SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAMPION

Nelson Evening Mail, 14 March 1906, Page 3

SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHAMPION

The rifle champion for 1906 has been a familiar and prominent figure at Trentham for years past (says the '.'Post") and -has been a Volunteer for ten years. Lieutenant Robert M. ' Irvine is: : a native of Nelson, tall and slim, with a keen, cleanshaven face, and -wears' glasses -to regulate ( a defectiveness' in -sight. . That his vision is' keen -is apply proved by his record with, the rifle, and his champion honopfs^j.hay'e' been well earned. At the meeting' in J9Q4 he was runner-up to his comrade of the Waimea Rifles, Ching, who failed to get into the. final .fifty this year. Lieut. Irvine, who is now on the staff of the Nelson Battalion ,is 33 years of age, and is a farmer with a holding near Nelson. He has twice represented tis ;.colony at Bisley, and holds *a record as the only marksman in the Southern Hemisphere who has reached as high as the fifth place in the contest for the King's Prize at Bisley, in which position he was. bracketed with another competitor at. the 1904 meeting. Last year Lieut. Irvine was the champion shot of his province. By his win on Saturday he has placed Nelson in the proud position of having provided marksmen' who have won the Champion Belt in three successsive years — Ching, Milroy, Irvine. It was little wonder that his comrades carried their champion shoulder high, as they had carried his two predecessors. Mr Hall-Jones briefly addressed the semblage at the conclusion of the shooting warmly commending the successful marksmen for the work done during the week, and- especially stating his appreciation of Champion Irvine's win. Lieut. Irvine had deserved the' Belt, for he had worked hard for it for years past. Nelson was also to be congratulated upon having sent the champion to the meeting for three years in succession. The work done during the week by marksmen a.t Trentham had served to still further emphasise (he success of the policy of the Government- for the establish ment of a permanent ritie range for the colony. ™____