LAND AND WATER

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 54

LAND AND WATER

The coursing- meeting at Oamaru on May 1, 2, and 3 promises to be mdH successful. The prospects are very bright, and payments by owners of dogs engaged are being regularly made. As the time of decision draws near, the interest of owners is becoming greater. It is expected that 80 dogs will face the slipper, and that £150 will . be available for the winner. The club is sparing no effort or expense to make the ground first-tlap.". The escapes have been made to more suitable positions facing the hill, and 100 hare 9 are expected from Peel Forest in a day or two, which should give ample time before the meeting to allow of getting them into condition and familiar with the escapes. Taken altogether, a first-class week's sport is likely to be provided.

On Wedne c day last teams representing the Wyndham and Mataura Rifle Clubs met at the Mataura rifle range and fired a friendly match. Some very good scores were put up on both sides, and the match was keenly rontested all through. At the 200 yds range Wyndham was leading by 10 points, but at the final distance (500 yds) Mataura came up well, and proved victorious by 10 points. The range being in a gully and a fresh wind blowing (4ft 6in windage allowance being put on towards the finish), conditions were very difficult, and were accentuated by frequent changes of light. Mr J. Mitchell captained the Mataura, and Mr W. R F. Fraser the Wyudhnm team. fcjcoie?. Mataura 407. Wvndharn 397.

A triangular match took pace on Saturday, Bth iiif-t.. between tho five officers, five noii-rominisnioned officeis, and ti\e picked troopers of the Maniototo Mounted Rifles. Conditions : Seven ihot> at each distance with one optional sightcr. The match reeulted in an easy win for the troopers. Scores : Officers 163, non-commissioned ofli cc-rs 189, troopers 231

The shooting at the Trentham meeting resulted in the scoring of the largest number of possibles ever recorded at any meeting of the association. £25 was paid as special prizes to scorers of possibles ; a-> against £13, the largest amount paid on any previous occasion Two possibles were made for the longest range (700 yds) by Riflemen G. Anderson (Kaitangata) and Sergeant Drummond (Dannevirke), each of whom got £2 for the feat. Two were scored at 600 yds — by Sergeant Waugh (Timaru) and e\-champion W. H. Ne^on (Woodville). Xo fewer than 38 possibles were put on at the 500 yds range, which carried 10s reward, the feat being accomplished twice by Captain Craw (Manawatu), Pirie (Napier), Nelson (Woodville), Mole (Napier), Ay?on (Gore). The champion (Rifleman. G. Hyde) scored the possible once at 500 yds. The bull's-eye at 500 yds. at Trentham has a diameter of 2ft. Two years ago the bull's-eye at Trentham was reduced to 20in. There is some talk of bringing the New Zealand "Inill" into line with the Bisley one, owing to the large number of "possibles" scored hejg. — Evening Post. The Invercargill Homing Club held a successful race on Wednesday last from Milton for young hen birds. The weather was fine throughout, but the contestants had a strong head wind to finish against. A close struggle eventuated, and resulted in a bare victory for Mr H. Double's Dainty <6ister to Dingle, winner of the Waipahi race) over Mr R. Blackham's nomination. The successful racer took a handsome and coveted trophy, presented by the enthusiastic bee retary of the society The following are the placiugs and velocity attained : — H. Double's bl chec h Dainty, 702 yds lft : R Blackham'n rd h Idontic. 700 yds 7in : G. Dunlop's bl chec h Tidal Wave, 698 yds 6in ; R. Joyce's. 697 yds 2ft; G M 'Kay's,, 686 yds; R. Day's, 682 yds lft 6in ; R. Longley's, 674 yds. There were 24 starter;,, representing eight lofts, and the distance flown was 80 miles airline.

