THE RIFLE MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 8988, 28 February 1888, Page 5

THE RIFLE MEETING.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Oamaru Rifle Range, Monday, It is capital weather for the opening of the Rifle Association Meeting, which is being held on the Oamaru racecourse. Lieuten-ant-Colonel Mahon, of Auckland, has been appointed to command, having resigned his position as a member of the Executive Council to enable him to occupy the position. There are 255 competitors in the first match, \Vhich commences at 10.30, of whom 187 are riflemen and 68 carbines. The Taranaki and a few of the Wellington representatives who were to leave by tho Takapuna are expected to-day. Competitors aro highly pleased with the range, which has a dark-green background. Tho only fault is with the direction, which is north-west. Misses will easily be seen, the ground at the rear of the targets having recently been harrowed. There are twenty targets, and Captains Collins and Somerville are sanguine of completing the whole of the meeting by Saturday evening. Arrangements are very complete, and include a telegraph office on ground, while a telephone is connected between range and butts. The prize money was based on the assumption that there would bo 320 competitors, so at a meeting of the Executive Council just held, it was decided that £25 be struck off the rifle matches, and £50 off the carbine matchcs, including' tho aggregates. Lieut. Griffiths (Blenheim) has been appointed member of the Executive Council, vice Captain Rogers, absent, and Captain Cooper fills Colonel Mahon's vacancy. For the North Otago match £170 has been subscribed by tho people of Oamaru, and as donations mean all cash there will be no trophies for this match. When the ammunition was opened this morning, it was found to consist of Eley's cartridges, and not Kynock's, as was anticipated. The first match, seven shots at 200 and 500 yards, open to all comers, was not com-, pleted till nearly four o'clock this afternoon. Volunteer A. Ballinger, Wellington City Guards, took first prize with 59 points, whilo tho highest score last year was 56, which speaks for itself as to the superiority of the ammunition used. The following are the prize takers : — Wellington Match, 200 and 500 yards. Ten shot?. 200 500 'XI. Pto. Ballingor, Wellington Gds., £10 .. 30 29 50 Private Harding, Blenheim, £7 .. .. 31 28 59 Corporal Dauvergne, Rangiora, £0 .. 28 21) 57 Private Gentry, Peninsula, £5 .. .. 29 28 57 Sorgt. McCarthy, Dunedin Guards, £3 .. 29 28 57 Sergeant Parslow, "A " Battery, £4 .. 30 27 57 Corporal Lyons, Riverton, £4 .. .. 30 27 57 Captain Lucas, Thames Ranger*, £3 .. 27 29 50 Sergt. Fairs, Victoria it. (Auckland), £3 29 27 56 Gunner Moore, "M " Battery, £S .. SO 20 56 Captain Donald, Masterton, £2 .. .. 26 29 fin Petty Officer Harty, Port N"avals, £2 .. 28 27 55 Captain Cosgrovo, Otopopo, £2 .. .. 29 26 55 Gunner Greenlield, "J " Battery, £2 .. 30 25 55 Private Clarke, Thames Rifles, £2 .. 25 29 54 Prtc. McLaren, Dilnedin Guards. £1 .. 20 28 64 Pvte. Aamodt, Wellington Guards, £1.. 31 23 54 Pvto. Miller, Napier, £1 .. .. .. 29 25 54 Pvte. Ransome, Blenheim, £1 .. .. 27 26 53 Pvte. Dim can, Wangamii, £1 .. .. 27 26 53 Pvte. King, O.iniaru, £1 27 26 53 Lieut. Oatden, Peninsula Navals, £1 .. 28 25 53 Pvto. Simson, Kaitangata, £1 .. .. 30 23 53 Gunner Woollett, Dunedin Navals, £1.. 24 2S 52 Sergt. Hodgkinson, "O " Battery, £1 .. 20 26 52 COUNTED OUT. Corporal Maddock, Blenheim .. .. 27 25 52 Sergeant Guy, Temuka 30 22 52 P.O. Thorburn, Thames Navals .. .. 28 24 62

