THE FEDERAL RIFLE MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10080, 16 March 1896, Page 5

THE FEDERAL RIFLE MEETING.

SECOND DAY.

[BY TELKdIUPH.— PIIKS3 ASSOCIATION.]

Oamaru, Saturday. The forenoon was chiefly devoted to the

Marlborough Match, which is the first countingin the aggregate for the championship, The ammunition in this match was that supplied by Kynock, and considerable interest was manifested in the scores in ordor to compare them with those made on the previous day when the Colonial-mnuufuctured ammunition was used, and against which there had been such strong complaints. The weather broke tine, though with a dull leaden-coloured sky, but this cleared off as the day wore on and the match was fired in almost perfect weather, there being a light wind down the range, though occasionally it shifted to the right and caused slight alterations in the elevation. It was not long before it becamo apparant that the shooting was a great improvement on that of the opening day, and there was little or no grumbling. In several instances, however, a bad cartridge would be met .with, and the bullet could be seen to fall low. Garget, of Queensland, had a slico of hard luck in this respect, as after scoring eight consecutive bullseyes lie got an outer low which spoilt his score, which at one time looked like being a possible. The percentage of misses was far below that of the previous day, though on the latter occasion the elements were not so much in favour of the marksmen as they were today. Although the winning score in the Marlborough Match was the same as secured the first prize at Trenthain last year, the shooting generally was not so good, as 43 were counted out today while last year was two points higher. The following is the prize list Marluokodgu-Kynock Match, ten shots. Sergeant-Major White, Oamaru, £8 ... 49 Corporal Meddiugs, Christchurch, £6 .. 48 Corporal Jackson, Christchurch, £5 ... 47 Steadnun, Whangarei, £4 ... 46 P.O. Williams, £4 ... 40 Corporal Lowery, £3 46 Harris, Little River, £3 46 Sergoant Purnell, Wanganui, 46; Corporal Gargett, Queensland, 46; Corporal Lyders, Dunedin, 45; Private Matthioson, Sydney, 43; Smith, Taieri, 45; •Stracluin, Alexandra, 45; £2 each. Benton (Featherstouo), Gray. Martin, and Todd (Victoria), Corporal Bradley (Queensland), and McKay (Christchurch), 45; McDarmid (Oamaru), J. Loveday (Woodville), Cameron (Oamaru), Winslade (Wanganui), Brydone (Duuedin), A. Ballinger (Wellington), Raudall (Melbourne), Sergeant Webster (Melbourne), Lieutenant Ross (Napier), Corporal Grant (Queensland), .Sergeant Moody (Queensland), Lieutenant Kirk (Petone), Robilliard (Kaiapoi), 44; Woolley (Duuedin), Robinson (Upper Hutt), 43: £1 each. Counted out; McDonald, Clachen, Hicks, P. H. Bellinger, Ones, Armstrong, Grant, Crow, ■ Smith, McGregor, Head, Fraser, Pratt, Captain Chalmers. At the conclusion of the Marlborough match a test was made of three different ammunitions, viz., Victorian and that manufactured at Auckland in 1895, and that used

yesterday. The range was SOU yards, four men, live shots each. The result was: Victorian, 8.3: 189.1 manufacture, GO; yesterday's ammunition, GO.

At noon a start was made with the Ladies' Match, which does not count in the Belt aggregates, and the Council felt that they could use the New Zealand ammunition without any likelihood of complaints, as it had stood the test at the short ranges yesterday. By this time the wind had shifted to the south, and blowing fresh down the range rendered it rather difficult to hold on, but notwithstanding this the shooting was quite up to the previous year's, and the winning score was a point higher than that of last year's winner, while the seor-- of those counted out was the same. Trevithick, who won the match, only made un his mind to come at the last moment, ana it is singular that for tho last three or four years the Petouo Rifle Club have provided the winner of the match, which, owing to its conditions, is a difficult match to wiu. The following, are the prize-takers

Ladies' Match, 200 yds, 10 shots; standing, kneeling, or sitting, not counting for tho I belt. Trevithick, Petone, £8 M 47 Volunteer Todd, Victoria, £6 46 Captain White, Victoria, £5 48 Lieutenant Rose, Napier, £4 44 Little, Oauuru, £4 44 Captain Johnston, Queensland, £3 ... 41 Rule, Oamaru, £3 ' 44 Sergeant Hawker, Victoria, £'2 ... ... 44 Sergeant Manning, Christchurch, £2 ... 4-1 Guy, Wainute, £2 44 Steadman, Whangarei, £2 ' 43 Colour-Sergeant Grant, Queensland, £2... 43 Sergeant Doughty, Auckland, £2 4!}

