, however, make clear to tho deputation that tho solo ground upon which the Government took 'charge of tho lliflo Association was to use it as a means of encouraging the volunteer movement. In tho past it had boon claimed by volunteers that they did nob receive tho encouragement they should, and tho Government determined to take over the association as a means of remedying that complaint. As to tho complaint about tho teams match being increased from a five-man to a ton-man one, and confined to volunteers, notwithstanding tho fact that riflo clubs had an interest in tho trophy allotted thereto, it seemed to him that tho ohango was ono that would limit interest and entries in the event, and ho was inclined to think that tho matter should bo reconsidered. There was no doubt whatever that companies v in tho vicinity of tho range would get an advantage under tho conditions now existing. Air Soddon deprecated the belief that the Defence Department wished to discourage tho riflo clubs—on tho contrary, it desired to giro the clubs, every reasonable encouragement. Personally, lie recognised that the time came when the older volunteers could not go on with volunteering. Regarding tho suggestion to alter tho fivo-mila limit, tho Premier was inclined to think the substitution of an ago limit might do. Something would need to bo done, though, to meet tho case of young men outside tho limit who became members of riflo clubs. If certain privileges were to bo allowed to retired members of volunteer corps, something would need to bo done to prevent young members claiming these when they had not qualified by volunteer service. At the same time, ho must have them to know that the Government regarded ( the volunteer movement as cf paramount importance. They must understand that. But ho recognised that there were many parts of tho colony where they could not have volunteers and where they could have very good rifle clubs—and to have a majority of our colonists good shots would certainly strengthen our capacity for defence. Mr Seddon concluded with a good-natured reminder to tho deputation that if any further grievances arose they would, as a recognised arm of tho defence forces, bring their complaints before the 'department Through the proper channel.