The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1909. TRENTHAM.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13844, 4 March 1909, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 1909. TRENTHAM.

■To-day begins at Trentham the annual tost of the skill of New Zealand s cleverest riflemen, or ;those of theni who are able to spare nine or ten days from home. A good many who could give a good account of themselves at this national competition are unable to get away, 'from their employment, and others cannot afford the expense. These obstacles are deterring some who are even so near the trysting place as Wellington, though three-fifths of nearly 500 entries received by Saturday were from the Wellington district. There may be differences of opinion regarding the value of these annual rifle meetings from a Defence point of view . Objection may be made t6 them that they encourage a kind of shooting which would not be of much if an y use in actual warfare. Certainly the tender manipulation of the rifle, the use of optical attachments and devices, the extreme deliberateness of aim, which are permitted in a championship rifle match would be out of place in warfare; on the other hand, the champion rifleman, and those whose skill approaches his, set a standard oi possible attainment which is something for the latest recruit to aim at. And undoubtedly it is the shooting practice which in times of peace furnishes the

incentive to . young fellows to submit to the irksomeness of military drill as volunteers. The daily .news from the range will ''be scatin«(l and discussed with .eagerness, „ not only by expert, shots, but by dvery volunteer, and by those within the 1 circle of his personal influence, and by so much will familiarity with the idea of rifle-shooting—the basis of New Zealand's defence—be increased and extended! The conditions of actual service, are not forgotten either, at the Trentham meeting, for besides the chanipionshin matches which are not conducted '■> under those, conditions, there are matches to test rapid, sighting, rapid aiming, judging distance, shooting at a moving mark, and the use of cover.. ,It may be argued that the; local shooting, in which all can take part, is much more valuable, from the national defence point of view. It may be so; and yet the national meeting may be well worth while, • because jt' is national. But as only cine can be..the champion, and' one the runner-up, .the frienfls of every other representative riileman should beprepared to recognise liis merit. if he does well— ; a< feti* points more or less in a- score 6 of hundreds does , not signify except in th? distribution of prizes. : What the country wants is many good shots, it does nibt sjgnify , which of them is the best liy small fractions of difference in skill. -