CELEBRATION OF 50TH JUBILEE

Southland Times, Issue 24600, 24 November 1941, Page 7

CELEBRATION OF 50TH JUBILEE

CITY DEFENCE RIFLE

CLUB’S SOCIAL

A brief outline of the history of the Invercargill Defence Rifle Club during the past 50 years was given by the president (Mr A. R. Wills) at the 50th jubilee social of the club and the Invercargill Miniature Rifle Club on Saturday night. Mr Wills was speaking in response to the toast to the Invercargill Defence Rifle Club and Miniature Rifle Club, which was proposed by Mr J. L. Lennie. The club was founded in 1891.

The club, said Mr Wills, had been started by a few enthusiasts who were also volunteers. They had found that they could not get enough shooting in the Army, so they decided to form a club. A range was elected at Grassmere. In those days there were no i grants and the full price had to be i paid for ammunition. It said a lot, he ■ thought, for the enthusiasm of the [ founders, among whom was Mr W. I Bannerman, now of Dunedin. The I club was then known as the Southland I Rifle Club. In 1911, when the compul- ■ sory territorial system was introduced, I the Government took the clubs over I and it was not until then that the ] club was known as the Invercargill ; Defence Rifle Club. A grant was then ' made for ammunition for club activities. USEFUL SPORT Young men did not take up the sport merely with the idea of defending the country, Mr Wills said. It had a fascination for them. It was, however, a very useful sport and a great number of men who had gone to the last warand also the present war, were far better adapted to handling a rifle than men who had not had their experience. It was no good sending a man into action without his first knowing how to handle the weapons. Although the clubs carried on for sport they were doing a very useful work, said Mr Wills. Miniature rifle training was a good education for young recruits for service conditions. They would all like to do their bit, he said, and although they hoped their co-operation would not be necessary he was sure that the club members, who were in the Home Guard, would give a good account of themselves if they were given the chance. TROPHIES PRESENTED Tire Invercargill Defence Rifle Club’s trophies were presented by Mr Wills as follows:—Thompson Cup, A. Lyall; H. and J. Smith Cup, G. Wilson; Cunningham Memorial Cup, A. Blee; Denham Cup, Miss James; A. Grade Championship, W. Milley; Service Cup, A. R. Wills; Oreti Shield, J. Clark; Lennie Cup, W. Milley; Parawa Cup, A. R. Wills; Wills Cup, W. Milley; B Grade Championship, A. Blee; Reeves Trophy, B. Tyrrell; Milley Trophy, L. R. Lyall; Boyce Button Trophy, W. Milley (seven times), Miss James and A. Blee (three times), Wills, McWilliam, J. Archer (once each), W. Milley. The following miniature trophies were presented by Mr F. G. Henderson:—A Grade Championship, A. Pomeroy; runner-up, G. Wilson; B Grade Championship, A. R. Wills; run-ner-up, S. Hillis; C Grade Championship, C. Campbell; runner-up, D. Miller; 1.C.1. Cup for the Southland champion team, Invercargill No. 1 (A. Pomeroy, G. Wilson, J. Archer, J. Clark, C. E. Young); Lilley Cup (A. Pomeroy); Morrison Cup, J. Gibb; Challenge Shield, J. Archer; Collegiate Trophy, C. Peddie; Pomeroy Trophy, C. Peddie; Club Trophy No. 1, W. Lilley; Club Trophy No. 2, F. G. Henderson; Club Trophy No. 3, C. E. Young. The following was tire toast list: — Invercargill Defence Rifle Club and Miniature Rifle Club (Mr J. L. Lennie Messrs A. R. Wills and F. G. Henderson) ; Southland Rifle Association and Miniature Association (Mr A. R. Wills— Messrs N. Mac Williams and R. T. Barnett); “Our Defence Forces” (Mr C H Wilson—Lieutenant-Colonel W. Bell and Sergeant-Major A. Pomeroy); Kindred Clubs (Mr A. Lyall—representatives of the clubs); Donors of Trophies (Sergeant-Major A. Pomeroy jVl- W. M. C. Denham, M.P.); Performers (Mr A. M. Wills). Items were given during the evening as follows: Songs, Mrs W. Milley; piano-accordion items, Mr D. Maxted; elocutionary items, Mrs Rowley; violin solos, Mr P. Poole; trombone solos, Mr A. M. Wills.