THE FEDERAL RIFLE MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10085, 21 March 1896, Page 5

THE FEDERAL RIFLE MEETING.

THE CONCLUDING MATCHES. [by telegraph— association.]

Oamaru, Friday. Queen's weather was enjoyed to day, and never has there been in the history of the Association such lovely weather for the annual gathering. To-day the wind, which was from the left, remained steady throughout. The Companies' Teams Match was the one which created most interest, and there was some wonderful shooting in it from the first. Excellent shooting was made by every member of the Woodville team, aud going ahead by "leaps and bounds" they fairly distanced all other teams. Ingpen put on the fine score of 101 out of a possible 105, and the team totalled 484, which is the world's record for five men at the three distances. The winners finished up 12 points ahead of the Petone team, and their score is 36 above that with which the lastmentioned club won the match last year. The all absorbing topic this afternoon was this wonderful shooting, and the team were heartily congratulated on all sides. Not only to-day, but since the arrival of the ammunition of Victorian make on Tuesday night, there has been a great improvement in the shooting, and it is admitted both by Australians and New Zealandcrs, that had this ammunition been on issue at the opening a record would have been put up. All to-day the shooting has been of a very high standard, and possibles were very common, but unfortunately for the men an extra prize is not awarded in matches where coaching is allowed as is the case in the Teams Match. Bradley, of Queensland, and Doughty, of Auckland, made the major points at 200 yards, and at 500 yards, Rule, of Oamaru, and Ingpen, of Woodville, followed suit. In District Representative Match at 500 yards, there were eight possibles, as follows .—Hale, Welling ton; Raven, Wellington; Wilson, Woodville; Williams, Napier; U. Loveday, Woodville: Robinson, Christchurch; McGregor, Oamaru; and Rule, Oamaru. The lastnamed made his second possible at the same range to-day. At 600 yards the shooting continued excellent, and Wilson, of Woodville, getting on 34 finished up with the fine score of 69 out of 70. Lieutenant Robinson, of Christchurch, was only one point behind Wilson. The score of the winners is 31 points higher than the Wellington district team won the match with in Wellington last year. BRONZE MMIAI, MATCH. The Bronze Medal match was fired this morning, the winner to hold the bronze medal of the New Zealand Association, ten shots at 200 and 500 yards. The chief prizetakers were

Mansion, Victoria, £5 and medal 96 W. Ballinger, Wellington. £4 93 G. Loveday, Woodville, £3 • 93

Jack, Dunedin, 93; AlcFarlaue, Christchurch, 92; Robinson, Upper Hutt, 9*2; J. Armstrong. Dunedin, 91, £2 each. Williams, Napier; White, Auckland; Scott, Christchurch; Parsons, Kaikoura, 90. Taylor, Auckland; Hyde, fahiatua; Chapman, Wiiiroa; Steadman, Whangare, 89—£1. Counted out; King, Oamaru, companies' teams MATCH.

The following are the details of the Companies' Teams Meatch, open to toams of five men from any volunteer corps of New Zeaand, or any bona lido rifle cl tth; 200, 500, ami 600 yards ; seven shots. Prizes £20, £15, £10, and £5. Woodyille Rifle Club— 200 500 boo

yds. yds. yds. Tl. J. Chicken 33 29 32 .. 94 O. Loveday .. .. 3:1 34 30 .. 97 W. Loveday „ .. 31 31 83 .. OS F. Ingpen 3"? 35 33 .. 101 J. a. Wilson _ ... 33 31 27 .. 94

PHTO.NE 111 KM! OLUBW. 11. Ilalliuger .. .. 34 33 29 .. 96 W. Randall .. .. 33 29 33 „ 95 C. Hull ml 3 ; 33 33 .. !)S li. R. Bunny .. . 33 33 28 .. 94 Captain Trevltlilck .. 30 31 23 .. 89

"A" Company, oukensu.ndC'rporal Bradley.. .. 35 34 29 ... OS Private llamley .. .. 32 20 31 .. 02 Captain Wlutei ford .. 31 32 30 .. 93 Coip.iral Qafgett .. 34 30 27 ... 91 Sergeant Moodie.. .. 32 23 32 .. 92

