THE CARBINE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Otago Witness, Issue 1894, 9 March 1888, Page 15

THE CARBINE CHAMPIONSHIP.

After this match the luncheon adjournment took place, and then the highest aggregate carbine scorers took up their positions to fire for the belt. There was a tie for the last place between Gunner Howe, of Napier, and Gunner Legriffen, of Auckland, and in firing off the latter had to go out, Howe beating him by one point. The firing proper was then started under most favourable circumstances as regards weather. It was discovered that Ross' total in the aggregates had to be decreased by three points in consequence of: his having fired on a wrong target in one of the matches. This gave Davey, of Wellington, a lead of two points, and placed Moore, Chapman, and Thorburn on a level with Ross, each having 474 points to his credit. Under these? circumstances a most exciting finish was looked for, and every shot of the leading men was watched with tho greatest interest. Davy started badly with a magpie, a mirfs.andan outer, and afterwards made another miss, thus losing all chance. Rosk commenced with a couple of magpies, an inner, and finding the spot, ho plugged on a couple of bull's-eyes and an inner. He then fell away with a magpie and an outer, but finished up brilliantly with an inner and a magpie, making his total 38. Moore, who was as cool as a cucumber, got a string of three inners after the first shot, which was a magpie. He then fell away with two outers, but retrieved his position with three successive bulls, finishing with a magpie. The excitement became very keen as he got into position for his last shot, as he only wanted another bull's-eye to tie with Ross. He, however, just missed the mark by a couple of points. Ross was cheered for his last shot. Meanwhile Captain Proudfoot (Dunedin) and Guuner Lumsden (Auckland) were also running up fine scores. The captain of the B Battery finished with a score equal to Ross', including three bull's-eyes and four inners. Lumsden made a similar score of 38. There being a tie between Ross, Proudfoot, and Lumsden for the Carbine Cup, which goes to the highest scorer at the last range, these had to fire off again at the same range, three shots being allowed. Ross made 13 (two inners and a bull's-eye), and was heartily cheered for his fine shooting. Proudfoot made only 4, consisting of two outers and a miss. There were, however, still three ties in the total, Proudfoot, Lumsden, and Thorburn, with each 508 to his credit, had to fire off for third and fourth position. Thorburn only made 9, but Proudfoot and Lumsden kept up the excitement by tying again with 12. Then they had to fire off shot for ehofc. Lumsden made an inner, and there was no response from the marker in answer to Proudfoot's shot and the scorer recorded ifc a miss. Proudfoot challenged the shot, but was unsuccessful. This settled the whole thing, the last shot being fired at a quarter past 4. The prizes are :— First, the Carbine Champion Belt, N.Z.R.A. gold star, and £30 ; second, the N.Z.R.A. silver star and £15; third, N.Z.RA. silver star and £10 ; fourth, £5. The following are the final results : —

Aggre- Last gate, range. Tl. Lieutenant Ross. Napier ... 47 1 38 — 512 Gunner Moore, Queenstown,,. 474 36 — 510 Gunner Lumaden, Auckland... 470 38 — 508 Captain Proudfoot, Dunedin... 470 33 — 508 P.O. Thorburn, Thames ... 474 .'sl — 508 Sergeant Gray. Chrißtchurch 469 3(3 — 5(15 Sergeant Parslow, Auckland... Irt9 3*5 — 505 Lieutenant Davie, Wellington 476 23 — 50{ Sergeant Williams, Hapier ... 4W 33 — 501 Seaman Chapman, Lyttelton 474 21 — 498 Sergeant Kiichen, Wellington 462 3t — 496 Lieutenant Oakdon, Peninsula 4rtl 31 — 4S>2 SergeintHorijrkinson.Auckl'nd 481 30 — 491 Gunner Lukey. Thames ... 4<">(s 32 — 488 P.O. Taylor, Wellington ... 452 33 — 485 Gunner Payne. Auckland ... 452 32 — 481 Gunner Enfield, Oamaru ... 451 28 — 482 Gunner Howe, Napier ... 448 33 — 481 Gunner Wolley, Auck'nnd ... 468 31 — 470