Volunteer Hale, Wellington; Speight, Dunedin; Volunteer Young, Victoria; McIvor, Kaikoura, 43 each, livery, Oamaru; Moodie, Queensland ; King, Oamaru, Volunteer Ballintter, Wellington; Skelton, Bluff; Volunteer Vernon, Sydney; Wilson, Woodville; Servant Humphreys, Hastings; Captain Smith, Duncdin ; Taylor, Pahi.itua; Ninnpo, Oamaru; Spiers, Oamaru; Kemp Hall, Duneilin; Bombardier Leish, Christchurch; Volunteer Tomkin, Christchurch; Colour-Sergeant Dcmpsey, Dunedin: each 42—£1 each. Counted o it: Volunteer McDonald, Victoria; Lieutenant Jack, Dunedin. This afternoon the Defence Department, Wellington, wired that a large quantity of Victorian ammunition was in stock and available for the meeting. Major Sommerville replied asking that 20,000 rounds bo sent to arrive on Monday night, which, with some 40,000 already here, will be sufficient to complete the meeting as from Tuesday mominc. It has not been finally decidcd what ammunition is to be used on Monday, but it will probably be the same as yesterday, and, it possible, the Association will confine the distance not to exceed 500 yards. At three o'clock the men proceeded to the 300 yards, to begin the Auckland Alatch, 10 shots at .'{Oil yards, with similar ammunition to that of yesterday. By this time the wind had fallen, and there was a bright sea in the rear, which rendered everything favourable for good shooting, and so there was, Whatever may be the fault of tho ammunition at the longer ranges, there is no doubt about its being effective at the shorter distance, and a comparison with last year shows that this match far exceeds the similar match at Trentham in 1895, where 44 won the chief prize, and 38 was counted out; while here 46 gained the first money and 41 was counted out. The following are the prize takers

Auckland Match, 300 yds, 10 shots, counting for the Belt. E. Wilmott, Queenstown, £8 ... ... 46 Stead man, Whangarei, £6 45 Sergeant Doughty, Auckland, £4 ... 45 Volunteer Turner, Wellington, £4 ... 44 Rule, Oamaru, £3 44 Wilkie, Upper Hutt, £3 .. 44 Captain Atkinson, Hawera, £2 ... .. 43 McGregor, Oamaru, £2 ' 43 France, Karori, £2 \\\ 43 Bombardier Howe, Wellington, £2 ... 43 Volunteer Todd, Victoria, £2 ... ... 43 A. Young, Sydney, £2 43

Corporal Bradley, Queensland; Volunteer Walker, Melbourne; Captain Smiti. Dunedin ; Volunteer W. Scott, Christjhurch; Captain Smith, luvercargill; Sontag, Dunedin; Trevethick, Petone; E. Allei, Dunedin ; Gunner Taylor, Auckland, eacn 42.

Corporal Allport. Nelson ; Colour-Sergeant Robson, Napier; Volunteer Pratt, Sydney; Volunteer Lemaitro, Sydney Captain Ureacli, Oamaru; Staff Sergeant Webster, Victoria; Burns, Karorij Lieutenant Kirk, Petone, Little, Oamaru ; Sergeant Kruse, Wanganui; Hastie, Oamaru, each 41, £1 each.

Counted out; Major Achcßon, Rivorton; Sergeant Hawker, Victoria. Volunteer Todd, of Victoria, and Captain Trevethiek, of the Petoue Rifle Club, being the highest aggregate scorers in the Ladies and Auckland Matches, with scores of 89, tied for the Carbine Cup, and fired off five shots at 300 yds, Todd winning with 21 points against 18. The visitor from the sister colony was warmly congratulated on winning the cup, which he holds for one year. The ammunition used yesterday afternoon, at tho short distance, was notßimilar to that used on the opening day, but was 1895, Auckland manufacture, which at first was intended to be fired at the meeting, but ultimately discarded in favour of Whitney's special manufacture of February, 1898. The amniunition appears to have given general satisfaction; at all events, complaints were reduced to a minimum, and fairly good shooting made all the afternoon. In the Auckland match (10 shots) there were only 24 misses, and in the first range of the Oamaru match (7 shots) only 13. At tho conclusion of the Auckland mutch the first range of tho Oamaru match, 300, 500, and 700 yards, seven shots, counting for the belt, wero fired. Again some excellent scoros were made. Those registering over 30 were :-G. Loveday, Woodville ; Walker, Upper Hutt, 33 P. doling, Victoria; Forsyth, Riverton; Spiers, Oamaru: Parnell, Wanganui; MoHatlie, North Wairarapa, 32. Woollett, Dunedin; Garget, Queensland; Butt. Sydney; Smith, Duuedin; Bradley, Queensland, 31.

