NAPIER RIFLES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11124, 17 January 1899, Page 2

NAPIER RIFLES.

PBESENTATION OF PEIZES". Last evening the annual presentation of prizes for shooting of the Napier Rifle Volunteers took place in the Garrison Hall. A new departure was made this year, the presentation taking the form of a semi-public ceremony. Present on parade : — One captain, one lieutenant, one color-sergeant, and 44 men. The Garrison Band also paraded in full strength, and played selections during the evening. After inspection by Major Chicken, the company was formed up in line, its' right resting on the stage when the presentation of prizes took place, His Worship the Mayor presented the prizes to the -winners of the A class as follows: — Ist, Bugler Chicken; 2nd, Lieutenant „ Milner ; 3rd Sergeant Gleadow; 4th, Private Storkeyj sth, Corporal Stokes; 6th, Color - Sergeant Eobson; 7th, Private V. -Brown; Bth, Private Pirie. - Mr E. D. D. M'Lean, M.H.E., making a, few felicitous remarks, presented the prizes to the winners in the B class: — Ist, Sergeant Presling; 2nd, Private Hawthorne; 3rd, Private Reidy; 4th, Private Coe; sth, Private Austen ; 6th, Private Bamforth. Mr F. W. Williams, president of the Kifle Club, then presented the range prizes for highest scores off the rifle at each range : — 2OOyds, Sergeant Gleadow j 500 yds, Private Storkey; 600 yds, lieutenant Milnor ; 700 yds, Sergeant Gleadow Ist, Bugler Chicken 2nd. Mr R. Bishop presented the prizes won by the recruits: — Ist, Private Minettj 2nd, Private Grindell; 3rd, Private Sotnerville. Major Chicken, commanding the East Coast Battalion, decorated the champion shot of the company for the year, Ser- : geant Gleadow, with the company belt and gold medal, and Bugler Chicken with a silver medal as runner-up. The company then adjourned to the supper-room, where a coffee supper and' smoke concert was held, and a most enjoyable evening was spent, Captain Thomson in the chair. During the evening speeches were given by the following gentlemen :— His Worship the Mayor, Mr E. D. D. M'Lean, M.H.E., Dean Hovell, Mr F. W. .Williams, Major Chioken, Dr. de Lisle, Mr Garner, and Captain Hughes. Songs, Mr Clarke, Color-Sergeant Eobson, Captain Hughes, Captain Berry, Mr Swan, Lieutenant Foray the, Mr -Bishop; Privates Elmes, Williams, and Heifford cornet solo by Sergeant Spiller, and a. recitation by Dr. de Lisle. ' In the course of the evening Mr M'Lean offered to donate a rifle to be competed for between teams selected from the two town companies, the win-, ning team to shoot off for possession of the rifle. ,'Mr Clarke also offered to present a medal to the highest scorer in the united teams. Both offers were accepted with acclamation. Lieutenant Milner proposed that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the donors of prizes, and to the lady friends of the company who had always been ready to give .every assistance, and whose absence was regretted, which was carried witli musical honors. The meeting' then terminated with the singing of the National Anthem and Auld Lang Syne,