The following are the former winners of the belt:— lß72, Trooper T. Cummins, Alexandra Cavalry ; 1873, Trooper Douglas, Waiau Cavalry ; 1874, Lieutenant Barriball, Waiau ; 1875, Constable Panellnitz, A.C. Force; 1876, Gunner Bell, Auckland; 1877 t Bandsman M'Lean, Auckland ; 1878, no competition ; 1879, Lieutenant Gordon , Thames ; 1880, Seaman Thomas, Thames ; ISBI, Petty-officer Armstrong, Thames; 1882, Lieutenant Gordon, Thames ; 1883, Lieutenant Gordon, Thames; 1884, Lieutenant Ross, Napier; 1885, Corporal Parslow, Auckland ; 1886 Lieutenant Ross, Napier; 1887, Gunner M'CorkindaJe, Oamaru Artillery. Ross haviug been victorious three times, the belt now becomes his property. By way of comparison I give the total scores of highest scorers after the final stage last year as follows :— • Gunner M'Corkindale, Oamaru ... „. 478 Sergeant Parslow, Auckland ... ... 475 Gunner Webster, Auckland ... ... 472 Gunner Howo .., ... ••• ••• 472 Soaraan Thorburn, Thames ... „. 447 Seaman Begg, Peninsula ... ... ... 415 Gunner Drummond ... ..i ... 44^ Seaman Weir, Thames „, „. •«• 441 Corporal Williams ... ... ... 435 Trooper Watt, Alexandria N.I. ... ... 432 Gunner Poster, Port Chalmers ... ... 423 Seaman Chapman, Lyttelton ... ... 42>5 Sergeant Hodgkinson, Auckland ... ... 425 Sergeant Perry, Alexandria N.I. ... ... 424 Gunnpr Driver, Port Chalmers ... ... 423 Corporal M'Kenzie ... ... ... 422 Sergeant Sinclair ... ... ... 4iil Gunner Lumsden, Auckland ... ... 419 Gunner Payne, Auckland ... ... 413 Lieutenant Rule, Oamaru ... ... 410

THE RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Immediately after the carbine belt was decided, the riflemen went back to the 600 yds range to fire for the championship. Purnell had

a strong lead iv the aggregates, and it was 100 to 1 that he would prove the winner. At 20 minutes past 4 the bugle sounded, and the first &hot was fired immediately afterwards. The crowd gathered in the vicinity of Purnell's register, and every shot he fired was watched with interest. He commenced badly with a miss, and some thought he was going to break down, but his next shot was a bull's-eye. He then got an outer and an iuner, and then a string of four outers, but finished up in fine style with a bull's-eye and an inner. The weather was now excellent for shooting, it beiDg almost dead calm, with a good light. After Purnell had fired his last shot it was known that his total could not be topped and that, he v/as the winner of the Kifle Champion Belt for the year. No man certainly deserved to win more than he, for on three different occasions he had run second for the coveted honour, while on another occasion he was disqualfied at a stage when it was almost a dead certainty that he would win. As he rose from his last shot Capt. Sommerville (chairman^of the association) met him and was the first to congratulate him on his well-earned victory. He was then carried shoulder high back from the firing point, and three cheers were given in his honour. Jones, of Wakari, who was second iv the aggregates, fired badly. He made several misses, and made a total of only 19, thus falling back into fourth position. White also made a few misses, but managed to gain third position. Johnstone, however, kept on the target all through and ran from fourth into second position. He started with au outer, then got three bulls in succession, then an outer, and another bull. He then put on three more outers and finished with a bull's-eye, 1 this bringing his total up to 35, which was top score at the final stage aud landed him winner of the Kifle Challenge Cup. Purnell, in addition to winning the belt, gets the Kifle Association's gold star and £40. Johnstone gets a silver star and £20 ; White, silver star and £10 ; Jones, £7 10s; and Ballinger, £2 10s. Purnell at thu final stage was pretty well tired out and did not trouble very much, knowing he had only to hit every time to win. All he cared about was to keep on the target. M'Tainsh, who was fourth in the aggregates, burst up completely in the final stage, making a miserable score of 7. He made a magpie, two outers, and no fewer than seven misses, fcjonntag also fired poorly, making only 10. Lieutenant M'Keich was absent. The following is the final result of the Rifle Championship:—

