RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the committee of this association was held last evening at White's hotel. Present—Mr E. B. Bishop (chairman), Capt. Simmons, Messrs. E. C. Hilton, Barnes, and Thomson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. It was decided that Mr Murray-Aynsley should be the president of the society for the ensuing year. The Treasurer reported that the balance to the credit of tho association at the Bank was £110. A letter was read from _<o. 3 Company, stating that they would as early as possible subscribe to the funds. The report of the committee for the last meeting waa read and adopted. Tho report was as follows :— " Gentlemen, — We have to report for your information that early in March a committee was nominated by the council, consisting of Captain Cook, W. DeTroy, Esq , and Captain Simmons, to make arrangements for the Easter annual meeting. " From unavoidable circumstances Captain Cook and W. De Troy, Esq. were unablo to form part of the committee ; and on the 12th April, 1867, you appointed H. J. Tancred, Esq., to be one of the committee. Before Mr Tancred was appointed a great number of the arrangements had to be made, and Cuptain Simmons expresses his great regret that during that time no person was connected with him, and therefore many omissions and extra expenses were made. '* The Range Committee appointed by the council came to the conclusion that the best range for this year only was the Sandhills, I

near Mr Had Gold's house. But the Range Committee, and this committee, strongly urge the council to obtain a better and more commodious range for future years. "On this runge great hibor had to be employed in bringing it into shape. The targets had to bo removed from Hillsborough and Hagley Park, and a gang of four men had to be employed for one day and a-half in making butts and levelling the ground, besides which one skilled artizan and two men were employed for one day in raising the targets. These" items caused great expense. The expenditure has this year, from these causes, been greater than last. " The meeting waa commenced on Easter Monday, and continued through the Tuesday and Wednesday following, and even then there remained one match, ' Tho Consolation,' to be shot off. " Your committee aro able to congratulate the couucil that the Becond meeting was a most decided success, far outstripping the wildest fancies, volunteers and civilians joining in the shooting with great spirit. " Your committee beg leave to bring to your notice that at the last meeting in December, the entries for the ten different matches amounted to 254; this year they have amounted to 425, an increase of 70 per cent., and the committee have every reason to suppose that the numbers would have been much greater if the meeting had concluded in the two days. These entries were composed of 137 men, against seventy last year ; (this year thero were about twenty civilians, last year there were none), an increase of nearly 100 per cent. " The entrance money last year amounted to £28 7s 6d, this year it has amounted to £62 11a, an increase of 125 per cent. This large increase is to be attributed to the great increase of the hon. members of the association. " The value of the prizes given this year amount to £40 6s, and cups to about £12 more ; making a total of £52 6s. Last year the money prizes amounted to £64, and cups. " Tents and provisions were provided by the association for the use of the competitors, of which they made no use. The committee therefore recommend from the experience of this and last year, that in future no such arrangements be made, as this is a useless source of expense. "The committee must record and return its thanks to Private Barnes, No. 1 Company, C.R.V., for hia great zeal and energetio conduct in helping it at all times, both on and off the grouud. The committee may bo pardoned in stating that without him it would have been unable to arrange the targets, and get the shooting under weigh the first day. " To Sergeant Pavitt, Volunteer Engineers, for his assistance in providing men for levelling and making butts, and the assistance he gave the committee on the day previous to the meeting. " To Lieut. Hawkes, No. 6 Company, C.R.V., for his activity and zealous conduct in assisting the committee and arranging the matches, thereby giving most valuable aid. Also, to the various officers who kindly placed themselves at the disposal of the committee, viz : —Lieut. Porter, Lieut. Lean, Ensign Blakiston, Lieut. De Troy, and others. The committee now record the successful competitors, expressing its regret that Sergeant Wright, No. 5 Company, waa unable to win the much-deserved prize, the Weld Cup, for the want of one point. The Company Match. Tho Engineers ... ... ... ... 