OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1169, 30 September 1865, Page 5

OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The half-yearly meeting of the Otago Rifle Association was held last evening in M'Cubbin's Hotel. Captain and Adjutant Graham was called to the chair.

The minutes of the last half-yearly meeting were read and confirmed.

Mt-Devohe, the hon. secretary, read the following report, but before doing so, stated tbat it ought to have come before the meeting as the report of the 'Council, but he had not been able lo get a meetine; of the Council together for the purpose of confirming it, and it consequently came before the meeting aa the report of the Secretary :—

In laying before the members this, the first re.ort since the Association has been in working order, the Secretary trusts that they will agtee with him in believing that the favorable nature of this report wiil probably give an impetus to the future progress of the Associ«tion. It will be remembered that at the half-yearly meeting in March last it was resolved the amount of member's yearly sub-, scriptions should be reduced by one-half, and that a series of matches should be at once arranged by the Council, and to be decided in April.

This Wits accomplished, and the entries proved to be far more numerous than anticipated, so much so that the Council were cna' led to give, in addition to the full amount of prizes advertised, a Consolation Stakes of L 5, and, after all expenses were paid, a small bulaiic,. was l.fc to the credit of the Association.

The Secretary feels bound to mention that much of this success was due to Captain and Adjutant Graham, who granted to the Association the use of the Government butts, together with an experienced marker, and also greatly ahled th. Council in framing the nect-ss.ry rules for tlie successful carrying out of the shooting.

The most valuable prize of the meeting— namely, the Silvir Challenge Cup, given by W. Mason, E-q„ the present Mayor—was won by Lieut, MFurland, of the Artillery. This prize has to be won twice in succession before it becomes the property of the holler, this beinii the condition attached to the gift by the donor.

The Secretary has, in accordance wilh the instructions of the Council, written to the K^cretiry of the National Rifle Association of Great Britain, asking for a medal to be granted to tin's Association, which will, no doubt, be given, and if so, may be expected here by Junuaiy next. The Secretary would suggfst that instead of holding the next rifle meeting in April,'hat January ih.uld be the month chosen,us being more favorable for a contest of this kind. This would necessitate the paying of the yearly subscript ons some two months before they are due, but no doubt members would willingly accede to this. In concluding this report, the Secretary congratulates the Association on the success already achievid, and feels sure it only needs the active exertion of members to place the Association on a solid and permanent basis.

The report was adapted,

The Hon. Treasurer was not present; and no balance sheet showing the financial posiii-m of the Association was placed belore the meeting. Mr Fish, jun. said he felt it to be hia duty to call the attention of the meeting to the manner in which several members of the Council neglected their duties. Some of them had not attended a single meeiing during the half-year, and others very seldom. The entire business of the Association appeared to him to have been conducted in a very careless manner, and he waa convinced that if the members of the Council had done their duty the Association would have been in a much more flourishing condition. Several members corroborated this statement. They were aware that a large number of names might have been added to the member-roll if an ordinary amou.it of energy had been shown by the Council, The Skckf.tabt mentioned the names of those members of Council who had not attended any of the meetings since their election.

It %vas moved and unanimously resolved " That the seats of the three members of Council who have not attended any of the meetings be declared vacant." There wa9 some general conversation, but no further business transacted. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.