NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8125, 23 March 1887, Page 3 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The necessary preparations at the range having been brought to a satisfactory completion on Feb. 26, and the competitors having neatly all arrived, either by train or steamer, all that remained to be done was to commence the real business of tbe meeting. . Convenient as regards situation, the Hillsborough range may very appropriately be classed among the average ranges of the Colony. The advantages it possesses are its southerly aspect and its fine high background; whilst it drawbacks are confined to its comparatively limited area, and a susceptibility to the annoying influence of certain winds. Compared with the ranges at Nelson and Wanganui, its adaptability is not nearly so complete; but, as a compensating advantage, its accesibmty is fully equal to the otber ranges I have mentioned. As a consequence of the uncertain, baffling winds, which, as a rule, prevail on the Hillsborough range, and which test to the utmost the skill of the marksmen, the scores did not register as high as they have done at previous meetm gs of the Association. What at first sight has the appearance of an additional disadvantage is the fact of the targets being placed so close together. The possibility of mistakes being made in consequence of the close proximity of the targets one to another, may act as a caution to the marksmen to be more careful when taking aim; and may, to a great extent, obviate what appears to be highly probable.

The ammunition used by ‘ all ■ competitors throughout the meeting was that known as Kynoch’s. Its detects were also responsible to a great extent for the inferor shooting. The total number of entries received for the meeting was 306; 209 being rifles and 97 carbines. The firing was continued under favourable circumstances as regarded weather, until Tuesday, March 9. The following were the winners of the principal prizes in the various matches■ WELLINGTON MAT 'H. AH comers. Not to couiit for tlia ba.te. 200yds and iCK-jda. Bav.n shots at each distance. 200 500 yds yd i ""I Possible ••* • ;•• 35 35 70 Corporal Hutchison, North Duneaiu Rifles—l st prize, 1310 31 25 56 Corporal M'Kc-nzie, D Battery, Wellington—2nd prize, £7 - 26 29 65 Gunner l.umaden, A Battery, Auckland —3rd prize, £9 ... 29 26 65 HAWKE’S BAY MATCH For rifle or carbine belts. 200yds and 600yds. . 'Jen shots at each distance. Open to all members ol the Association, 200 500 • yds yds T 1 Possible ... ... »■ - ••• .50 60 100 Private Johnston, Clutha Rifles Ist prize, £lO . Corporal , Maddock, Blenheim 2nd prize, £7 •• .. 42 37 79 Captain White, Gordon K’fles, Auok land—3rd prize, £8 43 36 79 AUCKLAND MATCH, for Rifle or Carbine Belts. 200, 300 and 500 yards ; seven shots at each distance. Open to all members of th» Association. Twenty-Are prizes of a total value of £7O. 200 300 500 yds yds yds T 1 Sergeant Gray, Christchurch—lst prize, £lO 29 20 27 Mr «; H Fergaaon, Timaru—2nd prize, £7 30 24 26 80 Lieutenant Okey, Taranaki—3rd prize, £6 - 29 21 29 79 MARLBOROUGH MATCH. For Rifle Belt only. 500yd8 and 600yds. Ton shots at each distance. Open only to Rifle Volunteer members of the Association.

