Odds and Ends.

Otago Witness, Issue 1506, 25 September 1880, Page 22

Odds an d Ends.

New Zealand Rifle Association.

The following information is taken from the report of Mr Stevens, hon. secretary of the New Zealand Rifle Association, giving details of last year's expenditure, and the programme for the next meeting :—

The statement of last year's accounts shows that only LJU2 17s 6d was received as Volunteer Bub«jriptionß, and L 24 2a from ordinary members, as against LIBO Is 6d'and L 6119* tne previous year. Nevertheless, LIOO3 10s was dis'.tibuted in money prizes, including the uovernment grant. For the coming year a reduced vote of LSOO has been obtained from t°4 Government. The amount of fixed prize*dloney for the coming March meeting is L7OO, bat toe Council look for extra exertions on the part of Volunteers to enable them to carry «ut the projected programme. A special appeal is nude to companies to subscribe to the ** Company's Trophy," a new match for both rifles and carbines. The following is a summary of the matches And particulars thereof : — The third prize meeting will be held at Brightwater, near Nelson, on the — day of March, 1881. There are 19 matches in all — seven for rifles, •even for carbines, and five for any member, to ' be shot for under the rules of the Association : — "For rifles only there will be match No. 2 (200 yards), 12 prizes, amount L 35 ; No. 4 (400, 600, and 600 yards), 19 prizes, LSO ; No. 6 (200, 400, 500, and 600 yards), 19 prizes, L6O ; No. 9 (200 and 500 yards), 14 prizes, LSO. For Carbines only.— Match 3 (200 yards), 12 prizes, L 35;3 5; match 5 (200. 400, and 500 yards), 19 prizes, LSO; match 7 (200, 300, 400, acd 500 yards), 19 prizes, L6O j match 10 (200 and 400 yards), 14 prizes, LSO. For any Member. — To be shot with rifles cf Government pattern : Match 1 (200, 400 and 500 yards), 23 prizes, L7O; match 8 (300. 400, and 500 yards). 26 prizes, L6O. AGGREGATE PHIZES. Rifles.— lst, Rifle Champion Belt, N.Z. R. A. Gold Star and Lls; 2nd. N.Z.R.A. Silver gtar and L 7 10a ; 3rd, N.Z.R. A. Silver Star »nd L 5 j 4th, L 2 lOs. Carbinee,— lst. 'Carbine Champion Belt. JJ.Z.B. A.' Gold Star' and Lls ; 2nd, N.Z.R. A. Silver Star and L 7 10s; 3rd, N.Z.R.A. Silver Star and L 5: 4th. L2 los. If the National Rifle Association Silver Medal arrives in the Colony in time It will be competed for under condition* to be named by the Council. North v. South (rifles).— 2oo, 500, and 600 yards j open only to the 10 highest aggregate scorers belonging to each Island in matches 2 it 6, and.9. North v. South (carbines).— 2oo, 4oo, and 500 yards ; open only to the 10 highest aggregate soorcrs belonging to. each Itland in matches 3, 6, 7, and 10. ■ Ladiae'. Prft«.-S00 f 250, and 300 yards; open to any member. Prises : L 5, given by the Association, and three-fourths entries of the match* KifiyCompanv's Trophy.— 2oo, 500, and 600 yards;, to be competed lor only by company representatives, one competitor to each company allowed j entrance, II each; entrancemoney, to be devoted to the purchase of a trophy; to be deemed the property of the corps to which the winner may belong. Carbine Company's Trophy,— 2oo, 400, and 600 yards ; conditions rimilar to rifle trophy. Rifle. Company's Challenge Match.— Five members of a compaay to constitute a team : ranges, 200. 400, 500, and 600 yards. ' Prize*— (l) Rifle Challenge Cop, to be held by the team for 12 months, and L 25 to the highest team ; (2) LlO to the second highest team ; (3) L 5 to the third highest team. Carbine Company's Challenge ' Match. Ranges, 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards ; similar prizes to the rifle match. Any Members' Match.— Any rifle : 700, 800, •ud 1000 yards. Consolation Match.— 2oo, 300, and 400 yards. New Zealand Impotts and Exports. We give the following suggestive figures, showing the "balance of trade "for the last four years. From the imports are deducted public works plant, and from both imports and exports specie is eliminated. For 1876 the amount of- specia exported is estimated at LIOOjOOO in the absence of the exact figures :—

It is manifest that if we had had to pay for theseextra imports, as is usually supposed, in specie, we mußt have exported specie iostoad of importing it. The inference is that the value of thete imports has remained in the Colony and ihcreaeei our wealth. > Bicycling. On Saturday the Duneaiu Bicycle Club held their first run of the season. Before 3 o'clock the members assembled in Manse Btreet 17 Btroug, considerably short of the expected muster. A curious crowd had collected to ace the start, and seemed pleased with the ipectacle when, at 3 o'clock, to the last note of the call blown by the Club's bugler, the riders, arranged two deep, mounted simultaneously the captain leading the band and the deputycaptain bringing np tha rear. In this order the troop ran down Princes street South, taking single file at the ride of the Oval, where the metalling laid down narrows the bicyciliste' ndmg.way. But when the ride*, bad passed throogh Caversbam, this processional riding was abandoned, and from there to Moßgiel the effort* of the captain, were directed to keeping their- men up to the set pace. However as *HH r *v? f 1^ 8 Bi3T8 i 3 T r la^«d». it waa fully 5 o'clock before the last of tha party diumonntpfl at OTBWa Hotel, MosgieC After a B h?tt halt,so m9 cf the riders took a fp£ a W t he road to Outram, and on their return f^nnd thatthe rest of the band had already preceded #»» on the road home, so it was •• 9 S Spi

all, and after them." The return ride waa accomplished as pleaiantly as the ride out. The roads were in good condition, and the wind, which had been at the riders' backs going out, bad almost died away when in the evening they turned round to face it.

1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. riPOBTS. «,467i388 £6,381,982 £8,217,177 £7,892,570 EXPOBTS. 15,573,465 £6,169,125 £5,905,975 £5,677,034 £893,923 £212,857 £2,311,202 £2,215,536 ZXCE3S OF BtPOBIS OVBB EXPOETH. f7f 7 , 6 . -■ - - £ 893.923 %l '■' ••• - 212,857 *l° . - - - 2,311,202 «n> ••• ». ... 2,115,536 £5,533,518 SPECIE IMPOBTS AND EXPORTS. ' Imports Exports. W6 ... ... £106.412 *£160,000 L 877 ... ... 426,585 358247 [|78 ..- .- 333,140 10^550 L 879 .... ... 351,975 76 082 • £1,218,112 £443,879 * Only estimated for 1876. Steels of imports of specie over exports ... ... £ 775233 Siceea of other imports ... 5,533,518 £6,308,751