RIFLE SHOOTING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20540, 5 October 1936, Page 13

RIFLE SHOOTING

TIMARU DEFENCE CLUB ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting of the Timaru Defence Rifle Club was held on Saturday evening, the president, Mr W. Duncan presiding over a fair attendance of members. The secretary's report showed that the club had had a satisfactory shooting season, although the attendances had not been up to expectations. The various club contests had been keen. The championship had been won by W. E. Jones by one point after a shoot off with F. J. Black, the previous season’s champion. The club had been strongly represented at the Dunedin Christmas meeting and several members had been well in the prize list. Rifleman W. E. Jones had won the Canterbury championship at the Christchurch meeting. In the following discussion the president assured members that ammunition would give no cause for complaint this season as nothing older than 1930 would be used even for the musketry course. Thanks were expressed to Vice-presi-dent R. H. Parker and Rifleman L. Murray for gifts of two handsome challenge trophies for annual competition. The club has now a collection of 10 challenge trophies, to each of which the club adds a miniature annually for the winner. The financial report showed a loss of £6/10/- on the year’s working, attributable to the decreased attendance (average 23) at the weekly shoots and the generous expenditure on prizes and shooting facilities. The neglect of many members to fire the annual musketry course necessary to secure the ammunition grant was also a contributing factor. It was decided to have a practice shoot on October 24 and to open the season on Labour Day, shooting to commence not later than 12.45 p.m. at 300 yards. A ladies match at 500 yards will be fired about 3 o’clock. Prizes for this were offered by two of the members and these will be supplemented and presented on the range. The programme committee was instructed to have the draft programme ready for Labour Day, the championship course was fixed at seven nominated matches Instead of five as last year. The executive to grade the B grade shots before the start of the championship. Officers were re-elected as follows: Patron, Dr W. C. Burns; vice-patrons, the Minister of Defence, Rev. Clyde Carr M.P., Mr T. D. Burnett MP., the Mayor of Timaru, Col. S. D. Mason, Messrs A. E. Lawrence, W. C. Raymond, E. E. Woolf, J. A. Pearson, F. Chittock, H. Pateman, A. L. Gee, J. F. Lewis; president, Mr W. Duncan; vicepresidents, Messrs R. H. Parker, I. A. Blackwood; secretary and treasurer, Mr M. Higgins; handicapper, Mr M. Healy; auditors, Messrs W. E. Jones and J. F. Lewis; executive, the officers and Messrs C. H. Johnson, W. E. Jones, F. J. Black and F. B. Chittock; emergency committee, president, vice-presi-dents, Mr W. E. Jones and the secretary; programme committee. Messrs Blackwood, Parker, Healy and Higgins. It was decided to make team selfselecting, the president to nominate the first man.

The question of the nature of the annual winding up function was deferred to a later date.