Drill Hall & Rifle Range

Southern Cross, Volume 7, Issue 26, 8 October 1898, Page 5

Drill Hall & Rifle Range

Volunteers and Rifle Club members are invited to contribute to this column. Items of news, diagrams of targets, reports of matches, meetings, and all events of interest to volunteers and shooting men will be received. Address: “ Magpie,” Southern Cross Office. NOTES BY MAGPIE. Owing to the boisterous weather on Wednesday afternoon, there was no shooting on the Grasmere range, this having the effect of impoverishing this column of shooting news this week. It is seldom our enthusiasts are deprived of their Wednesday afternoon on the range, and when such conditions as prevailed this week render it necessary for them to stay at home, they are like so many '* fish out of water.” As a result of Wednesday’s weather several back gardens were impressed upon, while several good ladies had reason to be thankful at seeing obstinate backlogs reduced to matchwood by determined application of saw and axe, recognising the old adage that “ it’s an ill wind that blows noboJy any good.” * * There is positively no truth in the rumour that the Southland Rifle Club contemplate merging into one of the infantry corps should the local volunteers be armed with '303 rifles.

The Club has now had an active existence for over 6§ years, during ■which, time it has proved itself quite able to hold its own in shooting matters with any volunteer corps, and has always been foremost in the adoption of any improvement or innovation for the furtherance of rifle shooting. I have no doubt that the Club will keep pace with the Volunteers should they be re-armed, and that they will soon displace the Martini Henry with the more modern weapon, * * * A scheme for raising funds, submitted to the Board of Management of the Challenge Trophy Association on Monday night, which seemed to meet with general approval, was a proposal to organise a grand military display, concert, and assault-at-arms, to be held in the Theatre in a month or two. Somewhat similar performances have been given by the Christchurch Garrison, and have proved highly successful, being an entire novelty and quite out of the general run of theatrical entertainments. The programme drafted by the subcomraitte was a most interesting, varied, and original one, being military throughout, and combining the interesting with the instructive, and the picturesque with the ludicrous. Should such an entertainment be placed before the Invercargill public iu such a manner as our volunteers possess the talent and ability for, I venture to predict that the efforts of the Association would be crowned with success, and such a demonstration would be of infinite assistance in popularising the volunteering movement. It is probable this scheme will be adopted, when further particulars concerning it will be forthcoming. •* * # As will be seed by a report appear-

ing in this column,- the project for procuring a challenge shield is being steadily pushed forward, and arrangements are now taking a more definite form. * * *

The Oreti Rifles paraded on Monday night, there being, owing probably to the inclement weather, a small muster. Capt MacKenzie was in command, and exercised his corps in company drill and manual exercise, afterwards handing it over to Staff Sergt Meade for instruction. # * * The City Guards held no parade on Monday nig lit. * * * The Grasmere range has come in for a good share of attention from the authorities lately and has been placed under better control, the officers appointing the different corps days on the range, end taking other measures to make the limited accommodation benefit all corps alike. Plans for new targets and additional ranges have been prepared by Capt Mackenzie, which is sufficient guarantee of a good job and suited requirements, and it is expected the additions and alterations will be gone on with immediately. This will be good news for oar shootists.

* * * After the parade of the Oreti Rifle; on Tuesday evening a meeting of th< corps’ cricket club was held, whenthu secretary reported that the club was well supplied with all the necessarj paraphernalia for the game, but then was a small liability. Officers for tht ensuing year were elected as follows President, Col. Thomson ; VicePresidents, Capt. Mackenzie and Lieuts. Hall and Hannah ; Captain. Sergt T. D. Lennie ; Deputy Captain, Sergt-Major Hughes ; Hon. Sec. and Treasurer, Priv. Sweney. The matter of appointing a committee was held over for a week, and it was decided tc hold the opening match on Wednesday, 12th inst. A good season’s sporl is anticipated. * * * The City Guards also purpose forming a cricket club this season, and a meeting has been called for the purpose. We may expect other than shooting matches between the volunteer corps this summer. * # # Where was Bob Wills on Wednesday afternoon ? Rumour says he spent it in the back yard at ‘ snapping ’ practice. * # * The Oreti Rifles have decided to put shooting members into active practice in view of picking the team to shoot for the Caledonian Cup on Boxing Day. The club has already begun its competitions on which will be based the constitution of its team or teams, and the Guards are also keeping the event in sight. There will probably be teams from the Awarua Rifles, Bluff Club, Gore Rifles, and possibly Mataura and Wyndham, so we may expect a big day for the rifle shooting fraternity on December 26th and keen competition. *

* # On Wednesday the Rifle Club will resume their competitions for the bronze medal, trophies, and places in team, and the Guards will fire the final competition for Capt McKay’s trophy.