New Zealand Rifle Association.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6504, 13 March 1896, Page 1

New Zealand Rifle Association.

COUNCIL MEETING. A meeting of the Council of the Association was held at the Criterion Hotel last night, and was attended by Major Sommerville (chairman), Lieut. White (Auckland), Mr J. W. Williams (Napier), Lieut. Whitehead (South Canterbury), Lieut. Kirk (Wellington), Mr Atkinson (Hawera), Captain Proudfoot (Dunedin), Mr W. Smith (Invercargill), Captain Harman (Christchurch), Major Donald (Wairarapa), and Lieut. Hughes, (Wanganui). The question of holding the Federal Rifle Match at as early a date as possible to enable some of the Australian visitors to return to their homes was deferred till the Union Steam Ship Company were communicated with as to the date of the departure of a boat from Wellington. It was represented that the unavoidable postponement of the meeting for a couple of days would necessitate some of the visitors returning before the firing was concluded. As to the Federal Match, it was agreed that the New Zealand team should consist of the six highest aggregates, and four others to be selected by the Council. Major Sommerville and Lieut.-Colonel Ivirk (Wellington) were appointed to represent New Zealand at the Federal Council meeting, to be held next week. The question of allowing the Australian visitors to fire in the final stage of the Belt competition was deferred, and it was resolved that no hand grips or pads of any kind should be permitted. Major Sommerville informed the Council that the Oamaru people had determined to do all that Major Creagh had promised on behalf of the townspeople, and that the Oamaru Match prize money would be increased from Ll2O, as stated in the official prize-book, to Ll5O.

It was mentioned that as rifle clubs in Victoria and New South Wales were sworn in as members of the defence force, they were eligible for firing in the Federal Match. The New Zealand Rifle Clubmen, not being sworn in, were ineligible. JOTTINGS. The last batch of visiting marksmen arrived last night. The total entries now amount to 254, which is the largest number sinco the Exhibition meeting at Wingatui in 1890. At last night's meeting of the Council it was resolved to fix the time limit at two minutes, as against a proposal to reduce it to a minute and a-half as in Australia. Mr Atkinson, of New Plymouth, has been appointed to the Council in place of Mr Humphries, and Major Donald in place of Mr Izard. Apportioned into districts, the entries are as follows :—Otago and Southland, 89 ; Wellington and Wairarapa, 39 ; Canterbury, 39 ; Wanganui and Taranaki, 16 ; Hawke's Bay, 17 ; Auckland, 12 ; Nelson, 2; New South Wales, 12 ; Victoria, 12 ; Queensland, 15 ; South Australia, 1; total, 254. Ninety-five members of rifle clubs are included in the total,