THE TRENTHAM MEETING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2743, 23 February 1910, Page 6

THE TRENTHAM MEETING.

BIG GATHERING OF RIFLEMEN NEXT MONTH.

[Per Press Association.!

WELLINGTON, Feb. 22. • Lieutenant J. Roache, secretary of the Dominion Rifle Association, has received 450 entries up to the present for the forthcoming championship meeting, to be held at Trentham next month. He expects that the total entries on March 4, the opening day, will be anything between 550 and 600. Last year 525 competitors entered, and that number constituted 1 a record. There are 352 entries from Wellington, 45 from Auckland, 23 from South Canterbury, 26 from Christchurch, and 48 from Otago. Ex-cihampions tvho have signified their intention to compete include Lieutenant Duncan (Millerton) (last year’s champion), Lieutenant Irvine (Nelson), Rifleman R. J. King (Opaki), and Rifleman G. Hyde (Opaki).- In addition there will be several brilliant marksmen who have been absent from the last two meetings. These include Lieutenant Sandford, of Christchurch, ■who went to Bisley in 1905, and Lieut. A. McKenzie, of the. Queen’s Rifles, Oamaru, who was a member of the same team.

The. New South 'Wales team arrived by the AVarrimoo this morning. The men are under the command of Lieutenant Dakin, secretary of tlio National Rifle Association of New South Wales.

Captain Mubin, of the Dominion Rifle Association, met the vessel, and extended a. welcome to the team on behalf of his Association. Arrangements have been made for the team to stay at the Occidental, hotel, and all to men will be made honorary members of the Civil Service Club during their stay here. The officers will also be made honorary members of the Garrison Officers’ Club.

Lieutenant-Colonel Hughes, chief range officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, will arrive on • Friday in charge of the AVanganui Rifle Battalion, which is to take part in the forthcoming manoeuvres. He will not return to 'AVanganui with liis troops, but after the encampment will proceed to Trentham in connection with the business of the. Association. The Permanent Artillery, to the strength of 35 members, will go into camp on Monday, February 25th, to pitch camp and carry out other duties. The range wifi be specially opened for practice from next Thursday for the benefit of the Australians, who will be given every opportunity to get their eve in for the opening day. The range will be open for general practice from Saturday next, hut no tent accommodation will be available until next Mon_ day at the earliest. , A new system of field service telephones is being installed throughout the ranges. These are being executed by the Permanent .Artillery under the supervision of Captain Duigan, engineer staff officer, and the new system should be a great improvement and prove a boon to the Association and competitors alike.