NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

AUCKLAND® RS STILL SUCCESSFUL.

THEY WIN TWO MATCHES.

WEBSTER LEADING FOR THE BELT.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Friday. Good weather still prevails for the Rifle Association meeting. This was another capital day for shooting. The morning broke dull, but towards noon the sun was as bright as on the previous days. There was very little wind, but it proved rather baffling at the long ranges. About three o'clock a light shower fell, and agreeably cooled the atmosphere. Tho first event got off was the Christchurch Match, ten shots at 600 yards, counting both for the champion belt and the Union S.S. Co. trophy. Taylor (Auckland), King (Napier), and Begg (Dunedin) each made 44, but in classifying the shots, Taylor took the first money, and King second. Eales (Victoria) and Oakden (Dunedin) scored 43, but the former proved to have made better shooting, and gained fourth position. At the finish of the last match Eales and McOallum were leading for the Union S.S. Company's trophy, but McCallum only put on 38 at the 600 yards event, and fell to third place, while JEales advanced to the top position with an aggregate of 129. McCallum's last two shots were unfortunate ones, and had he not practically thrown them away ho would have established a lead both for the Belt and the Union S.S. Company's trophy. With two shots to go he had a" score of 36, but only succeeded in adding two more to it, making an outer and a miss. Sloane registered 24 in the Christchurch Match, and this gave him third place for the trophy. The result of this match made some alteration in the Belt aggregates. Sloane who from the first match had been dangerous took the pride of position with 329, Webster, "A" Battery, Auckland, whose score in the last match was 39, getting even with King, of Oamaru, each having an aggregate of 3"25, one behind the Victorian. It may be mentioned, however, that only New Zealand competitors are allowed to fire in the Champion Match, and consequently the Australian could not take the Belt. Last night Wakelyn, of Christchurch, headed tie aggregate" list with four points to spare, ■but helost a great deal of ground through making the low score of 27 in this morning's match. The following is the prize list: —

Ghristcupkch Match: 600 yards, 10shots, counts for Belt and Union S.S. Co.'s Trophy: thirty prizes, value £70. Gunner Taylor, "A" Battery, Auckland, £8 44 Gunner King, "F" Battery, Napier, £6 44 Gunner Begg, Peninsula Navals, £5 ... 44 Lieutenant Eales, Victoria, £5 ... ... 43 Lieutenant Oakden, Peninsula Navals, £4 43 Mr. Sloane, Yarrawonga Rifle Club, £4 42 P.O. Williams, Wellington Navals, £4... 42 Sergeant Sontas;, Waikari Rifles, £3 ... 42 Lieutenant Atkinson, Wellington City Rifles, £3 41 Gunner Henderson, "A " Battery, £3 ... 40 Sergeant Frazer, "H " Battery, Nelson, £-2 40 Sergeant Riddle, Waimate Rifles, £2 ... 40 Sergeant Perry, Alexandra Cavalry, £2 40 Private Foster, Christchurch Rifles, £2 40. Captain Somerville, Alexandra Cavalry, £2 40

The following take £1 each Seaman Holmes, Petone Navals, 40: Private Uato, Napier Rifles, 40; Private Bowman, Danedin Highland Rifles, 39; Corporal Guise, Wellington City Rifles, 39; Bombardier Webster, "A'' Battery, 39; Mr. Wales, Danedin Rifle Club, 39; Private Anderson, Wanganui Rifles. 39; Petty Officer Spinley, Ponsonbv Navals, 39; Lieutenant Barton, Featherston Rifles, 39; Corporal Doughty, "A" Battery, 39; Sergeant Richards, Wellington Guards, 3S; Mr. J. Dickson, Peninsula Rifle Club, 38; Lieutenant Simmers, North Duuedin Rifles, 38; Private Kruse, Wanganui Rifles, 38; Seaman Stitt, Wellington Navals, 38. The follow ing counted out :—King, Oamaru; Private A. Ballinger, Wellington; Armstrong, Wellington; McCallum, Auckland. The top score in the Christchurch Match last year was 47. The next match on the list was the Otago Match, 300, 500, and 700 yds, seven shot* at each distance. It was decided to take the long distance first, and a start was made with it about half-past ten o'clock, the last squad finishing shortly before noon. After dinner the other two ranges were completed, and Mahoney, of Wanganui, who recorded 28 at 700 yds, 33 at 500. and 28 at 300 took first money with S9, the same score as that made by Lieutenant Eales who took first prize in the same match at Wingatui last year. Webster, of Auckland, comes next with 29, 30, and 29, making a total of 88, and Kruse, Wanganui, secured third place with S7, having put on 28 at 700 yds, 32 at 500 yds, and 27 at 300 yds. The top score at 700 yds was made by Mr. J. Chicken, Taradale Rifle Club, whose performance equal to a possible on a Wimbledon regulation target. It may be explained that at this meeting a two feet target is being used at 700 yds instead of a three foot target. At 500 yards Henderson, Auckland, came within one of the posdble, the next man to him being Mahoney, Wanganui, with 33. Henderson, who was awarded the fourth prize with 86, had 27 to his credit at the long range, and 25 at 300 yards. The following is the prize list; —