1 No. 6 Company ... ... ... ... 2 The Rifle Oaks. Points. Sergeant Coupe ... ... ... 27 ... 1 Private Niemann 27 ... 2 Sergeant Craigie ... ... ... 27 ... 3 Sergeant Miller ... ... ... 26 ... 4 Corporal A. Cuff. 26 ... 5 The Dbbby Stakes. Points. Sergeant Craigie ... 52 ... 1 Private Niemann... ... ... 52 ... 2 Ensign Allison 47 ... 3 Sergeant Pavitt ... 47 ... 4 Private Barnes 45 ... 5 The Intebnational Match. The English 162 points. The Yeomanby Cup. Points. Trooper Stringer... ... ... 34 ... 1 Cornet Slater 27 ... 2 Trooper Macphereon ... ... 23 ... 3 The Association Cup. Points. Sergeant Packard ... ... 33 ... 1 Private Niemann... ... ... 33 ... 2 Sergeant R. Wright 32 ... 3 Ensign Allison 32 ... 4 Sergeant Brown ... ... ... 31 ... 5 The Association Pbizes. First Series. Points. Sergeant Packard ... ... 16 ... 1 Sergeant Coupe ... ... ... 15 ... 2 Sergeant Pavitt ... ... ... 14 ... 3 Sergeant Johnston ... ... 14 ... 4 Second Series. Points. Ensign Allison 15 ... 1 Sergeant Moss ... ... ... 15 ... 2 Private Barnes 14 ... 3 Sergeant W. Wright 12 ... 4 Third Series. Points. Private Niemann ...") , B , „_ A 0 Sergeant W. Wright ...j ltJ - lw,d4 Private Maddison ...> ,„ „ _. Corporal Frew [ 17 - 3 and 4 Fourth Series. Points. Sapper Innes ... ... ... 15 ... 1 Corporal Frew ... ... ... 14 ... 2 Lieutenant Papperill ... ... 13 ... 3 Lieutenant Pavitt ... ... 13 ... 4 " The committee is glad to inform the council that, taking into consideration the diminished size of bulls-eyes and centres, the shooting has considerably improved over last year. " The committee beg leave to draw the attention of the council to the imperative necessity of providing more targets of their own. If future meetings increase in the same ratio as the last, six or eight targets will not be too many. The success of the annual meeting depends on the council being able to shoot off their matches at the time specified, and it is impossible to accomplish this without an increase of targets. " The committee would suggest that at future meetings the extra subscriptions for entrance fee bo applied to the funds of the association, as it appears no injustice can accrue to any of tho competitors. i "And in concluding this report the committee ' beg leave to bring to the notice of the council a proposition, viz., that at Michaelmaa a series of prizes be given, about £10 or £15, to be shot for at Kaiapoi, in order that the Northern men may be brought forward. " Henby John Tancbed, " H. E. Alport, " Edwabd H. Simmons." "May 5,1867." * Captain Simmona stated that the expenses of Ihe association at the late meeting had amounted in all to £51, and the amount less prize money, &c, retained was £12, leaving a balance of £39 as the total expenses. Several accounts, amounting in all to £17 lis, were passed and ordered to be paid. The Honorary Secretary was requested to write to Captain Cracroft Wilson, thanking him for acting as commanding officer at the late meeting. The following resolutions were then passed : " That the thanks of the committee be given to Mr Kerr und Mr Hicheiu, for permitting tho use of their lands." " That the thanks of the council be communicated to the General Committee for the use of the targets." " That tho thanks of the council aro due to Captain Simmons for kiudly acting as umpire at the recent meeting." " That the thanks of this council be given toH. J. Tancred, Esq., Captain Simmons, and Mr H. E. Alport, who acted as managing committee at the Easter meeting."

'That he thanks of tho council be r« corded as duo to the several tradesmen X have given varioui commodities us pr i 7 . C 8 •• ° * That the prizes bo given to tho competitors on the Queen's birthday, tl 10 o. May next." *' ° "'"« " That a committee bo appointed to arrant the proceedings for the presentation of nriZ such committee to consist of Captain Sim monsand Messrs Thomson and Barnes" " That the Honorary Secretary be request*,! to write to Mrs Cracroft Wilsonf askingTj' will be agreeable to present the prizes on tho occasion above named." " T ! mfc the council decides to give prizes not exceeding £10, at a meeting to be held at .Michaelmas next. " That this council considers it advisable to urge upon tho Government tho necessity of obtaining rifle ranges for overy centre of poDu lation for tho use of tho armed forco of the colony, including the Imporial troops, colonial forces, militia, volunteers, aud police, and that the following gentlemen be requested to aot as a deputation to urgo these viows upon tha Government without delay, vu.-Captam Cracroft Wilson, aud Messrs Tanored and Wilson." The meeting waa thou adjourned.