OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3542, 31 January 1922, Page 41

OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION

The annual meeting of the Otago Rifle Association, held at the Early Settlers’ Hall last week, was fairly well attended. Mr E. R. Smith occupied the chair. In. moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet the Chairman said that their last shooting meeting, held at Pelichet Bay, was the forty-seventh of the association. It was a successful meeting, 113 members competing, slightly less, however, than they had based their programme upon. The prize-money was reduced slightly, and the meeting itself incurred a slight financial loss, but not serious. The shooting was of a very credit-able standard, and the association, he thought, was doing very useful work in maintaining shooting and giving country and city riflemen the chance of meeting and testing their mettle. The weather last year was good, the meeting being held under excellent conditions. The balance sheet showed a credit of £SO. —The report and balance sheet were adopted. The Chairman said with regard to the question of holding their usual meeting at Easter, that the conditions had changed somewhat. The association would not get ammunition free (5s 6d per 100 being the charge), and would not have the advantage of free railway passes, except in their own district, from Henley to Waikouaiti and inland to Cromwell, including Bannockburn. That was as he understood the position. Competitors outside the above area would have to pay their own fares, and consequently the association would have to reckon on not getting quite the usual support from the outlying districts. Kaitangata, Milton, and Balclutha probably would not be deterred, as riflemen there were keen. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes) was elected patron, and the Officer-in-charge, Southern Command (Colonel Young) president. The vice-presi-dents elected were the chairman, Lieuten-ant-colonel Boyne, Major Fraser, and Messrs Proudfoot, J. H. Moir, F. \V. Ongley, F. J. Silvius, and the Mayor (Mr J. S. Douglas). It was decided that the council consist of the above officers and a representative from each rifle club and company in the Southern Command. Mr W. E. M'Keich ivas re-elected secretary and treasurer. The dates of the shooting meeting this year were fixed for April 14 and 15. The following Programme Committee was set up:—Messrs E. R. Smith, D. Parsons, W. Bannerman, R. Mackie, R. J. Johnston, A. M'Kenzie, and the secretary. Mr Proudfoot moved that the Programme Committee be authorised to take £lO from the funds in the bank to add to the programme expenses, in view of the extra burden that will be entailed this year.—The motion was seconded, and Mr Silvius then moved as an amendment that the amount be £3O. The money had been placed aside against “lean” years, and this year, he thought, would be the leanest the association was likely to have. It was necessary to provide an attractive programme if they were to hold their own with other parts of the dominion.—After discussion Mr Silvius altered his amendment to read that if the entries totalled 100 the amount of the supplement be £3O, but if they only amounted to 80 the amount be £2O. the programme to be based on 100 entries. —This was carried. It was further decided that the association purchase the ammunition and supply it on the range, so that all competitors would be shooting with the same ammunition, only the ammunition provided on the range to "lie used. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to Mr Proudfoot for his years of excellent service on the Programme Committee, and to the chairman for presiding.