THE BALLINGER BELT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13433, 26 March 1907, Page 5

THE BALLINGER BELT.

WELLINGTON, March 2& At the banquet to the Ballinger brothers, the well-known rifle shots, "Ar- ■ thur, who won the belt outright- at ' Tientham, said with reference to,- the future maintenance of the belt he felt , that to keep it would rob the Association meetings of some of their interest,. He had therefore decided to present it to the Association on condition thai,, in future ii be, called "The Balliiiger * -Champion Belt." ' - ' ,&' 'J The Hon. James Carroll, responding to the toast, said they realised thaC'the first line of defence must be on sea, ptit behind that they must be strong^on land. This could only be brought abbut by the cultivation or nerve, resolution, self-control, patriotism, ana rifle practice. There was a time in the history '• oi: this country when he tbeik partial a six months' fighting expedition. .The. old-fashioned weapons contrasted, strangely with the fighting machiniek of to-dayV but tHe 'qualities -of the nien remained the same. , ' Colonel Collins, executive officer* of the Rifle Association, in thanking. Mr Ballinger for his generous gift, said<he thought there should be a condition that if ever lapsedTf or . two years in succession" the Welt shiould revert to the Ballinger family. /;