THE DEFENCE FORCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 193, 9 May 1908, Page 13

THE DEFENCE FORCES.

THE , "SCHTJNPHER" /CHALLENGE CUP. The National • Rifle Association has accepted from Lieut.-Colonel Raymond Scminphor, Witwatorstand Rifles, a: 100 guineas.-Challenge Cup, for annual competition throughout the British Empire on Empire Day (May .24). This year, however, the match - will b& fired on Saturday, May; 23.■ The following' are the conditions of the competition:— . (l.) Open to teams of forty from any regiment: of /cavalry, battalion of infantry, brigade of artillery, of regular Volunteer and auxiliary; forces; also any of His Majesty's ships.,, ■ (2.) Ranges: 200. 500, and 600 yds. . . (3.) Rounds: Signting-shotat each range; seven scoring-shots (service rifle). , ,(4.) Position: Any with head to target. . (5.) Qualification: Three months active and efficient membership-of corps. . (6.)' No entrance fee. (7.) A medal in addition to the .winner of the challenge trophy will be granted to each member of the winning team. (8.) Results to be certified by two independent range officers. , . • (9.) Targets: Second and third-class, as used this year by National Service Association. _ . , . .

,(10.) Time-limit: Twenty minutes per de.tail, but three details to bo composed; mini-, mum, eight members. Teams are to be nominated before competition, and shooting will take place on corps' own ranges. Entries must bo cabled beforehand to . the secretary of the National Rifle Association.' . Corps intending to enter teams will notify district headquarters. as soon as possible. There is no entranco fee,and firing will take place oil corps' own ranges. The results, certified by two independent range officers, must be forwarded on the day of' the. match to the secretary of the National Rifle Association, Bisley, England. , In connection with the foregoing, it is not anticipated that there will be many entries from New Zoaland, as the number required for each, team is considered to.be greater than most corps would be ablo to find. GOVERNMENT PRIZE-FIRING. ,

With reference to tho item of £250 on the annual appropriation of the Defence Department for rifle prizes for shooting, etc,, open to Volunteers only, the following will (provided Parliament at its coming session again approves of tho grant) be the. conditions under which tho competitions are to take place for tho year onding February 28, 1. Only members of mounted rifles, infantry," and Defence cadet corps are' to bo allowed to compote. . 2. Tho amount apportioned, pro rata, to each district, taking the' strength of tho threo branches of tho Eorco named on March 1. 1908, will be as under:— . . £s. d. Auckland ... ... ••• 49 12 10 Wellington ... 73 0 4 Nelson ••• ; ••• 21 IS) 11 Canterbury ••• ••• 41 6 2 ■ Otago ' ... ••• . ■••• 14 9, 3. Tlio amounts apportioned to bo awarded by officers commanding districts in small prizes according to the results obtained in the annual course of target practice arc as under:— lst-class shots ... lo per cent. 2nd-olaes ebota ... 30 per cent, lleoruit# >.< 20 per coat.