OUR DEFENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 118, 19 May 1892, Page 7

OUR DEFENCES.

The appointment of Captain Fox, with the local" rank of Lieuteuant-Colonel, to command tho New Zealand I'orce3, is gazetted. He is also appointed Colonel of Militia.

The Victoria, Rifle 3 held a meeting on May 10, and unanimously elected Lieut. Somers captain. Colour-Sergeant Skinner waa unanimously appointed lieutenant of the corps. The annual meeting of the Newton Rifle Volunteer Corps was held on May 3rd in the Drill-shod. Captain Robertson presided. The statement of accounts showed the corps to bo in a fair position. Messrs Rose, Paine, Cox, Pitkeithley, and J. Robertson were appointed the Shooting Committee for the year. ' Sergeant Potter and. Corporal Hardy wero elected auditors.

On April 23rd the first rifle competition for Messrs Hancock and Co.'s prize of £20, presented to the Auckland volunteers, took place at the .Mount Eden Kifle Runge. Major Skinner and Lieuts. Somers and Montgomery were in charge of the firing. The weather waa unfavourable and the shooting was not good. Captain Tobin, of the Royal Irish Rifles, was top scorer, but only put together 68 points. Sergeant! Farslow was counted out, and the riflo champion, Sergeant Doughby, retired aftor scoring 47.

Arrangements are being made by the Iccal defence and volunteer authorities for a united naval and military demonstration and mimic attack on the 24th inst., Queen's Birthday. It is proposed that the crews of the two British war-vessels which will ba in port, IT. M. ships Goldfinch and Ringarooma, shall make a boat attack on the southern shores of the harbour, from Kokiinarama up to the City, «*a;ch will be resisted by the local earrl.tsbn volunteer corps, assisted by those of the country volunteer companies thab will come to town for the occasion.

On Saturday, April 30, the annual competition amongst the Auckland volunteers for the cup presented by the now defuncb " O " Battery of Artillery took place on the Mount Eden Rifle Range. The firing was supervised by Major Skinner, assisted by Lieutenants Montgomery and Somers. The ranges were : 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards. The cup can be won outright by any efficient volunteer by either two wins in euccession or three ab intervals. On this occasion it was won by Volunteer Osborne, of the City Guards corps. P.O. Spinley, of the Ponsonby Navals, tied with him. Sergeant Doughty, the New Zealand champion, retired after making a score of 35. The principal scores were as follow:— Vol. Osborne Guards, 109 oointa; P.O. G. Spinley, Ponsonby N., 109; Gnn. A. Henderson, "A" Battery, 106 ; Sapper Baddeley, Engineers, 103; Gunner McCallum, "A" Battery, 103; Vol. Theo. Fairs, Victoria Rifles', 100 ; Sergeant Konrsley, "A" Battery, 99j Captain Tobin, Royal Irish Rifles, 99; Sergeant W. Rose, Newton Rifles, 97 ; P. O. Ewan, Ponsonby JN'avals, 96; Seaman Craig, Auckland Navals, 96; Vol. M. Fairs, Victoria Rifles, 95; Gunner Greenshields, '• A'^ Battery, 93; Gunner B. Buchanan, "A' Battery, 93 ; Bugler Dormer, Guards, 92: Colour-Sergeant Skinner, Victoria Rifles, 92; Lieut. Dormer, Guards, GO ; Corporal Webster, "A" Battery, 39; Corporal Arthur, Guards, 8S: Corporal Hazard, "A" Battery, 85.