The Victorian ammunition, which is boing obtained from Wellington, will not arrive here until Tuesday afternoon, and will be used in the remaining championship matches. It is understood that the Sydney steamer

will be detained at Lyttelton until Saturday night for the convenience of Australian taking part in the Federal Match. At a meeting of the Council last night, it was decided to allow tho Australians to compete for money prizes in the final stage of the championships, but they will not be i allowed to win the belt or medals, which aro 1 confined strictly to New Zealanders. In the final stage the money prizes aro of the respective values of £30, £20, £15, £10, £8, and five of £5. In the event of an Australian winning the chief prize with the highest grand aggregate, the sum of £10 will be addod to the prize won by the Hew Zealander whose aggregate entitles him to hold the belt The council also decided to add £20 for their club at this meeting, but a new clause is to be drafted to remove ambiguity in the regulations. For the Champion Teams Match 16 teams have entered, including three from Queensland and one from Victoria. As doubts hare been expressed whether tho members of two of the former and those of the latter belong to one oorps the acceptance of their entries was withheld until the morning. The question of allowing volunteers who entered m rifle club men to fire as members of the latter in the Teams Match was discussed at some length. It was decided to allow a volunteer who had entered as a rifle club man to fire.

[117 TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Oamaku, Sunday. Iu spito of the day being perfect for big scores, tlio shooting, taken as ft whole, was very disappointing. When it is remembered that on the previous day an allowance of four feet had to bo made for wind, that it was at times somewhat unsteady, and that the competitors were new to the range, it was clear the wholesale condemnation of the Auckland made ammunition was not warranted, In comparing the scores, and making due allowance for the difference of circumstances under which the firing took place, a large number of the men admit the colonial cartridges are not nearly as unsatisfactory as at first supposed. My owu impression is that the poor scores can in a great measuro be accounted for from the fact of the targets being placed on the edge of the cliff, with only the ocean and sky for background. During last evening scores of cartridges wero opened, both Colonial and Imperial, and after most careful illumination the unanimous verdict was against the quality of the powder, it being stated that the bullets and casos were all that could be desired. It is generally understood here that this powder was imported for the Colonial Ammunition Company by the Government, and that all blame is removed from the Company. The Ladies' Match, 10 shots at 200 yds, kneeling and Bitting, was next fired with the same brand of colonial ammunition as fired yesterday, that is February, 1896, and somo splendid scores were put up. Doughty and Steadman each secured a prize of £2 with 43 points. In the Kynock Matoh, 500 yds, Steadman also secured £4 with 46. In the Auckland Match, 10 shots at itOOyds, our men were more successful, Steidman, Doughty, and Taylor taking prizes. Theammuuition used in this match was Colonial Ammunition Company's 1395 make, and was loaded with Snider powder, and though the ammunition used yesterday was loaded with Martini powder, this was found to be superior. This is another proof that the inferior shooting is in a measure attributable to bad powder. In this match Steadman and Doughty each made 45 points, firing at the eight-inch bull's eye. This ammunition was considered by most of the competitors to be of excelleut quality. In the Kynock Mutch Taylor was unfortunate enough to get a bad cartridge, which put him out of a good place. The cartridge case, a solid drawn one, burst in his breech, causing a considerable amount of gas to escape through the case of tho cartridge. This resuitod in a miss low. His score was as follows, 5451455505. Buchanan also had a similar one, and White a faulty one, both resulting in misses after bulls eyes. The scores of tho Auckland men for the three matches are as follows. — Kynoc* match: Steadman, 48; Doughty, Taylor, Henderson, Leagh, 42; Brown, Buchanan, Hobbs, 41; Greenshiolds, 39; White, Meyers, 38; Webster, 34, Ladies Match : Steadman, Doughty, 43; Meyers, 41; Greenshiolds, 39; White, 38; Head, Buchanan, 36; Webster, 34 ; Taylor, Brown, 33 ; Hobbs, 31. Auckland match: Steadman, Doughty, 45; Taylor, 42; Webster, 37; White, 36; Head, 35; Brown, Meyers, 34; Henderson, 32; Buchanan, Hobbs, 31; Greenshields, 29. Tho men are all in good health and spirits, and look forward to doing better work on Monday,