CANTERBURY RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9602, 17 December 1896, Page 6

CANTERBURY RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The second annual meeting of the Canterbury Association was held at Bromley range yesterday. There was a fair attendance of competitors, the sand dunes looking quite lively with blue and scarlet uniforms. It is unfortunate that the constitution of the Association does not permit of other than efficient Volunteers taking part, as by this means the Honorary Reserve Corps, which contains some of the best shots in Canterbury, is debarred from competition. The ammunition, which is a great factor in all shooting meetings, was of a most erratic character, and the scores at 600 and 700 yards suffered in consequence. It is a pity that the officer whose duty it is to test this ammunition cannot see it in practice. The men do not complain of the manufacture of the cartridge, but of the powder it contains, which in many cases is "utterly rotten," and pulverises in the hand. Besides this, several cartridges have quite a quantity of brown dust in them, which is evidentlyperished powder. This powder is supplied to the manufacturer by the Government, and is evidently quite worthless for the manufacture of Martini-Henry cartridges. One of the principal features of the meeting, the volley firing for the Longhrey Challenge Cup, was robbed of a deal of its interest by the unaccountable defection of the holders (N Battery, Lyttelton), who came on to the ground, and after having certain concessions granted them, declined to fire. Tlie E Battery won the handsome Loughrey Cup, and the members were by far the most successful in the individual matches. Firing started a few minutes past eight, and the six targets were kept fully employed till past four o'clock. Lieutenant-Colonel Gordon was on the ground the greater part of the day, the range officers being Captain Cresswell (City Guards), and Lieutenants Dougall (E Battery) and Anderson (Engineers). A deal of the success of the meeting is due to the energetic Secretary, Lieutenant Sandford, who did his best to fight against the prejudice which the bad ammunition has engendered. The local companies were well represented, the only absentees being the Mounted Rifles. Kaiapoi and Rangiora were conspicuous by their absence, which is the more to be regretted. Both these companies contain some really good shots, and Private N. G. Robilliard won the championship of the meeting last year. Batchelor (City Guards) came out on top in the aggregates, and was also the winner of the Nursery match.

At the close of the first range of the Nursery, which was fired in a tricky northeast wind, Gunner Munns, of the E Battery, was leading with 33, Staff-Sergeant-Major Purvis being a point behind. As soon, however, as the 500 yards was started it was seen that tbe ammunition would spoil some chances, and so it proved. Munns could only get on 26, giving him a total of 59. Batchelor put up 29, and just managed to beat the rising young Artillery shot on the long range. The following are the prize winners :— FIRST MATCH (Nursery), 200 and 500 yards. Seven shots at each distance. Open to all who have not won a prize at tke C.X.A. Meeting. Twelve priZe9 - 200 500 yds yds Tl Private Batchelor (City Guards) ..30 29 59 (Lieut. Fairbairn's trophy) Gunner Munns (E Battery).. _, 33 26 59 (Aitken and Roberts' trophy) ------ Private Moore (College Rifles) .. 29 28 57 (Messrs Ballantyne and Co.*s trophy) Private F. Wakelin (City Guards) ..31 25 56 Private'league (City Guards) ..27 28 55 Sergt. Cropp (E Battery) .. -30 g 5* Statf-Sergt.-Major Purvis .. ..32 22 54 Sergt. Lightfoot (Engineers) _. 31 Zt Si Sergt. Smith (Kngiueers) .. _. 26 25 51 Private Marsh (College Rifles) ..31 19 50 Private Smith (City Rifles).. .. 31 18 49 Gunner Walsh (E Battery) .. ..26 22 48 Counted out—Sergt..-Major Treleaven (E Battery). Munns and Batchelor were winners of range prizes. In the second match all competitors were handicapped to inners, the positions really being computed on their 600 yards performances. Sergt. Parker got in a possible at 500 yards, the only one of the day. The following were prize winners:— SECOND MATCH (Handicap), 500 and 600 yards. Seven shots at each distance. Each competitor to be handicapped to inners. Fourteen prizes. 500 600 yds yds Tl 1. Private Robinson (City Guards).. 24 25 49 2. Private Batchelor (City Guards) 26 23 49 3. Private Bradley (City Guards) .. 21 23 44 4. Private Tasker (City Rifles) .. 20 22 42 5. Gunner Munns (E Battery) ..20 21 41 6. Sergt. Smith (Engineers) .. 27 20 47 7. Sergt, Jackson (City Rifles) ..26 20 46 8. Sergt. Cropp (R Battery) ..25 19 44 9. Gunner Irwin (E Battery) ..16 19 35 10. Sergt. Trebilcock (City Rifles) .. 31 18 49 11. Private Marsh (College Rifles) .. 20 17 37 12. Sergt. Lightfoot (Engineers) ..25 16 41 13. Sergt. Parker (City Rifles) ..35 14 49 14. Private Smith (City Rifles) .. 14 14 28 Range prizes—Sergt. Parker and Private Robinson. THIRD MATCH, 700 yds, seven sbota Eight prizesCorporal Lester (B Battery) .. .. ..19 Private Batchelor (City Guards) .. ..17 Sergeant-Major Treleaven (E Battery) .. ..17 Sergeant Smith (Engineers) ~ .. _. 16 Sergeant Cropp (E Battery) ~ .. ..15 Gunner Munns (E Battery) .. .. .. 14 Private Bradley (City Guards) .. .. ..12 Sergeant Parker (City Rifles) .. _. _. 11 Assrkoatbs. 1. Private Batchelor .. ..66 2. Sergeant Smith .. ..63 3. Sergeant Parker .. ..60 There were only two teams entered for the volley firing, the E Battery scoring an easy win over the City Guards. The following are the scores :— VOLLEY FIRING MATCH, 400 yards; number of shots, five: position, prone; number of men, seven. E Battery .. 10.71 City Guards 8.71 The winning team consisted of. Corporal Lester, Gunners Butler, Walsh, Sharp, Munns, McKunzie and Irwin, with SergeantMajor Treleaven in command. Staff-Sergeant-Major Barrett conducted the volley firing, which was fired strictly according to musketry regulations. A pool match at 200 yards, sitting, kneeling, or standing, produced some good shooting, as well as amusement. The following were the winners:—

Sergeant Jackson (City Rifles) .. .. .. 42 Private Batchelor (City Guards) .. ..41 Sergeant-Major Treleaven (E Battery) .. ..41 Sergeant Cropp (E Battery) .. .. .. 40 Serjeant Trebilcock (City Kifles) .. ..39 Private Chapman (City Kifles) .. .. ..39 The prizes will be presented at the Drillshed on Tuesday evening.