NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8738, 9 March 1894, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

THE FINAL PROCEEDINGS. « The meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association was brought to a close yesterday. The remaining matches were fired in the morning, and the presentation of prizes took place iv the Oddfellows' Hall iv the afternoon. A match among the officers of the staff was won by Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon. The distance was 500 yards, ten shots. The shooting of somo of "the competitors was remarkably good, and the marking left little to bo desired, as with one exception nothing under mners was registered. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon scored 44 with a misa, and Captain Lomax tied him with the same score. Captain Collins was close iap with 42, while Captain Bowrou was not so successful and totalled only 17. Ir shooting oft the tie the two competitors each scored an inner. The toss of a coin then decided the match in favor of Lieut.-Colonel Gordon. Twenty-seven fired in the Markers match, and considering that some of then: were nob used to Martini-Henry rifles thej did fairly well. The following is the prize list in tbe Markers' Match, ten shots at 500 yards : thirteen prizes, value £12 10s. Gunner Kelly, I Battery, Oamaru, £3 3£ Lance-Corporal Jenkins, Wei. C.X.. £2 3t Private Smith, Dunedin C.G., £1 105... 36 Bandsman Leslie, Oamaru G. 8., £1 ... 3^ Private Carew, Christ's College R., £1 oi ' Sgfc. Thompson, Invercargill C.G., 10s 32 Private Whitmore, ChCh. CO., 10a ... 33 Sapper Phillips, Canterbury E., 10s ... 3c Lance-Crpl. Watts, Canterbury E., 10s 32 1 Sergeant Gulliver, Rangiora R., 103 ... 32 Private Bateman, Waimate R., 10s „. 31 Bandsman Cox, Woodville 8.C., 10s ... 2£ Private Hennessy, Christchurch C.G., 10s 21 A prize of 103 for the* competitor making the largest number of biillseyes- was won bj Gunner Kelly, who had five in his score. After the match was over Major Sommerville presented the winner with a belt, which had been artistically made of the white and black pieces of paper used by the markers in covering the shot holes in the targets. It was made in the form of the rifle champion belt, and on tho pouch was a representation of a target and crossed discs. Major Sommerville, after a few humorous remarks, presented the belt to Gunner Kelly. He also complimented the markers upon the way in which they had done their work. It was the first time the new system of marking had been adopted, and the general opinion among competitors waa that the marking had l>aen very good indeed. The markers cheered their champion shot, Major Sommerville, Captain Collins, and the members of the Council. Camp was struck during the day, and the Northern men left by bteamer in the evening. The Southern competitors return to their homes by the express this morning. The amount of prize money won by the various districts was as follows:—Otago £291, Canterbury £178, Wellington £154, Auckland £152, Wanganui £99, Southland £69, Hawke's Bay £66, Westland £16, Marlborough £11, Nelson £8, Gisborne £3. Total £1047. Out of the 210 competitors at the meeting 162 won £1 or over. The chief winners were Captain Smith, Dunedin, £51; P. O. Henderson, Thames, £40; Mr. J. Gray, Dunedin, £36 ; Gunner Howe, Wellington, £24 ; Lieutenant Jack, Dunedin, £22 ; Gunner Greenshields, Auckland, £19; Mr N. Dodde, Port Chalmers, £18; Private W. B. Scott, Christchurch, £1? ; Lieutenant Ross, Napier, £16; Petty Officer Spinley, Ponsonby, £16; Gunner Head, Auckland, £16; Mr W. Smith, Invercargill, £15; Private Woodhouse, Christchurch, £14; Mr W. Ballinger, £13; Mr A. Cos, Woodville, £12; Mr McGregor, Oamaru, £12 ; Private J. Macfarlane, Christchurch, £11 ; Mr Proudfoot, Dunedin, £11 ; Private A. Ballinger, Wellington, £10; Mr A. France, Wellington, £10 ; Mr McNab, Invercargill, £10; Mr Ji G. S. Tonkin, Waikari, £10; Mr F. Humphreys, Waipukurau, £10; M r Craigie, Invercargill, £10. Other Canterbury men who won over £5 were:—Private T. S. Robinson, £9; Private Shaw, £7 ; Private Cameron, £7; Private B'Auvergne, £6 ; Private A. *Gundersen, £6: Lieutenant; Grant, £5; Private Robilliard, £5; Private Sim, £5; Corporal T. H. Anderson, £5. A protest was entered against Wellington winning the District Representative match, on the ground that Mr Randall, a member of the Wellington team, was not a resident of the district from which the team could be selected. Mr Randall is a member of the Petone Rifle Club, but resides at Manawatu. The protest was considered at a meeting of the Council yesterday afternoon, . Without going into the merits of the case the Council disallowed the protest on the ground that it had not been made within the prescribed time, namely, twelve hours from the time of the question having been raised. PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. The ceremony of presenting the prizes to the successful competitors at the meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association took place in the Oddfellows' Hall, at half-past two yesterday. There was a large attendance of members and a fair number of the public. On the platform were Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon, Major Sommerville, Captains Lomax, Collins, Harman and Bowron, several members of the Council, his Worship the Mayor and several ladies. The Champion Belt, Exhibition Challenge Shield, and the Rifle, Carbine, Union Company's and Hobson's Cups were displayed on the table. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon said that Mrs Sommerville, wife of the Chairman of the Association, had kindly consented to present the prizes, and they would proceed to business without delay. The names of the prize-winners were called out in alphabetical order by Captain Collins, and those who were present were handed their prizes by Mrs Sommerville. Several of the well-known shots were loudly applauded on coming forward, and the champion, Captain Smith, received an ovation. Private J. Macfarlane, who was the only Canterbury man to get into the first ten, was also loudly applauded. The Union Company's Cup was presented to Mr Jas, Gray, of the Dunedin Rifle Club; the Carbine Cup to Petty Officer Henderson, Thames Navals, and the Rifle Cup to Mr J. G. 6. Tonkin, Waikari Rifle Club. Major SommerviiJ-E stated that aa there had been a protest entered against the Wellington team, who won the District Representative Match, the Challenge Shield could nob be presented. Captain Smith was decorated with the Champion Belt and N.Z.K.A. gold scar and ' was'given three hearty cheers. Petty Officer Henderson, Mr J. Gray, Gurmcr Howe and Lieutenant Jack were presented with N.Z.R.A. silver stars. j Major So_imerv__l*b said that before leaving Christchurch he wi&hed, on behalf of the competitors, to return thanks for having made the visit a very pleasant one. The weather had been exceptionally good, and they were satisfied with the range as a convincing ground. now had one permanent range in the North, Island and one in the South, and he thought that was a good thing. He hoped therefore that the people of Christchurch would nob allow the range to go away from them. (Applause.) His Worship the Mayor also gave an j address, and alluded to the steps taken by local officers in getting the range established in Christchurch. He hoped that the people of Christchurch would in the future give increased support to the Association. He concluded by calling for cheers for Mrs Sommerville and Major Sommerville, which were heartily given. Cheers for the Mayor closed the proceed-