The following made 51 :—Captain Wilkinson, Private Jones (Waikuri), Private Churton (Wanganui), Lieutenant Hughes (Wanganui). Sergeant Neill, (Peninsula), Captain Robinson (Peninsula), Corporal Paton (Otepopo), Sergeant Norman (Dunedin Guards), Private Dickson (Peninsula), Corporal McKay (lnvorcargill), Sergeant Neill (Peninsula), Private McDrummond (West Taieri), Lieutenant. Switon (Cromwell), Captain Wilkinson (South Dunedin). Only one stage (200 yards, 10 shots) of the Hawke's Bay match, which is the first match to count for both belts, was completed this evening. The weather was all that shootists could desire, and some good scores were made. Sergeant Fairs (Victoria Rifles), Gunner Lumsden (" A" Battery), Lieutenant Foster (Wanganui), Captain White, present champion (Gordon Ritles), Sergeant Chalmers (" B" Battery"), and Captain Crawford (Wairoa Rifles), all made 45. Sergt. Rose (Victoria Rifles), Seaman Gibbs (Port Navals), Private Jones (Waikiri Rifles, Sergeant Norman (Dunedin City Guards), P.O. Harty (Port Navals), Private Johnson (Clutha), Private King (Oamaru Rifles), Private McDonald (Ash-burton),Colour-Sergeant Hale (Wellington), Captain Creigh ("J" Battery), Captain Sommerville (Alexandra Cavalry), Captain Smith (Dunedin Guards), all made 44. Sergeant Rountag (Waikari), Private Stuart (Wanganui), Private Dickson (Peninsula), Sergt. Cox (Ashburton), Corporal Maddock (Blenheim), Gun. Smeaton (Dunedin Private Sale (Ashburton), Private Richardson (Dunedin Guards), Corporal Dauvergne (Rangiora), Private Quinlan (Hobson Rifles), Private Morris (Oamaru), Sergeant Gray (Christchurch Scottish), Sergeant Kempshall (West Taieri), Sergeant Parlces (Wanganui), Private Mason (Clutha), Corporal Climo (Thames Rangers), Sergeant McCarthy (Dunedin Guards), all marie 43. [BY TELEGHAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Oamaru, Monday, The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association was commcnced this morning, under the most favourable circumstances. The day broke dull with heavy clouds, which, however, were pretty well dispersed as the day advanced, just sufficient being left to modify the glare of the sun, and render the light nearly all that could be desired for good shooting. The site chosen by Captain Sommerville for the meeting is the racecourse, and I doubt if a better or more suitable range could be found, the splendid background and the perfectly level nature of the ground in front of the targets more than compensating for any drawbacks. The greatest of these is to be found in the fact that a crop of wheat has been taken off the land this season, and the stubble will serve as a rather trying reflector to the eye on a bright day. The targets, 25 in number, are situated at the foot of the hill, a trench about seven feet deep running the whole longth. The Thames representatives, several ex-Thames men, and some of the Auckland officers wore a band of crape out of respect to the memory of the late Captain Wildman, who took a great interest in the meetings. The following are the scores of the Auckland men in the first match, which does not count for the bolts. Ranges, '200 and 500 yards; seven shots at each distance :— Sergeant Parslow, A Battery 67 Sergeant Fairs, Victorias .. 