At the recent examination of officern for commissions at Invercargill 12 Southland officers came forward, but only three succeeded in pa«3ing their examinations — Cap tain R. M'Nab and Lieutenant Wil-on (Murihiku Mounted Rifles) and Lieutenant Jones (Colac Rifles)

The monthly meeting of the Oamaru Volunteers was held on the 11th mst. Advantage was taken of the opportunity to present the puze^, won at tho late meeting of the North Otago Rifle Association. Before doing this Lieutenant-colonel Headland presented to Quartermaster sergeant Iken the South African war medal, saying that he believed that ho had we'l and faithfully earned the honour, and that all would join in hoping that he might live long to wear it Lieutenant Swindley, of the Oamaru Rifles, was next handed bib commission. Proceed ing to distribute the shooting prizes, Lieu-tenant-colonel Headland said that, roimdenng the short notice, which could not be avoided, the meeting of the Noitli Otago Rifle A= sociation had been a great success. The Government had granted £40 towards the meeting, and though everything had to be done at short notice, there had been a good number of competitors. The officers of the Wallace Mounted Rifles have received word of the result of their examinations. They pas-ed a very successful examination in all subjects but one, and this necessitate* a re examination in June

The Evening Post say- that the deershootmg season has been looked forward to with keen anticipation not only by stalkers, but by settlers in tho W.urarapa, upon whose property m many instances much damage ha» been done through the almost alarming increa-e in deer. The depredations of the- young dcci m parts of the Uoldntone district have caused loud complaints on the part of aettlers during the past few month". The. season will close on 30th April.

Quite a number of deer stalkeiv from England and Australia aie a: pie-cm in the Wellington district.

Eleven deer, including three young calve", were seen at Paraparaumu a few day- ago They are the herd which hao sprung from those liberated on the game reserve in the district a year or two back. Fourteen deer calves, the result of this year's catch, are being liberated in Mirioufe parts of the North Island. Three co to Palmerstoa North.

three to Erehwou (in the Urewera country), and four to Waikaremoana. Four are also being sent to Stewart Island. The Tourist Department has sent several live kiwis, paradise ducks, and pukekos for liberation in the grounds attached to the Rotcrua sanatorium.

At the monthly meeting of the Waitaki Acclimatisation Society held on the 7th inst. it was resolved to send several members of the council to the Upper Ferry for the purpose of ascertaining whether the fish seen recently were the solmon which were j)lnced there some two years acfo

In view of carrying out training in the most practical manner it ha« been decided by the Defence Department that this year the usual Easter camps =hall take the form o^ battalion camps. The usual allowance will be granted. Should any battalion or corps be willing to remain for six days in camp they will be encouraged to do so. and an allowance made for the extra two dnys. Special attention is to be directed at the*e camps tc training officers and non-coms.

The deerstalking has opened. Reports from Tapanui say that sportsmen will have to seek the Rankleburn forests for heads-, as there are few deer on the mountains near the townshln.

Mr T C< Harrison, of Kakanui, has forwarded 10 fhe Xorth Otago Times office thp body of a white sparrow which he had shot. The sparroiv is a well developed bud. There are a fey, brown feathers, but the sparrowis practically white, and is a cimosity. A «hoal of blackfish, numbering 27 and weighing from 6cwt to half a ton each, came ashore on Tuesday at the Ocean Beach, near the Bluff. With an axe, Mr Barnsdal* slaughtered the lot after an hour's hard work. The fish were conveyed to the freezing works, and will be boiled down for their oil. — Southland Times.

An Auckland telegram states that in the final for the Auckland Ladies' Tennis Championship Miss A. Nicholson easily defeated Mrs Cooper by 6—l,6 — 1, 6—4.6 — 4. This is the eighth successive rear that Miss A. Nicholson has won this co\eted distinction.

A Palmerston A'orth telegram states that the first meeting of the nevly-foimed Manawatu Amateur Athletic Club was held on Monday atternoon, an dproved a great =ucces«. Several athletes from Wellington and Wangar.ui were among the competitors, and secured a majority of the trophies. A. S. Henderson (Wellington) won the 120vds Hurdles and the Half-mile Flat. W. H. Pollock (Wellmgtoj) won the 220 yds Handicap and %vas second in the 440y r ds Handicap. J. J. Johnson won the 440vda Handicap. W. Claikso'i won the One and Three-mile Cycle events fio~n scratch.