500 6CO ydsydaTl Possible ... SO 50 100 Private Henry. Wanganui City Rifles—--Ist prize, £lO 34 29 63 Captain Acbeson, Riverton Rifles—2nd prize, £7 ... ... ... .. ... 28 34 63 Corporal Fairs, Victoria Rifles, Auckland—3rd prize, £6 33 28 61 NELSON MATCH, 300 and 500 yds. Ten sliots at OMih distance* 300 600 yds yds T 1 Possible ... ... ... »• ... 50 SO 100 bersreant Parslow, A Battery. Auckland —lst prize, £10... ... ... ... 35 S 9 74 Gunner M’Corklndale, I . Baitery, . Damira—2nd prize, £7 33 38 71 Lieutenant Davey, Fotone Kavals —3rd prize, £6 ... •;* ... 38 31 69 CHRISTCHURCH CITIZENS' MATCH.— For Rifle or Carbine Belts,: 200; 300 end 500yds. Seven shots at each distance, Dp.u to all membors of tbe Association. 200 300 500 yds yds yds T 1 Private Johnston, Clatha prize, £5 and Sydenham hotelkeeper's cup 27 25 27 79 Capt-i n Little, Auokl nd 2nd prize. £8 and silver-plated cup 27 26 24 77 Private Gentry, Thames—3rd prize, £6 and a revolver 28 25 24 77 WANGANUI M&TCH. For Rifle Belt only. 400yds and 600yds. Ton shots a each distance. open only to Rifle Volunteer members ol the Association. 300 600 yds yds T 1 Possible ... ... ... ... ■— 60 60 100 Corporal Fandlord, Christchurch Rifles —lst prize, £lO 39 31 70 Major Burns. Otago 2nd prize, £7 ... 35 27 62 Captain Little. Auckland—Brd priz-i, £3 ... ... - ... 80 31 61 WEST COAST MaTOH—For Carbine Belt only. 300 and 500 yards, ten shots at each distance. Open only to Carbine Volunteer members ot the Association. 300 600 yds yds Tl. Gunner Howe, D Battery, Ist prize £lO 35 35 70 Gunner Lumsden. Auckland, 2nd prize £7 33 27 60 Gunner M’Corkindale, Oamaru, 3rd prize £6 38 22 60 OTAGO MATCH. For Rifle or Carbine Belts. 200yds, SOOyds and 500yds. Seven shots at each range. Open to ail members ol the Assoaiation. 200 800 500 yds yds yds Tl Possible 35 35 35 105 Private O. Handley, Auckland-Ist prize, £lO 28 25 81 81 Lieutenant Okey, Taranaki—2nd prize, £7 29 24 23 76 Captain Lucas, Thames—3rd prize, £6 28 24 25 75 NEW PLYMOUTH MATCH. —209 yds and 30-yds. Stand ng at 200yds, standing or kneeling at SOOyds; to count for both belts. Ten shots at each distance. Open to all members ot the Association. 200 SCO yds yds Tl Possible ... >*■ 50 50 100 Private France, Newtown—lst prize, £lO 34 31 65 Captain Moore, Woodville—2nd prize, £8 31 33 64 Sergeant Remington, Wanganui 3rd prize, £6 S 3 30 63

During the firing on March 4 an unpleasant incident occurred. A number of cases of English Government ammunition were picked up at one of the firing points, one ot the competitors having, evidently, substituted English ammunition for that —Kynoch’s—supplied by the Association. As the English cartridges are undoubtedly superior to Kynoch’s, the advantage gamed by its substitution would be considerable, The perpetrator of this act of dishonesty was not discovered, though certain suspicions were entertained on the subject. On the competitors being formed up for the Christchurch Citizen’s Match, Captain Sommerville, Chairman of the Executive Council, addressed them. He said that he had been asked by the Council to explain the fact that the prize list was so meagre, when £l2O was mentioned on the programme as the amount to bo given. . Last year £IOO had been subscribed for the corresponding match in Wanganui (cheers), and the Council naturally thought that a large city like Christchurch, with a population seven times as great as that of Wanganui, and where tbe volunteers numbered 1200 men, would subscribe at least £2O more. They had been disappointed, however. He was sorry to say that the subscriptions in money received from Christchurch amounted to the handsome sum of 63 guineas. (Groans). The Council had previously decided to add .£2O to each of the aggregate prizes, and was therefore not in a position to add anything to the Christchurch match; and had they been in such a position they would not have done so, and still called it the “ Christchurch Match.” Of course some people had given handsome prizes, and there was nothing to be said against them. In particular the hotelkeepers of Sydenham had given a very handsome trophy. He wished the competitors to understand that the meagreness of the prize list was not the fault of the Council. They would know perfectly well whose fault it was. The following were the principal scores in the matches for the various aggregate prizes;— UNION S.S, COMPANY'S CUP. Agate- 500 gtte. yds Tl. Captain Little, Auckland 226 34 260 Private Johnston, Clutha 815 29 244 Lieutenant O’Key, Taranaki 219 24 243 Captain White, Auckland 215 26 241 Gunner Webster, Auckland 211 29 240 CARBINE BELT. Aggre- 500 gate, yus Tl. Gunner M'Corklndale, Oamaru— Carbine Champion Belt, N.Z.B.A. gold star ond £4O 451 27 478 Sergeant Parslow, Auckland — N.Z.B.A. gold star and £2O ... 440 25 465 Gunner Webster, Auckland—N.Z.B.A, silver star and £lO ... 440 22 4i2 Gunner Howe, Wellington—4th prize, £7los ... ... 434 28 462 Seaman Thorburn, Thames sth prize, £2los 420 27 447 RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIP. 600 yds Captain White, Anokland Rifle Champion Belt, N.Z.B.A. gold star and £4O 464 21 475 Captain Little, Auckland—N.Z.B.A, silver star and £2O ... 456 17 473 Private Johnston, Cintha—N.Z.B.A. silver star and £lO 434 29 463 Lieutenant Okey, Taranaki 4th prize, £7loa 431 22 456 Captain Rogers, Blenheim—Sthprize, £2los; also, Rifle Challenge Cap for highest score at 600yds ... 419 85 454 The following were the results of the team matches:— RIFLE TEAM MATCH. Qosoov Biri.ES. AncEtahd. First Prize. 448.

