THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND THE PRIZE MONEY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 1006, 30 July 1870, Page 3

THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION AND THE PRIZE MONEY.

To the Editor of the Taranaki Herald,

Sir, — Wo nli] you kindly oblig.s me by giving space in your impartial columns to a few remarks ? I hear that a few o!' our crack shots have taken it upon themselves to divide the half of the. money the Provincial Government has given to the ltifle, Association into four prizes, which the men in question will bo sure to carry off. The very object for which the money was intended, via., — that of encouraging others to join the Association, and, by practise, attain skill as marksmen, is completely defeated by the present arrangement ; in fact I know several of tho Association who are determined to withdraw their names from it in consequence of the so-called crack shots trying to monopolize all tho prizes. In my opinion the money should — in full meeting — be divided into prizes to suit Ist, 2ud, and 3rd, classes, so th.it the members oi'each class should hsive* equal chances. As it is, ut present, everybody can tell who will take the prizes, and it preveuts others from joining the Association because they see they have no chance when they have to compote with the crack shots at a small target at three, four, tind five hundred yards. I would suggest that prizes bu given as follows : — jU3 to the Ist class, to be divided into three prizes ; .C 310 tho 2ud class, to bo divided into two prizes; and «C 2to the 3rd class, to he divided into two prizes. I think, Mr. Editor, this should suit all parties ? — I am, Ac,

*# * * [Our correspondent has evidently misunderstood the

object the Provincial Government had in view in voting the money to which he refers. On inquiry, we find that it was never intended as a direct vote ibr the llifio Association, to be competed for by its members only, but as the Appropriation Ordinance states, a3 " inonoj' prizes ibr rifle practice," or in other words as money to bo competed I'or by fhe public generally, subject to such regulations as the Committee of tho

Associal.iou might deem proper. The statement that a few of our crack shots have taken upon themselves to divide tho money to suit their own

purposes, is unjust we think, nnd is not borno out by the fads of the ease. At the annual mooting of the Association, which took place on the 2nd instant, the present Com niittoc (several members of which hud hold office for two pivi-oding yours) were re-olected. It is but just, therefore, to presume thnt the Committee has the confidence of tho majority at least of the members of the A-ssociiition, aud that the.-=e gontlemoii's ajts aru above suspicion. — i)o. T.U.]