6(5 Lieutenant Lucas, Thames .. .. _ ..5(5 Volunteer Clark, Thames 54 Sergeant Hodgkinson, O Battery .. .. ..62 Seaman Thorburn, Thames Si turner Payne. A Battery 61 Gunner Lumsden, A Battery .. .. 60 Volunteer White, Gordons 60 Volunteer Inglis, Thames ..49 Volunteer Creighton, Wairoa .. .. ..49 Captain Crawford, Wairoa 48 Bandsman Gill, Thames .. .. .. .. 4S Captain Little, Hobsons .. _. .. 48 Volunteer Quinlan, Hobsons .. ~ „. 4S Bandsman Le Griffon, Navals ... .. .. it Sergeant Dougherty, A Battery .. „ ... 48 Sergeant Rose, Victorias .. „ „ „ 48 Captain White, Gordons .. .. „ ..47 Sergeant Cox, Gordons ►. 47 Seaman Lukey, Thames .. .. .. .. 47 Corporal Hantlley, Victorias .. .. .. 41 Volunteer Rout, Victorias 44 Volunteer O'Hanlon, Hobsons .. ~ 44 Volunteer Climo, Thames 43 Gunner Woolley, " A" Battery 43 Sergeant White, Gordons , ..42 Petty Officer Smith, Navals 42 Volunteer Gentry, Thames 41 Gunner Webster, " A" Battery 41 Captain Cooper, Victorias 40 Sergeant Haultain, " O" Battery 40 Volunteer Buchanan, Gordon 88 Lieutenant Moore, Navals SS Volunteer Downie, Thames SS Seaman Weir, Thames 37 Seaman Bridges, Thames , 37 Bandmaster Moyle, Thames 36 Sergeant Soall, City Guards 84 In this match, Lumsden and Rose started well at the 200 yards with 31 and 29 respectively, but both fell off at tine 500 yards, only petting 19 each, although putting their shots on. In the second match, which is the first for the two belts, ranges 200 and 500 yards, 10 shots at each distance. The first rango was finished this afternoon, and the 500 yards will be taken at eight o'clock to-morrow morning. The top score so far is 46, marie by Foster, of Wanganui, olosely followed by several Auckland men, in fact the majority of the Aucklanders are well up so

far. The following are the Auckland and Thames scores at the 200 yards : — White .. .. 45 Sorgt. Dougherty „ .41 Sergt. Pairs .. .. 45 Sorgt. Soall .. „ 41 Gunner Lumsden .. 45 Vol. Clark .. .. 40 Capt. Crawford .. 45 Vol. Downie .. .. 40 Sorgt. Rose .. .. 44 Vol Buchanan .. 40 Sorgt. Cox .. .. 43 Vol. White .. .. 40 Vol. Quinlait .. 43 Sergt. White .. 40 Vol. Olimo .. „ 43 Capt. Cooper .. 39 Lieut. Oreighton .. 42 Sorgt. Haultain .. 39 Lieut. Inglis .. .. 42 Bandsman LeGriffon 39 Lieut. Lucas .. ». 42 Seaman Lukey .. 39 Bandsman Gill .. 42 Seaman Thorburn .. 38 Cant. Little .. ..42 Seaman Weir .. 38 P.O.Smith .. .. 42 Vol. Gentry .. .. 37 Lient. Mooro .. 42 Gunner Webster .. 37 Sergt. Kodgkinr.on.. 42 Vol. O'Hanlon .. 37 Gunner Woolley .. 42 Gunner Payne .. 36 Sergt. Parslow .. 42 Seaman Bridges .. 30 Vol. Rout .. ..41 BandmasterMoylo.. 34 Corporal Handley .. 41 On account of the great discontent expressed at previous meetings, Kynock ammunition has been discarded in favour of Eley's, the consequence being a wonderful improvement of the shooting all round. Last year, in the first match, prize-winners' score ranged from 56 to 50, while this year it is 59 to 52. In the second match, so far, some brilliant scores have been made, Captains White and Crawford, and Gunner Lumsden and Sergeant Fairs all making 45 out of a possible 50. Lumsden and Parslow also made 31 and 30 respectively out of a possible 35 in the first match at 200 yards. With improved ammunition, I predict some brilliant shooting before the meeting is over. All the Auckland men are in good heart, and looking forward to doing some big things before the meeting is over.