Aggregate. Major Purnell, Wanganui ... 4HB Pnvato J'uinstone, (Jlutha ... 472 Captain Wtiite, Auckland ... 078 Sergeant Jones. Wakari ... 482 Private A Ballinger, Wellingl'n .1(57 Corporal Hundley, Auckland... 4t>2 Serjeant Parker, Waugauui ... 4fiO Private Hutdiiuson, Dunedin «Hi 3 Lieutenant Okey, Tarauaki ... 47a Col-sergeant Hale, Wellington 402 Private Srniiill, Kaitaii^.itu ... 400 Lieut. M'Taiush, Peninsula ... 478 Sergeant Wray, Christchureb 462 Sergeunt Fairs, Auckland ... 453 Col-sergeant Sonnfcag, Waknri 471 Private Marchbanka, Dunedin 4\Y,l Lieutenant Foster, Wanganui 45(5 Captain Little, Auckland ... 457 Corporal d'Auvergne, ltangiora 455

Range total. Tl. 28 — 5,'« 35 — &O7 SIS — .Vt4 V.) — 501 2il — Ml) SI — 4113 ;<3 — 4?12 2« — 4WJ 'JO — 4!>2 ;jij _ 4>)o 28 — 486 7 — 485 22 — 484 \>h — 483 10 — 481 16 — 479 16 — 472 13 — 470 ]5 — 470

Last year's scores were :— Captain White, Auckland, 475 ; Captain Little, Auckland, 473 ; Private johnstone, Clutha, 463; Lieutenant Okey, Taranaki, 456; C.-ptaiu Rogers, Blenheim, 454; Sergeant Kempshell, West Taieri, 452 ; Sergeant M'Kenzie, Blenhem, 447 ; Captain Purnell, Wanganui, 446; Sergeant Guy, Temuka, 445 ; Private France, Newtown, 444 ; Sergeant Mooseman, Wangaaui, 436 ; Lieutenant Foster, Wanganui, 435; Sergeaut Chick, Blenheim, 434 ; Corporal Fairs, Auckland, 431; Sergeant Remington, Wanganui, 429 ; Private Ballinger, Wellington, 425 ; Captain Lucas, Thames, 423; Private Richardson, Dunedin, 417 ; Private Rout, Auckland, 414 ; Captain Cossgrove, Otepopo, 406.

The following are the previous winners of the Rifle Belt : — 1861, Lieutenant Brighton, Auckland ; 18G2, Private Holt, Nelson ; 1563, Lieutenant Owen, Wangauui; 1864, Lieutenant Morse, Nelson ; 1865, no competition ; 1866, Sergeant Christie, Otago ; 1867, Sergeant Ohisholtu, Otago; 1808, Sergeant Taylor, Otago; 1860, no competition ; 1870, Lieutenant Goldic, Ofcago; 1871, Captain Wales, Otago; 1872, Captain Wales, Otago ; 1873, Lieutenant Hoskins, Thames ; 1874, Captair Hamlin, Waiuku Rifles; 1875, Lientonant Skinner, Auckland; 1876, Private J. Willocks, Clutha; 1877, Lieutenant Paynter, Nelson ; 1878, no competition ; 1879, Corporal W. Ballinger, Wellington ; 1880, Sergeant Okey, Taranaki ; 1881, Lieutenant Paynter, Nelson ; 1882, Corporal Hutchinson, Dunedin ; 1883, Sergeant Kennedy, Dunedin ; 1884, Private W. Churton, Wanganui; 1885, Lieutenant Lucas, Thames ; 18S6, Sergeant Remington, Wanganui ; 1887, Captain White, Gordon Rifles.

