VOLUNTEERING NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12238, 6 April 1903, Page 6

VOLUNTEERING NEWS.

GORDON SHIELD RIFLE COMPETITION The annual competition for the . Gordon Shield was commenced on Saturday afternoon at Avondale under the auspices of the Akarana Rifle Club. Nino teams, representing the Akarana Rifle Club, Victoria Rifles, No. 2 Natives, Auckland Engineers, College Rifles, and Opotiki Mounted Rifles, entered for the match, the conditions of which were seven shots each at 300 yds, sUJyds, and 600 yds, one sighting shot beinj; allowed at. each distance. The duties of range officer were efficiently carried out by Mr. F. Kearsloy, as- i sisted by Mr. J. B. Berry. A moderate but steady right wind prevailed throughout the ; match, but a very changeable and difficult light was experienced at the longer ranges, ; and perplexed even the old hands. Some excellent individual scores were recorded, the best being the 93 compiled by Mr. M._ Atkinson, of the Akarana No. 1 team, this total including a 32 at? 300vds. at which range Sergeant Phillips contributed 30 towards the score of the No. 2 Natives. At the completion of the shooting at 300vds ths No. 2 Natives' team held a- slight advantage, the positions of the three leading teams being: No. 2 Natives 132, Akarana No. 1 131, Akarana. No. 2, 129. At 500 yds Sergeant McGregor . (Auckland Engineers) put up —a. point short of the possible, the next best scores being the 33 each of Mr. \V. Shepherd, Mr. J. F. Atkinson. and Lieutenant Cox, and the 32 each of Mr. H. Doughty, Sergeant-Major Robertson and Colour-Sergeant Aylett. At this stage the respective positions of the leading teams were "Victoria Rifles No. 1 team 275, Akarana No. 1 270, Akarana No. 2 270, Auckland Engineers 248. The best individual scores at 600vds were Mr. M. Atkinson's 33 and Private Cox's 31. At this range the Auckland Engineers retired from the match with three scores not completed, and the slight lead obtained by the victoria No. 1 team was diminished to one point, their total of 41b being followed by the Akarana No. 1 team with 4-15 and the Akarana No. 2 team with 330 points. The (competition was contested with considerable keenness, and would have been rather more interesting from a local point of view if the Akarana No. 6 team could have taken the mound with the full complement of five instead of only four representatives. Oil Monday the match will be brought to a close by the Opotiki Mounted Rifles' team, who have not fired yet. iueanwhilo the positions, and details of scores of the leading teams are as under: —

as uncier: — VICTORIA RIFLES NO. 1 TEAM. 300yds. 500vds. 600yds. 'II. Colour-Sergeant Aylett 27 32 30 89 Lieutenant Cox ... 24 33 29 £6 Private Cox 25 29 31 85 Private Carl sea ... 28 29 22 79 Corporal Kerr 22 • 26 29 77 126 149 141 416 AKAEANA RIFLE CLUB, NO. 1 TEAM. ,, • ,, . , . 300yds. 500yds. 600yds. Tl. Mr. M. Attanson ... 32 23 33 93 Mr. II. Doughty ... 25 32 29 86 Mr. A. Henderson ... 26 28 27 81 Mr. J. D. Webster ... 24 28 27 79 Mr. E. Buchanan ... 24 23 29 76 131 139 145 415 AKARANA NO. 2 TEAM. ,, , 300yds. 500yds. 600yds. Tl. Mr. W. H. Shepherd ... 28 33 25 86 Mr. E. Pollard ... 28 28 27 83 Mr. 6. Spinley -... 24 31 21 76 Mr. J. J. Buchanan ... 29 26 21 76 Mr. J. G. Buchanan ... 20 23 16 59 129 141 ' 110 380 NO. 2 NATIVES. c x-r,,.,,. 300yds. 500yds. 600yds. Tl. Sergeant Phillips ... 30 31 20 81 Private Vincent ... 26 22 27 75 Captain Bnrtlett ... 24 21 24 £9 Serg«ant Stead ... 2,7 21 39 67 Private Wilson ... 25 18 20 63 132 113 110 ' 355 AKARANA NO. 3 TEAM. „ . „ „ , 300yds. 500yds. 600yds. Tl. Mr. A. G. Maughan ... 26 31 26 83 Mr. J. F. Atkinson ... 27 33 21 81 Mi*. J. Anderson ... 25 29 25 79 Mr. A. G. Cooko ... 24 26 28 78 102 119 100 321 VICTORIA RIFLES, NO. 2 TEAM. _ , . . 300yds. 500yds. 500yds. Tl. Captain Skinner ... 25 29 20 74 Private Rove 23 23 20 71 Private Tobin 26 24 20 70 Private Monk 24 ■ 25 13 63 Private Schofield ... 12 12 16 40 110 119 59 318 AUCKLAND ENGINEERS. 0 L „ 300yds. 500yds. 600yds. Tl. Sergeant McGregor ... 27 34 23 84 -Major R.-.bartson 23 32 17 72 ; Snyyer Mitchell ... £6 25 (retired) 51 ■sergeant W. Robinson 18 25 (retire !) 43 Sergeant Fawcus ... 24 14 (retired) 33, 118 130 40 238 j