Otago Match, 300, 500, and 700 yds. ; counts for both Belt and Union S.S. Cup. Thirty prizes, value £70. Gunner Mahoney, Wanganui Navals, £8 89 Bombardier Webster, "A" Battery, Auckland, £6 88 Private Kruse, Wanganui Rifles", £5 ... 87 Gunner Henderson, "A' Battery, Auck- , land. ... - ... . - ... 86 Bandsman King, Oamaru Garrison, £4 ... bo Private Bunting, Wellington Guards, £4 85 Gunner Taylor, "A" Battery, Auckland, £4 85 Mr. J. Cnicken, Taradale Rifle Club, £3 83 Private A. Ballinger, Wellington Guards, £3 83 Trooper Coohill, Wairoa Mounted Infantry, £3 ... .—_._ •■• 83 Sergeant Remington, Wanganui Rifles, £2 82 Private Robilliard, Kaiapoi Rifles, £2 ... 82 Seaman Stitt, Wellington Navals, £2 ... 82 Sergeant Parslow, "A" Battery, Auckland, £2 82 Sergeant Chalmers, " B " Battery, Dunedin, £2 ... 82 The following take £1 each :—Mr. Randall, Manawatu Rifle Club, 81 ; Sergeant Martin, Waitahuna Rifles, SI ; Mr. Sloane, Yarrawonga Rifle Club, 81 ; Lieutenant Hughes, Wanganui Rifles, 81 ; Captain Reid, Bruce Rifles, 81 ; Mr. J. Law, Danedin Rifle Club, 80 ; Private Manning, Hon. Reserve Corps, 79 ; Sergeant Hooker. Taranaki Rifles, 70 ; Gunner Kelly, " A s ' Battery, Auckland, 79 ; Private J. Anderson, Wanganui Rifles, 78 ; Captain Griffiths. Blenheim City Rifles, 78 ; Private li*nry, Wellingten Guards, 78; Sergeant McCarthy, Victoria Rifles, 78; Sergeant Sontag, Waikiri Rifles, 78; Lieutenant Ross, active unattached list. 78. The following were counted out at 78 :— Sergeant McCarthy; La very, Christchurch Rifles; Weir, Thames Navals; J. Dickson, Peninsula Rifle Club; Howe, Wellington Guards ; Trooper <Perry, Alexandra Cavalry ; Frazer, Kaitangata; White, Auckland; Frazer, " H" Battery, Nelson; and Cruet, Wanganui Navals. With the finish of the Otago match, the twenty highest aggregate scorers in the three matches counting for the Union S.S. Company's Cup, were ascertained as follows :—

Kruse, Wanganui, 210; Webster, Auckland, 207; Sloane, Jarrawonga, 207 ; Henderson, Auckland, 206; Taylor,Auckland, 203; King, Oamaru, 203; Eales Victoria, 202; Randal, Manawatu, 202;-Robilliard, Kaiapoi, 202; McCallnm, Auckland, 201 ; Soktag, Waikari, 190; Hunting, Wellington, 198; Perry, Wanjacanui. 19-1; King, Napier, 191; Law, Dunedin, 193 A. Ballinger, Wellington, 193; Begg. Dunedin, 192; Parslow, Auckland, 192 ; McGregor, Oamaru, 192.