DtiNKniN City flu Aims - V lmitoer SonUg .. 30 33 28 .. 01 Volunteer .limes.. .. 3'! 31 31 9.'i .lergtfMit (.'lark .. .. M 33 ii .. UO Captain Smith .. ..S3 'SI 30 .. 9:> Lieutenant Jack .. .. 33 30 'JO .. 89 460 The scores of tho other teams aro Oamaru R.C. No. i--102 150 136 ... 4.'7 CimiSTCiitißCH Reserve Coups No. 1164 157 142 .. 453 Dunedin Rifle Club--160 153 130 „ 443 Wanoanui Rifles--150 147 137 .. 443 " A" Battery, Auckland - 159 148 129 - 436 CnFiiSTCiiuitcii Reserve No. 2161 155 125 .. 431 Oamaru No. 2150 150 119 .. 419 The detailed shots of this truly phenomenal score of the Woodville team are 20*iy<|«. fflflvds. 00'lyds. Chicken .. .. 515.545 4f>3if.34 5345555 O. l,oredajr .. .. 5465455 6555545 4353555 Ingpen 5555154 55555. t >/> 4545555 W. 1/.Today .. .. 5455565 5534554 5545545 Wilson 5454555 45 5555 4552433 The detailed score made by McGregor, ot Oamaru is worth recording. It is as follows '200yrfs, 5554554—.'13. 500vds, 3555555 —33. GOOyds, 6455555-34: total, 100. The members of the Woodvillo team were heartily congratulated on their great achievement, and the Qtieenslanders readily admitted that much of the shooting done since the Victorian ammunition had been used would do credit to competitors at any rifle mooting in the world. CHAMPIONSHIP TIES. During the afternoon those who had tied for Bth, 9th, and 10th positions, and prizes of £6 each, in the Championship Match on Wednesday were called upon to fire off five shots at 700 yds to decide the ties, with the following result Corporal Simpson (Kaiapoi) 24524 17 P. VVilkio (Upper Hutt) 02503 10 C.P.O. Williams (Wellington)o-1203 ... 9 Lieut. MoPherson (Queensland) 22023 ... 9 Williams and McPherson tied for tenth place and fired another shot, Williams scoring three while MoPherson failed to hit the target. Volunteer Todd, of Victoria, who had also tied, was absent, having to catch the Northern train. VOLLEY FIRINO. At tlireo o'clock volley tiring commenced. The Auckland and Wellington districts took no part, not having sufficient volunteers here. The Volley Firing Match is open to 20 volunteers from each provincial volunteer district, and to the Permanent Force; distance, 500 yds, seven volleys. The prizes in this match are given by the Hon. Defonco Minister. The following is the result :— Hits. M's. Pts. Vol. T1 Prize Otago ... 109 31 362 49 411 £20 Canterbury... 106 34 357 45 402 10 Napier, Wanganui, and Taranaki... 115 25 359 42 401 5 Otago had 5 good and 2 bad volleys; Canterbury, 4 good, 1 medium, and 2 bad. DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE MATCH. The following aro tho results of the District Representative Match: 20 men; 500 and COO yards; seven shots. Exhibition Shield, Hobson'a Cup, and £20 to the winning team : Canterbury Team. 500vd. 600 yd. Total, Lavery 29 24 53 Lester 30 29 59 Jackson 31 27 58 Treleaven 30 24 54 Anderson 29 21 50 Robertson 23 31 54 Oundersoa 28 31 59 Richie 31 31 62 Mauson 33 28 61 Robinson 35 33 68 Grant 32 27 59 Meddings 30 29 59 Simpson 33 24 57 Robilliard 34 30 64 Pox 34 23 i ; 7 Manning 34 TO 64 Wakelin 31 30 61 McKay 33 29 62 MoFarlaue 32 30 62 Banks 32 30 62 Totals 624 561 1185 Wellington Tkam ... 614 546 1160 Otaoo Team 616 636 114Napikr, Taranaki, and Wanqanui Combined 599 615 1114

With the finish of the District Match operations at the ranges were couoluded, and the majority of competitors will leave for their homes to-morrow morning. Of 254 competitors, 181 have taken money prizes. The money is distributed as follows: —Otago and southland (including £123 won by Oamaru), £268 ; Canterbury, £167 J Wellington and Wairarapa, £94 Queensland, £94; Victoria, £50 Hawked Bay, £43; Auckland, £43; Wanganui and Tarauaks, £29; New South Wales, £27; South Australia, £9; Nelson, £6; total, £903, .not including the Bronze Medal, District Representatives, Companies Teams, and Volley Firing ihatohes, and exclusive of trophies.

The amount received for sighting shots exceeds that of last meeting by £40. Those winning £10 and over lireßule (Oamaru), £41 Wakelin (Christchurch), £33: McGregor (Oamtiru), £'24; Howe (Wellington), £20; Wilson(Woodville), £18; Rosa (Victoria), £16: Whyte (Oamaru), Shelton (Bluff), £15; Wilkie (Upper Hiitt), Kirk (Petone), £14; Moodie and food (Queensland), £13: Bradley (Queensland), Steadman (Whangarei), £12; P 0 "?' lt 1 y (Auckland), Winterford (Queensland), Woollett (Dunedin), Jack (Dunedin). Jackson (Christchurch), Kempshall (Dunedin), bcott (Christchurch), Wilmott (Queensland), £11; Parsons (Kaikonra), Holland (Petone), £10. Only eleven teams entered for the Companies Teams match, consequently the prize money was reduced from £150 to £50. The prizes were presented by Mr. Sumpter in the Theatre Royal this evening. There was a large attendance of the public and competitors, though a largo number of prizetakers were absent. Major Sotnerville thanked the people for what they had done for the Association, and trusted that would not be the last meeting held here. Sergeant Wakelin received an ovation on stepping up to receive the Belt, as did the local men Rule and McGregor, who finished second and third respectively for the championship. The Australians too were heartily cheered. A protest against Scott, of Christchurch, receiving the £1 prize in tbe Bronze Medal Match, on the ground that he fired late and after the others had finished one range, was allowed, and King, of Oamaru, who was counted out takes the last prize. The marking throughout the meeting was excellent and not a single "challenge"' was given in favour of riflemen. Christchurch, Friday. Wakelin, the rifle champion, will be accorded a public reception to-morrow evening.

[8V TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Oamaru, Friday. The scores of the " A " Battery men in the Teams Match wore: Doughty, 91; Head, 87 ; Taylor, 87; Brown, 87; Buchanan, 81; or an average of little more tliaii 87 points per man. The Woodville team averaged nearly 97 points per man. It is a peculiar fact that this is now the sixth meeting at which Taylor has been middle man in the battery team. Doughty at 200 yds made the possible. He has now made an average of 90 points per match for the last seven competitions. In the Bronze Medal Match the three Auckland men were in the prize-list. The firing is now over, and our men leave for home tomorrow, with the exception of White, who goes to Dunedin on business, aud expects to bo home about a week later.