NELSON DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13913, 20 October 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

NELSON DEFENCE RIFLE CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING

(From "The Colonist," Sept. 30.)

The annual meeting of the Nelson Defence Rifle Club was held.at Stallard'a rooms last evening. Mr W. W. Snodgrass (vice-patron) occupied the chair, and there was a good attendance of members. An apology for absence was received from tho patron (Hon. A. T. Maginnity). Mr C. Y. Fell (vice-patron) tendered his resignation. Mr Fell was elected an honorary life member; also Mr G. Small! Messrs A. W. dayden, Berndston, J. S." Winstanley, D. Jack (active), and Ournow. (honorary), wore elected as members. Rifleman Kenning brought under the notice of the meeting that Nelson was still without a rifle range. Several speakers pointed out that negotiations! Had been proceeding for years for a range, but the Defence Department had done nothing. On the motion of Rifleman Holland, it was resolved to agitate for a rifle range, for Nelson, and that a ■sub-committee consisting of the president, Riflemen GledhHl and Milroy take' the .'natter in hand. A notice of motion tabled by Vicepresident■'Curncw that all subscriptions "must be paid in advance" was iosfc on the voices. The fourteenth annual report (read by the president) stated that the season had* beer\ a most successful one. The Wednesday ■■section"." was ' resuscitated, and justified- the action of the committee. The official opening took place on Labour Day, the competition being won by, Rifleman Mitchener with the excellent scoro of 69 out of a pos-

sible 70. During Hie season 27 competitions were held by the Wednesday section. Trophies were won outright as follows :—The President's Saturday,

Rifleman L. A'Court; the President's Wednesday, H. Day; Mr W. Lock's, J. W. Milrov: Mr Alf. Robinson's, J W. Milrov; the Kia Ora, J. Manssen.; Mr F. Savage's, F. Gledhill. The lien. A. T. Maginnity'e champicnship trophy wns won by J. W. Mihoy with a score of 571 out of a possible 615; F. Gled- , ill 562 (runner-up); and President \n-. V.tice 557 (third). For the handicap aggregate fired in conjunction with the championship, A. Trautvetter secured first with 566, R. McCuire 563, and R. Kenning 560. F. Glodhill holds Brown Bros.' shield for the year. F. Gledhill also won the district champions hip, this being the Seventh consecutive year that a. member of the club had held, the honour. The N.D.R.C. B team won the Irvine Shield, making the seventh win for the club. The club competed, in two other team matches during the season, and won bothj making a total of 77 matches won out of 88 fired since the formation of the club. Nine members of the club had offered their services for the war, and four were now j ati the front. Out of 00 members on the roll, 63 were married men and 49 of these were over the age of acceptance foi service at the front. The club had been drilling with the National Reserve, a section having been formed tinder Sergeant Mitchener. 'Jhe club had extended its sympathy to Rifleman G. Bishop and President W. Alborough, of the Wakapuaka Club, both of whom had lost sons at the Dardanelles. It was pointed out that the Defence Department used the club*? private range for service matches. Thanks were tendered to the donors of trophies, to the markers, and to the Press for publishing the scores. Tht> balance-sheet showed a credit balance of £4 Is 7d.

The chuirn-ian, in moving the adoption of the report end balance-sheet, spoke of tho importance of rifle shooting. He had been told by a Territorial that he had only fired three shots in two year 3. That was no use; what was wanted was instruction in rifle shooting. He did not wish to flatter the members of the club, but their scores showed that they were good shots. If they were landed in GalliDoli to-day they would prove a very useful body" of men. No doubt the most important thing now was to learn how to handle a rifle and shoot straight. Rifle clubs should be encouraged iii every way. The motion was carried by Rifleman Hannai: and carried.

Rifleman Milroy pointed out that nearly one thousand members of rifle clubs were either at the front or had volunteered for service.

Officers were then (elected as follows : i Chief patron, Hon. A. T. Maginnity, M.L.C. : patrons, Mes&rs C. Y. Fell, T. A. H. Field, M.P., W. Lock, E. E. Trask, F. W. Hamilton, Dr. Barr, and Mr Wallace Snodgrass; president, Rifleman J. Anstice (re-elected); vice-presi-dent, Rifleman J. W. Milroy; lion. sec-, retary and treasurer, Rifleman^ W. Mitchener (re-elected); committee, Riflemen F. Gledhill, C. B. Harman, O. Kersliaw, J. Fisher, and J. Manssen; handicapper, Rifleman J. Holland; selection committee, Riflemen Milroy, Holland and Harman; auditor, Mr R Ciitley (re-elected). Trophies were then presented to the successful competitors, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to tho chairman.