Buchanan (Auckland), Flyger (unattached list), and Hooker (Taranaki) tied for twentieth place, with 191 each, and will fire off in the morning. Eales, who led for the two previous matches, only ran up 74 in Otago match, and dropped into seventh place. Kruse (Wanganui) who was fourth before the Otago match was shot, came up to the top of the list with an aggregate of 210. Sloane (Victoria) maintained second place, and Webster (Auckland) advanced from eleventh to third position. McCallum did nob'do so well in the Otago match, and, in consequence, fell some dis. tance down the aggregate list. The twenty men mentioned above will fire the second' stage at 700 yards, ton shots, tomorrow, and the scores made in that stage will be added to the aggregates in the other

three matches, and the highest grand aggregate scorer will be the winner of the Union S.S. Company's cup for 1891. The time between the finish of the Otago match and five o'clock was filled in by firing off the Auckland match, ten shots, at 300 yards, in kneeling position, not counting for the grand aggregate for belt. There was nob a breath" of wind, and after a shower which fell, the light was much more clear, and the shooting on the whole was very good. The scores were a great improvement on those recorded in tho same match last year. The following is the prize list:—

Auckland Match, 300 yds kneeling, not counting for belt; 30 prizes, value £70. Corporal Doughty, "A" Battery, Auckland. £8 . ■■• , ■•• 40 Gunner Taylor," A" Battery, Auckland, £6 4° Lieutenant Oakden, Peninsula Navala, £5 39 Seaman Stitt, Wellington Navals, £5 ... 38 Seaman Shepperd, Thames Navals, £4 ... 38 Private Bunting, Wellington Guards, £4 38 Private McCarthy, Victoria Rifles, £4 ... 37 Major Acheson, N.Z. V., £3 37 Gunner Howe," D" Battery, Wellington, £3 37 Gunner Kelly, " A" Battery, Auckland, £3 37 Corporal Gettis, Wellington City Rifles, £•5 37 P.O. Armstrong, Wellington Navals, £2 36 Major Purnell,N.Z.V.,£2 36 Sergeant Johnstone, Wanganui City Rifles, £2 36 Private A. Ballinger, Wellington Guards, £2 36 The following take £1 each :—Lieutenant Hughes, Wanganui Rifles, and Gunner Henderson, "A Battery, Auckland, 36; Private Oates, Featherstone Rifles, 36; Sergeant Lavery, Christchurch Rifles, 36; Mr. D. Hay, Auckland Martini-Henri Rifle Club, 36: Gunner Greenshields, "O " Battery, Auckland, 36; Mr. J. Chicken, Taradale Rifle Club, 36; Sergeant Remington, Wanganui Rifles, 36; Private Manning, Hon. Reserves Corps, Christchurch, 35 ; Private Murray, Bruce Rifles, 35; Mr. Smeaton, Dunediu Rifle Club, 35; Lieutenant-Com-mander Davy, Petone Navals, 35; Bandsman King, Oamaru Garrison. 35; Lieutenant Morrison, Dunedin Navals, 35; Gunner Mahoney, Wanganui Navals, 35. The following counted out at 35:—Coghill, Wairoa Mounted Infantry; Ross, Napier. : ' The Otago match was last on the programme, counting in the aggregate for Championship, and the following are the highest:— AGGREGATE LIST. Webster, Auckland 416 King, Oamaru 414 Kruse, Wanganui 411 Sloane, Victoria ... 410 McCallum, Auckland 403 Sergeant Perry, Wanganui 399 Henderson, Auckland 396 Wakelyu, Christchurch 395 Bunting, Wellington 394 McGregor, Oamaru 390 Robilliard, Kaiapoi 390 Parslow, Auckland 388 Weir, Thames , ... 386 White, Auckland 356 Somerville, Wanganui ... 384 A. Ballinger, Wellington 383 King, Napier ... ... ... 383 Morrison, Dunedin ... 383 Williams, Wellington ... 383 E. Buchanan, Auckland ... 382 Kales, Victoria 352 Stitt, Wellington 381 Barton, Waitahuua 380 Sontag, Waikari 380 Law, Dunedin 378 Remington, Wanganui 377 Randall, Manawatu 375 The others -.—McCarthy, Waikiri, 374 ; Doughty, Auckland, 373 Woollett, Dunedin, 373; Hughes, Wanganui, 372; Tiffin, Gisboriie, 371; J. Dickson, Dunedin, 370; Kelly, Auckland, 370; Taylor, Auckland, 370; Cato, Napier, 369 ; Begg, Dunedin, 370.

