ANNUAL PRIZE FIRING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 5438, 6 March 1886, Page 2

ANNUAL PRIZE FIRING.

! [TJ.NITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wanganui, March 4. Fine weather was again experienced today, but many of the competitors complained that the light was rather treacherous. Two matches, the Nelson and Wanganui, both counting for the belts, were completed. The former was for carbines only, and the latter open to all comers. Some excellent shooting was made this afternoon, and the Wanganui was won by Gunner Webster, of the Auckland Artillery, with a fine score of 95 out of 100. At the 500 yards he made 34 out of 35, as also did Williams, a civilian from Napier. The position of the champion aggregates has changed a gocd deal, and Kutchen, of Wellington, has a lead of 12 points for the carbine championship, Panslow and Webster being level for second place. Panslow asserts that the sights of his carbine has been tampered with, and that they have been bent, evidently with the intention of putting him off his shooting, but nothing is known how it was done. Captain Acheson, of Riverton, is leading for the Rifle Championship by three points, Downie of the Thames being second, and Remmington of Wanganui third. Lucas, present champion, is 19 points behind ; and Cheivton, ex-cham-pion, and Purnell are 40 points away. Two more matches and the final stage have yeb to be fired for each championships, making 51 shots in all. The following is the prize list in the Wanganui match— 2oo, 300, and 500 yards, counting for both belts : — Gunner Webster, Auckland Artillery, 95, L2O. Lieutenant Ross, Napier Artillery, 87, Ll2. Petty officer Lloyd, Wanganui Navals, 86, LB. Corporal Jones, Waikarie Rifles, 86, L7 los. Williams, civilian, Napier, 85, L 7. Smith, Alexandra Cavalry, 85, L 6. Seaman Thorburn, Thames Navals, 84, trophy. Sergeant Taylor, Auckland Guards, 84, L 4. Sergeant Major Henry Stafford, 84, trophy. Private Madiock, Blenheim Rifles, 83, L 3. Private Stirling, Auckland Guards, 83, trophy. Petty Officer Smith, Auckland Navals, 81, trophy. , Lieut. Griffiths, Blenheim Rifles, 81, trophy, LI. Hoskins, Taranaki Rifles, 81, L 2. Sergeant Little, Hobson Rifles, 81, L 2. Gunner Bell, Lyttelton Artillery, 80, L 2. Private Walker, Napier Rifles, 83, L 2. Seaman Moore, Auckland Navals, 80, L 2. Private Mooseman, Wanganui City Rifles, 79 L 2. Captain Somerville, Alexandra Cavalry, 79, L 3. A. Strachan, civilian, 79, L 2. Seaman P. Weir, Thames Navals, 79, L 2. Captain Achison, Riverton Rifles, 79, L 2. There were 12 other prizes of LI each. The present highest aggregates are : — RIFT.E CHAMPIONSHIP. Captain Acheson, Riverton 287 Private Downie, Thames 284 Sergeant Remington, Wanganui ... 280 Private Giblin, Stoke 280 Private Mad dock, Blenheim ... 280 Cooper, Auckland 279 Private Chuck, Blenheim 279 Sergeant Mooseman, Wanganui ... 278 Sergeant Lee, Auckland 277 Private Mann, Dunedin 275 Private Taylor, Auckland 274 Private A. Mooseman, Wanganui ... 273 Sergeant Buchanan, Auckland ... 271 Sergeant Matthews, Masterton ... 271 Corporal Frederick, Dunedin ... 270 Private Greer, Wellington 270 Private Ho well, Taranaki 270 CARBINE CHAMPIONSHIP. Sergeant Ruchen, Wellington ... 309 Gunner Webster, Auckland ... 297 Corporal Parslow, Auckland ... 296 Petty officer Lloyd, Wanganui ... 296 Lieut. Ross, Napier 294 Sergeant Webb, Wellington ... 293 Corporal M'Kenzie, Wellington ... 292 Sergeant Perry, Wanganui 290 Gunner Bunting, Napier 289 Petty officer Turner, Wanganui ... 285 Sergeant Gray, Wellington 283 Petty officer Stitt, Wanganui ... 280 Petty officer Johns, Thames ... 279 Gunner Williams, Napier 279 Seaman P. Weir, Thames 279 Gunner Bell, Lyttelton :.. ... 278 Petty officer Meek, Wellington ... 278 Gunner Barries, Port Chalmers ... 277 Gunner Driver, Port Chalmers ... 277 Gunner Woolley, Auckland 277 Trooper Watt, Wanganui 276 Seaman Thorburn, Thames 275 (See fowth page,

The following is the prize list in the Nelson match— 3oo and 500 yards, carbines only, which was finished this morning : — VjGruniier Foster, Port Chalmers, 77, £10. #Ero'oper Craig, Wanganui, 76, L 7. £! -Lieutenant Waters, Port Chalmers,---75, L 5. Seaman Harris, Wellington, 74, L 4. Trooper Wall, Wairoa Lighthouse, 74, L 3. Bugler Gill, Thames, 73, L 3. Sergeant Perry, Wanaanui, 73, L 2. Peity officer Meek, Wellington, 73, L 2. There were eight other prizes of LI each. March 5. The weather was beautifully fine with a fresh wind blowing across the range, and the light was rather bad. The proceedings commenced with the West Coast match, confined to carbines, and at the short range good shooting was made, but at the 500 yards misses were by no means the exception. Lieutenant Ross, of Napier, who won the carbine belt in Auckland in 1884, however, managed to keep on the target, and making a fair score of 84, secured first prize in the match, and it also gave him a leading position for the championship ; M'Kenzie, of Wellington, who finished up -with 80, • being six points behind ; Parslow and Kirchen burst up at 500 yards, and lost the premier positions which they had held 'since firing commenced. ' Shortly after lunch the Canterbury Match for Rifles only was finished, Lieut. Foster of Wanganui securiug first prize, with an average score of 68, at the 600 yards rang. In this match the shooting was wretchedly poor, and several of the competitors did not succed in hitting the target at all, while there were many who only scored three or four out of 50. The Otago Match, which is the last counting for the belt, commenced at 2.30. , and when firing ceased for the day two out of the three ranges had been finished. The last ranges will be finished in the morning, which will decide the twenties who fife for the final stage for the (championship. It ■■ is expected the winn ers of the belts will be known about half-past three to-morrow afternoon after the Civilian Match will be fired. The general opinion is Ross will win the carbine belt, : and Acheson the rifle. I