RIFLE CLUBS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8173, 5 July 1906, Page 6

RIFLE CLUBS.

THE QUESTION OF FREE RAILWAY PASSES.

Until a few months ago the members of Rifle Clubs in the oolony enjoyed the privileges of free railway passes when they desired to visit another Rifle Club and indulge in friendly matches. This arrangement was considered excellent on all sides, and shooting competitions were of frequent occurrence with the resclt that good shots were developed. The Defence Department withdrew the privilege of free railway passes, and this logs was severely felt by the Rifle Clubs. Since that time there hare been practically no inter-olub competitions, and taking a local case, the Opaki Kifle Club have refused to travel for shooting competitions on several occasions, as its members hold that it is not just treatment that they should pay their railway fares out of their own pockets. A joint deputation from the Opaki and aarori Rifle Clubs waited on Mr A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., and drew his attention to the matter, and asked him to endeavour to have the privilege restored. Mr Hogg communicated with the Defence Department and received the following memorandum from the Hon. Colonel; Pitt:—"ln reply* to your letter of April 17th last, in which you brought to notice the representations of a deputation of Rifle Clubs requesting additional concessions in the matter of railway pisses to attend shooting competitions, I have to inform you that an alteration in the defence regulations has now been made, under which the issue of free railway passes to Rifle Clubs is extended to all unauthorised meetings where Government money is to be fired for." Mr Hogg considered the contents of the letter so unsatisfactory that he forwarded the letter to Mr G. Hyde, Seoretary of the Opaki Rifle Club, and asked him to express his views on the matter. Mr Hyde replied as follows, la.viug emphasis on that portion of Colonel Pitt's note relating to free railway passes to shooting meetings where Government money is fired for:—"l am in receipt of your memo. r<j railway passes for members of Rifle Clubs, and bavo to tbutjk you lor the attention you ato giving this matter on our behalf. 1 may say the socalled concession mentioned does not put us a bit further ahead. As a matter of farst, wo already have the privilege of travelling to the annua' Trentham meeting with froo pusses, and as this is, I believo, the only meeting where we fire for' Government money, it confers no benefit. What we wnnfc is to have the froo passes'for journeying to club competitions and attending other small meetings such as we enjoyed some time ago. We think this would be a reasonable concession, 'seeing we mo a Government corps and under its 'control." Mr Hogg has forwarded this reply •to the Miuister of Defeuoe, and is -now awating developments. If the matter is not remedied before August, Mr Hogg expects that when the House meets again, considering the large number of members of the House who have Kifle Clubs in their electorates, , that something will bo done to restore to the Clubs the privilege formerly •enjoyed by them.