New Zealand Rifle Association.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6506, 16 March 1896, Page 4

New Zealand Rifle Association.

COUNCIL MEETING.

A meeting of the Council was held on Saturday night those present being Major Sommerville presiding, Major ColHds (treasurer). Major Donald (Wairarapa), Captain Proudfoot (Dunediu), Captain White (Auckland), Corporal Powell (Nelson), Captain Harman (Chr : stcburch), Lieut. Commandiog Kirk (Wellington), Lieut. Hughes (Wanganui), Captain Smith (Invercargill), Captain Williams (Napier), C:ptain Atkinson (Taranaki). Discussion as to whether the Australian representative! should be permioccd to fire in the final stage of the Championship ! was resumed and it was decided that they be allowed to fire for the money prizes only and that in tbe event of an Australian s: jaring the chief pri e the New Zealander who wins the Belt shall receive the sum of LlO in addition to the prize money which his score in the match entitles him. It was also decided to increp.se the pr-r.e money in the Otago Match by L2O and the number of pr •' s from 34 to 40. The sum mentioned is a record donation made by the Oamaru residents the Council being of opinion that this was the better course to adopt rather than to add this amount to the Ovmatu Match one range of which is already finished. It was announced that some fifteen teams had entered for the champion teams match, including three from Queensland and one from Victoria, and the Council deferred acceptance of the Australian entries until this morning in order to allow Major Sommerville to consult the members of those teams as to whether they fulfil conditions of the match in respect to each team being comprised of men from one corps or 'Rifle Club. Council resolved that Volunteers who are also members of a Rifle Club are ineligible to fire in the companies team match or champion teams match as members of a Rifle Club team. Such decision, however, is not to affect Volunteers who entered as Rifle Club members at this meeting under a misapprehension.

i JOTTINGS. At a meeting of the local Committee on Saturday night, tbe Mayor presiding, it was decided to give the social to the visiting marksmen in the Theatre Royal on Friday niuht. This decision was come to in deference to the wish of the Australians, who desired that any entertainment should take place after the Federal Match has been fired. It was decided that the price of tickets for citizens should be 3s 6a. to admit a gentleman and two ladies. The Mavor (convener) and Messrs Grumitt, Procter, Potter, Roll, Forrester, Towsey, and Crump were appointed a sub-committee to arrange details. The shooting on Saturday certainly did not make it appear that the ammunition originally supplied for the meeting, and which was set aside for the new issue of Auckland make so utterly condemned on Friday, \?as so bad as_ it was declared to be after use in practice. In the Auckland Match the shooting was much better than in same match last year, for whereas 42 then was the best score and 38 took a prize, on Saturday there were four scores better than iast yer.v's best end two scores of 41 were excluded from the pri:,e list. With the same ammunition sosis splendid shoofinzwas made to-day, no iess than live possibles Ileitis registered at tbe 000 yards range ; but a»j the 700 yards there was a serious collapse amongst tlje mariismen. The teams chosen to represent the Oamaru Rifle" Club in the Champion Te-ufls' Match are : No. I—Messrs Rule, Cmic-h, Every, King, No. 2—Messrs Nimmo, Cameron, Little, Spiers, M'Gregor. A tens for hospital purposes has been supplied on the range by Brigade Surgeon Lieut.-Colonel de Lautour, and it will be in charge of Sergt.-Major Fraser who will be prepared to render first-aid. As the Championship will be decided on. Thursday there is certain to be an exodus next- day. As only those competing in the Federal Match are likely to remain over Friday, the opinion is expressed that the social ought to be held not later than Thursday. This matter was considered by tbe local Committee, who felt that as the money had been given for the entertainment of the colony's Australian visitors, deference must be paid to their desire that it should be held after the Federal Match is fired on Friday. Private Luke, who came down from Wellirj2ton by the Takapuna last week, was so prostrated from sea-sickness as to compel him to lay up on arrival in Oamaru. He left for home by the express on Saturday, without firing a shot. A meeting of the Federal Council is to be held to-night to discuss matters of detail in connection with the Federal Match.

| Sersfc. Mooseman carried off the Carbine Cup last year with So. On Saturday two scores of 89 were made. That the Australians are averse to any ertercainment until after the intercolonial match is decided is an evidence that the visiting teams are desperately in .earnest, and that they do not mean to leave the magnificent Federal Cup in New Zealand if they can help it. This reminds us that New Zealand is placed at a great disadvantage in the great contest, for the selection of teams being limited to the defence force of each colony, members of Rifle Clubs, which are not a part of our defence force, are ineligible, while in the other colonies these clubs form an essential branch of tlie service, and may be included in the representative teams. New Zealand is thus deprived of the services of many of her best men, including the champion, Mr W. H. Ballinger. In the four fjrsb matches the Oamaru contingent took L 39, or about 15 per cent, of the priza-money.