Rifle Club.

In conjunction with an account of the Rifle Club's activities and achievements during the past year, Opportunity must be taken to issue a strong appeal for more members. A little band of enthusiasts has put the name of Victoria University College "on the map" throughout Empire Universities by winning the Imperial Universities Rifle march for 1925, and thereby bringing to the College a very handsome trophy, of which more anon. It is the keen desire of the Club to retain this and another trophy at present held by it, but with the present depleted membership it would be difficult to muster even the eight eligible members required for a team to defend the trophies. Such a state of affairs surely should not exist at V.U.C, and the Club appeals strongly for more member Instead of having difficulty in raising a team the Club should have a large active membership from which to choose the best possible.

Apart from the desirability of defending the trophies held, and of winning the Haslam Shield, rifle shooting should appeal to College students, as it is a fascinating pastime, and enables one to acquire efficiency in an art which, should occasion ever demand it, can be of service in defence of Empire. Rifle shooting with the College Club is very inexpensive, and the initial outlay for a rifle and equipment need not be at a figure beyond the means of the average student.

The Club feels confident, therefore, that when the foregoing facts are brought under the notice of students, there will be a large increase in membership next season.

The last season has been a most successful one, as previously indicated. The first shoot was in the Imperial Universities match. In the previous year V.U.C. gained third place, but this year they carried off the trophy by winning from Sydney University by the narrow margin of two points.

Grand Aggregate 1,614

V.U.C. gained a double honour in that G. E. Parkers splendid score of 219 was the highest throughout the Empire.

The trophy, of which a picture appears elsewhere in this issue, is a magnificent bronze statuette depicting the figure of Victory holding a laurel wreath over a kneeling rifleman. The trophy has already received considerable admiration from the general public while on display in a local shop window.

V.U.C.'s win in this competition has stirred at least one of the other University Colleges in New Zealand into entering a team for the coming match.

Next year the Club will have to enter a senior team before they will be allowed to enter a junior one to defend the shield. It is to be hoped that a considerable increase in membership will make this possible.

In the Haslam Shield competition the team did not do so well. This match is reported elsewhere in this issue.

Throughout the past season the shooting of the Club has been of a high standard due to keenness, practice and coaching, and the scores for the year were very high, G. E. Parker topping the list.

Trophies for competition amongst Club members were kindly donated by Prof. F. P. Wilson, and the Club's President, W. J. H. Haase. These were won by G. E. Parker and F. R. O'Connor, and for a third trophy W. J. Haase and H. F. Bollard tied for first place.

A larger membership will make the competitions within the Club more interesting. Surely a Club having such a record is worthy of your active support, therefore Join the Rifle Club!