OUR VOLUNTEERS

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 8490, 25 May 1904, Page 2

OUR VOLUNTEERS

At the headquarters' range yesterday the first competition by the North Otago Volunteers for the cup presented to No. 3 Battalion of Otago Rifle Volunteers took place. Palmerston failed to send a team, and the competitors were, therefore, the Queen's Rifles, Oamaru Rifles, Hampden Rifles, and Duntroon Rifles. The conditions of the competition have already been drawn attention: to, and it is only necessary to mention that it was under service conditions, based upon what might be expected in war. The day was not favorable for good rifle ' practice, for though there was no interfering wind the light was bad, and rain fell : pretty steadily during the afternoon. The Hampden Rifles headed the list with 225 1 points, the Oamaru Rifles making 204, and 1 the Queen's Rifles 199. The final competi- ■ tion will take place on the Prince of Wales' • Birthday. Lieut.-Colonel Headland was in ' charge at the firing point, while at the tar- • get trench the results were carefully check- ' ed and signalled by a member of the Battalion Staff and Staff-Sergeant Major K.ib- ■ blewhite. The final result of the competi- » tion cannot yet be forecasted, as it is quite s possible the positions at the concluding , match on 3rd June may be reversed. JNo > doubt the shooting on that day will be fol- > lowed with keen interest, and should the ■ weather be favorable on the occasion there • will probably be a considerable attendance s of spectators, for at the conclusion the ' Ladies' Cup will be presented to the win- - nine company, and simultaneously the win- - ning cadet corps will be presented with . theirs, the competition for which takes place f on the morning of the same day. I The Royal Cadets team to fire for the S Ladies' Cup will be Color-Sergeant Orr, r Sergeants Smith, Booth, and M'Kenzie, - Corporals Meldrum and Hinkley, and Vni vates Sutton, Bain, Aitken, Copeland, 5 Mahan, "Martin, Sherwin, Robinson, Tayr lor, and Smart. The emergencies are berf geant Sutton, Lance-Corporal Rodgers, Corporal King, and Prirafces Howa and 6 Brown.