THE RIFLE MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9320, 25 March 1889, Page 5

THE RIFLE MEETING.

[BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.} 1 Blenheim, Saturday. The weather this morning was fine but threatening. Yesterday's rain caused a fresh in the river, and the low-lying portion of the town was flooded kneedeep. Later in the day, however, the water receded. The camp was quite dry. A start was made about ten o'clock with the Teams Match, for which there were nine entries. As the number of entries was considerably below that expected, the prize money was reduced by one-half. When the 300 yards range was being fired, the rain, which had threatened, poured down, and at the conclusion of that range shooting had to be stopped for some time. At twelve o'clock the rain took off, and another start was made, but no sooner had shooting been resumed than down it came again, and continued while the 400 yards range was being shot. The 500 yards was fired in fine weather, but the shooting was far from good. Great interest was centred in the match, and it was hard to say who would be victors until half way through the last range. On leaving the 200 yds range Wanganui City Rifles had a lead of three points from both Blenheim City-Rifles and North Dunedin Rifles, the Wellington City Rifles and Wanganui Rifles being only one point behind these. With the 300 yds completed the Wellington City Rifles led with '273, Wanganui City Rifles 272, Wanganui Rifles 271, Auckland Guards 269, North Dunedin Rifles 265. On retiring from 400 yards, the position was : Wanganui City Rifles 411, Wellington City Rifles 410, North Dunedin Rifles 405, Auckland Guards 404, Wanganui Rifles 400. With only the last range to be fired, interest was very keen. The Wanganui Rifles burst badly and only scored 83. Both the Wellington City Rifles and Wanganui City Rifles also made poor shooting, and wound up with 95 and 93 respectively. On the other hand the Dunedin representatives shot exceedingly well, and won with the good score of 519, which is 10 points higher than the winning score at Oamaru last year. When the Wanganui City Rifles were firing the last shot they only required to hit the target to gain second place, but Graham missed to the right, leaving the Wellington City Rifles second. The Christchurch Rifles who put on a good score at this range tied the Wanganui City Rifles for third prize, but in firing off the latter scored 12 to Christchurch 8, and took third money. The other teams were a long way behind. The annual meeting of the Association was then held, and at its conclusion as the rain had again commenced to fall it was docided to abandon the North v. South match much to the disgust of several members of both teams, who had wasted the whole day knocking about the camp waiting for the match. This ended the meeting, and as the competitors returned to town it waa pouring with rain. The prizes were presented at five o'clock in the Volunteer Hall by Mrs. Reilly, the Mayoress. At ten o'clock the visitors left by train for Picton, where the steamer was waiting to take them on to Wellington. Teams Match: 200, 300, 400, 500 yards; seven shots. North Dunedin Rifles. —Captain McNab, 106 ; Corporal Hutchison, 105 ; Sergeant Frederics, 105; Volunteer Hutchison, 105; Volunteer Miller, 98: total, 519. £25 and cup. Wellington City Rifles. —Volunteer Atkinson, 107 : Corporal Guise, 102; Sergeant Mcßean, 102; Volunteer Cato, 101; Volunteer Wilson, 93: total 505. £15. Wanganui City Rifles.— Love, 108; Colour-Sergeant Johnston, 107: Captain Flyger, 105; Volunteer Turner, 95; Volunteer Graham, 89 : total, 504. £10. Christchurch Rifles, 504 : Auckland City Guards, 488; Blenheim City Rifles, 486; Wanganui Rifles. 483; Christchurch Reserve Corps, 462; Wellington Guards, 450. At the annual meeting of the Now Zealand Rifle Association Captain Sommerville presided. About 100 representatives were present. On the motion of Captain Griffiths

Captain Sommerville was elected permanent chairman of the Council. The following Council were elected : —Lieutenant Hauloain, Auckland; Lieutenant Ross, Napier ; Captain Ballinger, Wellington ; Major Purnell, Wanganui; Mr. P. W. Meadows, Christchurcb ; Major Headlands, Oaruaru ; Captain McNab, Dunedin ; Captain Griffiths, Blenheim; Captain Rowlands, Nelson ; Captain Lucas, Thames; Major Acheson, Southland. The chairman brought up the question of the next meeting, and explained that it had been suggested to hold it at Dunedin. Several gentlemen in that city, he said, had written to him saying that Association trophies should be fired for at the meeting, which they intended to hold during the Exhibition. So far as he himself was concerned he should like to see the next mooting held at Dunedin, and have it made an intercolonial affair, but strongly objected to the management being taken out of the hands of the Association, and managed locally, as had been suggested. That was, no we ver, for themeeting to decide, and if it was their wish he was quite prepared to stand down and allow the Dunedin residents to manage the meeting. The feeling of tho meeting was strongly against such being adopted, and a motion was carried unanimously; '* That the next meetine be held at Dunedin, and that the cooperation of tho local Association bo solicited in bringing it .to a . successful issue. Captain Collins was - re-elected; and, after three hearty choers for both Captaihs-Som-merville and Collins, the meeting ended. [BY TELEGRAPH, —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] Blenheim, Saturday. The Companies' Team Match was fared this , morning after breakfast. Auckland was . represented by Lieutenant White, Colour-Sergeant Stirling, privates Bay, Osborne, and A. L. White, of the City Guards. They shaped very well up to the 500 yards. Here they all collapsed. At the presentation of prizes by the Mayoress, Mrs. Riley, there was a large attendance. Upon Parslow going up to receive his first prize in the Hawke's Bay Match, he was accorded a hearty reception, which was repeated as he wont up for each successive prize. When the belt was placed on his shoulders by tho Mayoress, he was received with a storm of cheering-, and as there was no band in attendance, the company present sang "He's a Jolly Good Fellow." Lieutenant Ross, Napier, ox-carbine champion, who finished second, was also accorded a hearty reception. The Northern and Southern volunteers left Blenheim at ten p.m. by special train. There was a large crowd to see them off, and, as the train moved out of the station, three choers were given for Blenheim by the volunteers. Wellington, Sunday. The rifle competitors arrived here at halfpast seven a.m., after a vory rough trip across the Straits. There were loud complaints against the Union Company for their disgraceful treatment of the men in sending the Kanieri, a steamer of 113 tons and accommodation for a dozen passengers, to bring 150 to 175 men, their guns and baggage. Crossing the Straits seas were breaking over the steamer every few minutes. Some of the men go t a shakedown in the forehold, but even there the water came down, and a number got wet through, while those on deck had a green sea over them now and again to vary the monotony. Guns and luggage were strewn about everywhere, and 1 understand some have had their luggage washed overboard. Two Auckland men who were rolled up in a piece of sailcloth on a seat on deck were actually washed off and sent sprawling across the deck on thoir hands and knees. The champion and the rest of the Auckland contingent leave here on Tuesday morning by the through train to New Plymouth, catching the Gairloch, and arriving in Auckland on Wednesday. Volunteer Osborne, City Guards, was the highest scorer yesterday in the Companies' Team Match with 108.