THE RIFLE CHAMPION UPON THE CHRISTCHURCH MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7896, 15 March 1887, Page 5

THE RIFLE CHAMPION UPON THE CHRISTCHURCH MEETING.

WHAT MAKUS A GOOD RIFLE SHOT. With a view to obtaining some information re the recent meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association, and shooting in general, a reporter of this journal interviewed Capt. White, the rifle champion, yesterday, and in the course of a conversation elicited some interesting information. We give his opinions and experience, ae we consider rifle shooting to be one of the best teats of the soundness of the physical condition and training, also a display of skill and judgment which should be encouraged. OriNION OF THK SHOOTING. The shooting, taken as a whole, wae decidedly inferior to that of previous meetings. This was plainly visible by a comparison of the soores of other meetings. It ib more easily seen when we consider that auoli tried shots as Captain Lucas, Captain Purnell, Volunteer Okey, and Corporal Hutuhinson, of the Southern contingent, have failed to make good scores ; and if reference ie made to the doing ß °f l° ca l men, who have always been well up, I refer to Capt. Cooper, Lieut. Leigh, Corporal Theo. Fairs, andSergt. Taylor. All of these men are good shots, and none of them have done ordinarily well. . t all other meetings they, as a rule, do well. The conduct of the meeting was excellent, the men being well-behaved in camp, and it is said that compared with past years it was the best-conducted competition that has been held. This, I think, is in a great measure due to the staff, the local representative on which was Lieutenant-Colonel Mahon. Upon that officer devolved the command of the shooting and also of the camp. In point of representatives Otago had the largest number ot competitors, Auckland coming next. Christchurch had a very poor representation of volunteers, considering that the meeting was held in their district. Kven of the local men that did take part a large number of them were citizen who were ola volunteers, and who oould not devote the necensary time to volunteering. THK AUCKLAND REPRESENTATIVES.

Aβ wo all know how well the Auckland representatives did, it is hardly necess-Vy for me to dilate upon their success. They undoubtedly did the best in the colony by carrying off the Rifle Championship, the principal trophies, and more than one-third of the prize money. In the rifle aggregate many old faces were missing in the final twenty that went down for the last stage. Turning to the Auckland men alone, there were two new men in Captain Little and Volunteer Rout. I have been twice in the twenty of the three meetings I have fired at. I was eixth in 1884, and nowhere in the following year. I missed 1886. This year, as you are well aware, I have taken off the honours. Captain Little ran me close all through the competition, and the fact that I only won by two points proves that he is every bit aa good a shot ae I am. Of those who did not get places I may single out Captain K. Cooper first. He has taken part in about a dozen meetings, being near the top several times, but thie year is only the second time that he has been counted out of the twenty. Volunteer Downie, of the Thames Hangers, has always been well up in past meetings, but his ill-luck on this occasion may be attributed to the factr that he was suffering from a badly inflamed eye—the right one—which threw him off a good deal. Sergeant Lee, of the "Vies.," is another tried shot, holding the Auckland District Belt. He was top of those who used the short Sniders at last year's competition. Sergeant Taylor, of the Gordons, is another good all-round shot, but seems out of form this year. Volunteer Handley, of the "Vies.," and Lieutenant Leigh are both old Auckland shots. The former was the only man to make a brilliant ecore in the meeting, by scoring 84 in the Otago Match. THE AMMUNITION. The ammunition used was that manufactured by Kynock, of Birmingham. It was moet unsatisfactory, and could not compare with the Government article supplied in former years. The principal defects were that the cartridges were badly loaded, being very unequal in the quality of powder used ; the powder was of inferior quality, and in numerous instanoes the plugs wero left out of the bullets. The result was that a very great number of the bullets fell short of the target, in m&ny instanoes at least 200 yards. Thie destroyed all confidence In the men, who, on getting low hite, and then, making allowance, would miss the target high. The men showed their contempt for Kynock by burning his effigy in the oamp. I do not think the Auckland ammunition would have given any better results. WHAT HB ATTRIBOTKS HIS SOCCES3 I> TO. In regard to my own success, I do not know really what caused me to win the belt, except I put it down to patient plodding, and also to the faot that I am a nonemoker, and a total absUiner. Yon have already announced the latter fact, A man who wants to be a good shot must be exceedingly careful. I was several times tempted to drink a bottle of sodawater or ginger beer, but never did, as I did not know but that the efferveuence or some of the stuff, might aff-ct the head or stomach—very slightly, perhaps, but still enough to make tho difference between winning the belt and losing it. One cannot go wrong, how ever, with pure water. I do not con sider myself by any means the be§t ohot at the meeting, as there were men then with better nerve and judgment than I, but something put them otf this time, and Little and I, who are non-smokers, won the day. I may also tell you that Okey and Lucas are alao very temperate men, and I believe nonsmokers. My careful habits, I think, in a very great measure helped me to succeed. If young men who try rifle shooting would only remember to abstain from smoking and drinking I should think it would materially assist them. It is a pleasure that is easily attained by going to the rifle range in the morning before breakfast. It is not expensive, and may be put down at niuepence e»ch morning for ammunition. It will be found that the love for shooting quickly grows upon you, as may be seen by the old faces that appear year after year at our ranges. ______________