Victoria Rifles, Auckland, Peeond Prize, 440. I Thames Eangk.es, Third Prize. 439. ' Dunedin Cm - Guauds, Fourth Prize, 437. ■Wanganui City Rifles, Fifth Prize, 433. The other teams were :—The Blenheim Rifles, 431; Wellington Guards, 430; Waikari Rifles, 425; North Dunedin Rifles, 423; Riverton Rifles (No. 1 team), 421; Christchurch Reserve Corps, 412; Rangiora Rifles, 412 ; Wanganui Rifles, 412 ; Kaiapoi ■Rifles, 408; Christchurch 7-iflea, 390 ; Riverton Rifles (No. 2 team), 384; Oamaru Rifles, 378; Woodville Rifles; 377; Invercargill Rifles, 371; and .Wellington City Rifles, 355. ;

CARBINE TEAM MATCHES. A Battery, a uckt.asd. First Prize 459. D Battery, Wellington, Second Prize, 427. L Battery, Pout Cmalmkbs, Third Prize, 420, The other teams competing were the Alexandra Cavalrj, 407; the F Battery, Napier, 380; and the N Battery, Lyttelton, 348. . Immediately on fhe conclusion of the Carbine Teams Match, the men were assembled by sound of bugle in front of the Council tent, around a table in which were displayed tbe Champion Belts and other trophies won during the meeting. The winners were called to the front, and received their prizes from the hands of the Mayoress, for whom, at the conclusion of the ceremony, three hearty cheers were given by the men. Three cheers for Captain .Sommerville brought the New Zealand Eifle Association Meeting of 1887 to a close. A special train left Christchurch at halfpast nine o’clock last night, and conveyed the Northern competitors to Lyttelton, where they embarked on board the s,s. Hinemoa, and left for tbeir homes. The Southern men will leave Christchurch by the express this morning. The conduct of the men in camp has been-most orderly. They came there to shoot,. certainly, and were doubtless fully aware that the effects of misbehaviour would he harmful to their chances of securing a prize; but still it must be admitted that they were not of the class likely to give way to riotous misconduct. They were unmistakably, a respectable, “steady-going” lot of men. The ideas of correct Volunteer dress, however, entertained by some of them are peculiar. The Volunteer Regulations forbid, in unmistakable terms, the wearing of a mixture of civilian and military attire, and yet, in spite of this prohibition, several men were to be seen, not only in camp but in town, wandering about in various grotesque combinations of uniform and “plainclothes.” It may he urged in their defence that they found the civilian garments more comfortable ; but if they do not Eke to wear the uniform of the Volunteer force, they should not belong to it. Nothing tended to bring the force into contempt with the public in the past more than the slovenly, nnsoldierly demeanour of some of those who wore its uniform.

Fortunately, there have been no'serious casualties on the range this meeting. Had there been, the sufferers would have received every attention. Each day one or more members of the honorary medical staff of the Christchurch Volunteer force' was present in camp, and the well-equipped hospital tent, under the care of Orderly Coombs, was always prepared for emergencies. It would be wrong to conclude our notice of the meeting of the Eifle Association without acknowledging the courtesy and hospitality extended to the representatives of the Press. From Colonel Mahon and Captain Sommerville downwards, through all ranks, everyone was anxious to afford them assistance in their work. To Captain Collins and Mr A. Lean their thanks are especially due; nor must the aid afforded by the register - keepers bo overlooked. Had it not been for the courtesy and good nature of the latter the work of the pressmen who had to record the events of the meeting would have been much more difficult than it was.