XOJITJI V. SOUTH.

After the ohampiouhhips had been deoided, very little time was ]ost in starting the match between the North and Soubh teams. It was agreed to fire only at one range — viz , 500 yds. The contest was tolerably close, the North winning by 31 points. Some of the Otago men shot splendidly, and there was quite a crowd round Smaill and Johnstono, who were firing at No. 7 iargot. Smaill made a wonderful score, and as time after time the white disc went up showing a bull's-eye, the crowd looked on in suspense to see what his next shot would be. Counting his sighting shot, he put on no fewer than nine consecutive bull's-eyes, finishing up with a miss and an outer. His range total was 42. Counting hiV'sightcr," his detailed score is shot for shot as follows :— 5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,5,0,2. Johuson's score was, counting his " sighter," 5,2,5,5,4,5,5,3,4,4,3. The two men between them put on 82 out of a possible 100, which, at 500 yds with the Snider rifles is a splendid performance. The scores of the North team are a very even lot. Hale heads the list with 39, and wins the Metford match riflfi with silver mounted sighting vf.rner, and 1200 rounds of ammunition presented by Captain Sommerville. Hale will also hold Hobson's Cup for the year 1888. The followiug are the detailed scores :—: —

NORTJI ISLAND, Colour-sergeant Hale, Wellington „. „. 39 Lieutenant Okey, Taranaki „. ... 38 Sergeant Fairs, Auckland ... ... ... 37 Private A Ballinger, Wellington .., ... 36 Sergeant Parslow, Auckland ... „. 36 Captan White, Auckland... „, ,„ 35 Sergeanfi Parkes, Wanganui „. „, 35 Pettv-<rtficer Thorburn, Thames ,„ „, 35 Sergeant Williams, Napier,,. „. ... 34 Gunner Lunvden, Auckland ... ... 33 Lieutenant Ross, Napier ... .., ... 33 Lieutenant Poster, Waoganm ... ... 33 Sergeant Remington, Wanganui ... ... 32 Corporal Handley, Auckland ... ... 31 Captain Little, Auckland ... ... 30 Lieutenant Hughes, Wanganui ... ... 29 Corporal Cooper. Auckland ... ... 29 Major Purnell, Wanganui ... ... ... 27 Sergeant Langham, Napier ' ... ... 23 Lieutenant Davey, Wellington ... ... 21 Total ... ... ... ... 640 SOUTH ISLAND. Private Smaill, Kaitangata ... ... 42 Private Jolnsrone, Clutha ... ... 40 Gunner Greenfield, Oamaru ... ... 33 Col-3ergeant Kay, Oamaru ... ... 37 Lieutenaut Clar.k, Otepopo ... ... 37 Lieutenant Oakden, Peninsula ... ... 37 Major Burns, Dunedin ... ... .1. 3d

Col-sergeant Sonntag, Wakari ... ... 33 Sergeant Jones, Wukari ... ... ... 85 Private Jones, Wakari ... ... ... 32 Gunner Lloyd, Peninsula ... ... ... 32 Corporal Hutchinsou, Dunedin ... ... 30 Sergeant Gray, Christohurch ... ... 29 Private Marchbanks, Duuedin ... ... 29 Corporal Maddock, Blenheim ... ... 26 Private Hutchinson, Dunpdin ... ... 28 Captain Proudfoot, Dunedin ... ... 28 Gunner Moore, Queenstown ... ... 25 • Seaman Chapman, Lyttelton ... ... 21 Lieutenant M'Tainsh, Peninsula ... ... 20 Corporal d'Auvergne, Hangiora ... ... 16 Total ... ... ... CIS The meeting concluded with a staff and press match, 200 yds, 10 shots. Captain Lomas, Raugitiki'i Cavalry, won, taking £2 10s, with 40; Captain Collins, Wellington City Rifles, taking £1 10s with 39; Mr Best, Oamaru Mail, a priza of £l, with 3i). There were 15 competitors.