COLLEGE RIFLES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11334, 30 July 1897, Page 3

COLLEGE RIFLES.

The orderly-room of the Christ’s College Rifles was crowded last night, _ on the occasion of the ceremony of unveiling the brass shield presented to the corps by its ex-members in' honour of the victory of the Company’s team in the- recent marching competition. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis, Major Day, Adjutant Hobday, and Captains Pairbairn and Cresswell were present, as were many ex-members of the corps. Among the principal visitors were Messrs Gr. Harper and H. A. Scott, ex-captains of the corps, and ex-Captain M’Bean of the now defunct Scottish Rifles. There were about seventy. present in all, and Lieutenant N. L. D. Smith was in the chair.

Ex-Captain Harper was greeted with hearty cheers on entering the room. The ceremony of unveiling the shield was performed by Messrs H. A. Scott, Gr. Harper and Major Day, all ex-captains of the corps. Ex-Captain H. A. Scott said that since the initiation of the corps in 1884, everything had improved so much that no old officer or member could help taking a pride in it. Ho thought it would be hard to find a neater or more suitable lot of men than those who were present that evening; and the effective-force of the corps was equal to its appearance. At first he felt inclined to doubt the correctness of the time done, as it was in heavy marching order. But he equally recognised the effectiveness of the other corps who took part in the contest. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) An allusion to the success of the New Zealand team at Bisley was received with applause. Ex-Captain Harper said that the marching competition had not only benefited the College Eifles, but the cause of volunteering throughout, Canterbury. ' He referred to the previous winning by the corps of the Challenge Cup and Challenge Shield. He hoped that in the future other mementos of marching competitions won by the corps would ornament the room. plause.) ■ : . - i Major Day urged the individual members of the.corps to maintain the prestige which the corps'had always enjoyed, and referred to the fact that all ex-members of the corps still took a keen interest* in all its doings. Major Day then read a letter containing the terms on which the shield was handed over. In the event of the corps ceasing to exist, or losing its identity with the College, the shield was to be handed over to the Christ’s College authorities, to he deposited among the ai’chives of the old school.

The draping was then removed from the shield amidst cheers. Lieutenant S'. L. D. Smith thanked the ex-captains of the corps for performing the ceremony, and the ex-members of the corps, who, from Auckland to the Bluff, and even from Australia, had forwarded their sub-

scriptions. He specially wished to thank Major Wolfe, who, though an outsider, had taken the greatest interest in the whole matter. It was a matter of real congratulation to the corps that so many exmembers, and even outsiders, took an interest in it, and he hoped, the corps would always deserve,, and .sustain that interest (loud applause)'. Apologies for absence were received from Colonel Gordon, Major Wolfe/. -Ca ptains Donald, Harman; and Dougall, Lieutenant Webb, Mr J. C. Martin, S.M:, Mr C. Lewis, M.H.R., Mr N. Macbeth and others. The following toasts were duly honoured—“The Queen,” “The Battalion,” "The Route Marchers,” “ Old .Officers of .the Corps,” “The Promoters- of • thb; and “ Other Corps.” During the songs were given by Sergeant, Colcihugh, Captain Day,' Lieutenant Merton,’ Tia,ijce. Corporal Bell, Private, Tribe,- Sergeant ’Hartland, es-©£ptain, M’Bean, Lance-Corporals Evans and Marsh; and’recitations by Lance-Corporal Marsh, Quartermaster Sergeant Lewin, and Mr G. P. Williams.