DEFENCE FORCES RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13545, 19 March 1906, Page 3 (Supplement)

DEFENCE FORCES RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL PRIZE FIRING.

Tho fifth annual meeting of tho K.Z. Defence Forces Aesooiatiou was opened at Trent-ham on March 5 in beautiful weather. The attendance of competitors constitutes a record for these gathering, being 430 —- viz.. 2SO Volunteers and 150 rifle club mom Colonel Collins, executive oflieer of the council, was in charge. Major Hughe* (Wangamii) was in charge of a large number of staff officers. Captain Foster (Christchurch) was enmp adjutant, and Captain Turner (Wellington) was in charge of tho commissariat.

Colonel Collins, in addressing the men, .stated that, there wcl'o now throe sets of targels, the one to tho north being termed the "Collins" range, the centre one the

"Somerville" range, while the third, at which were the long distances, was the

" Soddon" range. There were to lie 2i targets on each flank, with 30 in the centre, but all those would not lie available at tlie meeting. When completed he felt, confident, the range would urovc to be one of tho finest, if not the tost, south of the line, and they would Iks able to piit on a thousand men. Up to the present tho Government had oxnended £1200 on the range, and this would he increased to £2000 before everything was completed. At present, there were only 12 of the, recently-imported Ralston targets available for long distances. He took the opportunity to mention that the Government had decided no team should be sent to Bislcy this -war, being of opinion that it would Ik? heller in the interests of shooting to postpone the matter for a year. However, if there was any phenomenal shooting which would justify his recommending that a team be sent, the Government might be influenced to send one.

The following is the result of the KING'S HATCH, for the 50 highest aggregates .in the Belt matches. Ten shots at 10UU yards. Final. Aggie. li'vino (Nelson*, champion bolt, gold medal (presented by the Defence Minister), and £10 .. 30 431 Colour-sergeant Moncricff (Christchurch), silver star and £00 .. 34 420" Rifleman Greenwood (Upper

* Hyde and Winshde tied for the silver medal and £17. PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. At the conclusion of the shooting Miss Seddon presented the trophies to the winners.

Colonel Collins, in the course of a speech, strongly advocated that next, ycai's meeting be a federal one. The Christchurch Exhibition commissioners had been unable to find a suitable site on which next year's meeting would be hold, and he thought tho time opportune to have a. federal meeting here, with a view of attracting marksmen from the Commonwealth to the meeting and tho Exhibition. He advocated the Government grant being increased from £500 to £1000, so that the prize-money could bo largely increased.'

Hutt), silver star and £20 .. 33 425 ' ♦Rifleman Hyde.(Opaki) .. .. 2.1 423 'Rifleman Wmslade (Opaki) . 20 423 Private T. Marrctt ('J'aranaki), £5 24 : 417-. Whilolcv (Kaiapoi), £5 .. .. Ill 416 Brigliling (Mnsterton). £5 .. 24 413 Fowler (Hawera), £o 23 414 Drummoiid (Danncviike), £5 .. 28 412" "ameron (Opaki), £5 37 412" M'Cardoll (Paliiatua) 23 411 UndficM (Blenheim) 28 111' Burford (Tiinara) 31 411" Shanks tGorc) 28 403" Craw (CliorHon) 24 408 Kemp (Christchnrch) 01 407 T. Murphy (Cliris(church) .. 31 . 407 A. Ballingcr (Wellington) ,. 27 400' Barker (Lc Bom) 12 405' Keuiptou (Franklin) 31 405 C. Sncrl: (Hnirca) 26 402 W. Loveday (Wnodvillc) .. .. 20 402' Milroy (Nelson) 18 402 France iKtiruri) 20 401 Colleti iW'aipawn) 25 401 Halliday (Karori) 18 401' Forgusson (Hnutervillo) .. .. 22 400 lI'Donald (Dunedin) 23 400 Hiramer (Wellington) .. .. 19 39i) Scott (Wniigamii) 11 339 W. Ballingcr (Wellington) .. 20 398 Lewoti Qurori) .. 17 nns ■ Mills (Dunedin) 22 - 39R Clyde (Wakarl) 14 397 F-'igecumbc (Wnikato) .. .. is 307 Thomas (Prfone) la 330 Chapman (Tektpn) 21 3fl"> Harding (Blenheim) 1G 302 ,T\idd (Pclone) 15 390 l\ .Tuck (Clivisiclimxh) ., .. 13 MO Cockroft (Oreti) 10 390 Barton (Whakataki) 12 .136 Boleyn (Christchnrch) .. .. 8 3P5