From the above it will be seen that Webster, of Auckland, has come up to the top ; and Sloane, who led at the finish of the Christchurch match, has fallen down to fourth place. King, of Oamaru, shot steadily all day, and is still second, which position he has consistently held for the last two days. Kruse pained a point on King in the Otago match, and, passing Wakelyn, McCallum, and Sloane, took third place. Wakelyn, although well up could not put on enough in the Otago Match to make up for the ground he lost in the Christchurch Match.

The Carbine Cup for 1891-92, awarded to the highest aggregate scores in the Ladies and the Auckland Matches, was secured by Lieutenant Oakden, Peninsula Navals, with 85 ; Bunting (Wellington), Ross (Napier), and Morrison (Dunedin), each S3 ran very close for it. Bunting's last shot in the Auckland Match was an outer ; had he made an inner he would have taken the Cup. To-morrow the final stage for the Union S.S. Co.'s Cup will be fired, and ie Last Try, Companies' Team, and District Representative Matches will also be got off. The meeting will be brought to a close on Monday, when the Grand Aggregate Match (for the 100 highest scorers in the Hawke's Bay, Marlborough, Wanganui, Nelson, Ladies', Christchurch, and Otago matches) will be fired in the morning, leaving the Champion Match for tho afternoon. On that day a half-holiday will be observed in Napier. The annual meeting of the members of the Association was held in the mess tent at the camp, at eight o'clock to-night. There was an attendance of over 200, and Captain Somerville, who was in the chair, remarked that it was the largest annual meeting that had been held in connection with the Association. Thefollowing members were elected to form the Council for 1891-1892: —Dunedin, Captain Montgomery ; Masterton, Major Donald ; Nelson," Sergeant Ewart; Christchurch, Captain Harman ; Napier, Mr. W. F. Williams ; Blenheim, Captain Griffiths ; Inrercargill, Major Ache--on ; Auckland, Lieutenant Haultain ; Wanganui, Lieutenant Foster ; Oamaru, Mr. J. C. Anderson ; Wellington, Lieu tenant-Commander Davy ; and South Canterbury, Sergeant Salek. After some unimportant business had been transacted, Captain Somerville brought up the question of a permanent ' range. He' said the time had arrived when a stop must be put to the system of perambulating round the country every year; and if the Association was to prosper a permanent site would have to be fixed upon and that at once.'' Several members spoke very strongly in favour of the motion, and eventually a motion was carried unanimously that a permanent range should be selected for the meeting of the Association as near Wellington as possible. The selection of site, etc., was left in the hands of the Council. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Napier, Friday. Wo had fine weather to-day until four o'clock, at that time the 300 yards stage of the Otago Match was started, when heavy rain fell. Several 'of our men who were well up at 500 and .iuO yards, fired in the rain, including McCalium, who only made 20 points, pulling him down in the aggregates. Shepherd made 31 when the rain cleared off. It is most gratifying to know that Auckland took first and second places in the Auckland Match, besides seven other prizes. Doughty's and Taylor's scores are very creditable, being made from the knee. The following are the other Auckland scores in the Christchurch Match :—

McCallum, 38; Kelly, 37; E. Buchanan, 37 ; Tobifl and Osborne, 36 ; Parslow, 34 ; Cooper, 32; Weir and Hay, 31; Greenshields, 29 ; Haultaiu, 27; Shepherd, 25; Waite, 24; McCarthy, 22; Craig, 20 -, J. Buchanan, 15; Soall, 13. In the Otago Match our men were: White, 77 Weir, 77; Doughty, E. Buchanan, and Cooper, 76; Craig and Shepherd, 73; Skinner, 69; Osborne, 67; Spinley, 66; Soall, 66; J. G. Buchanan, 65; Greenshields, 64 ; Hay, 60; Tobin and liaultain retired. In the Auckland Match the local scores were —Tobin, Weir, and Webster, 33; J. Buchanan, 32; E. Buchanan, 32; Parslow, 30; McCallum, Skinner, and White, 29; Spinley, 24: Cooper, 23 ; Craig, 22 ; Osborne, 20 ; Soall, 18. The Auckland aggregates up to date are :— Webster, 416 ; McCallum, 403 ; Henderson, 396; Parslow, 388; Weir, 386; White, 386; E. Buchanan, 382; Kelly, 374 ; Doughty, 373; Taylor, 370; Hay, .'365; Cooper, 353; McCarthy, 344; Skinner, 335; Craig, 333; Shepherd, 330; Spinley, 229; Osborne, 319; Greenshields, 314; Tobin, 278 J. Buchanan, 267 ; Soall and Haultain's are incomplete.