NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 4591, 4 March 1884, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

COMPETITIVE MEETING IN AUCKLAND. [per press association.] The weather was again fine on Monday, but a fresh breeze was blowing dead across the range, and, being steady, the shooting was not so good as previously. Great interest was centred in the Union and Marlboiough Matches, as they were the last competitions before the selection of the twenties to fire the final stages for the Championship. Churton, of Wanganui, continued to shoot in his usual excellent form, and, increasing his lead, he won the Champion Rifle Belt with a score of 298, being 23 over Purnell (Wanganui) ; Hughes, of Wanganui, also improved his position, and was placed third with a score of 264. For the Champion Carbine Belt there were several changes. F. France, who had held the lead since the opening of the meeting, fell away altogether and was only placed eleventh, the belt being won by Lieut. Ross, of Napier Artillery, with a icbrfi' of 293 ; Stitt, of Wanganui Navals, second with 278 ; Bell, Auckland Artillery, third with 273.

In the Union Match, for Carbines, 300 and 500 yards, ten shots, the following are the scores : — Bell, Auckland, 79, £9 ; Lucy, Thames, 75, £8 ; Lumsden, Auckland, 73, £6 ; Parslaw, Auckland, 72, £4 ; Dixon, H., Wellington, 68, £2 : Brownlee, Thames, 67, £2" ; Ross, Napier,' and Webster, Auckland, 67 ; H. Williams (Napier), Payne (Auckland), Weir (Thames), 65 ; Henderson, Auckland, 63 ; Perry (Wanganui), Stitt (Wanganui), 62 ; each take £\. • The following is the result of tho final stage for the Carbine Championship :—: — Ross (Napier) and Stitt (Wanganui), 278 ; Bell, Auckland, 273 ; Webb, Wellington, 271 ; Parslow, Auckland, 271 ; Perry, Wanganui, 267 ; Payne, Auckland, 266 ; H. Dixon, Wellington, 265 ; Lumsden, Auckland, 263 ; Trayes, Auckland, 263 ; F. France, 1 - Wellington, 263 ; C. France, Wellington, 263 ; H. Williams, Napier, 263 ; Lowers, Wellington, 262 ; Gill, Thames, 262 ; Weir, Thames, 261 ; Lucy, Thames, 261 ; Hunter, Nelson, 259 ; W. Williams, Wellington, 257 ; Barriball, Auckland, 254. With the Champion Belt ltosa takes £25 and the New Zealand Rifle Association gold star ; Stitt takes the New Zealand Rifle Association silver star and £10 ; Bell, New Zealand Rifle ABSOcmtiOn silver medal and £6 ; Webb, £4 : Parslow, £2 10s.

Tho following is the result .of the linal stage for the liifle Championship—Churton, Wanganui, 298 ; Purnell, iWanganui, 275 ; Hughes, Wanganui, 204 ; Cooper, Wellington, 2G2 ; Hay,; Auckland. 26tWhite, Auckland, 256 ; Flygev, Wanganui, 254 ; Downie ? Thames, 253 ; A. Thomas, Thames, 253} Buchanan; A;iicfcla,nd, , 347 . Wratt, Nelson, '247 ; Foster, Wanganui, 242; Giblin, Nelson, 241 : Armodt, Wanganui, 241 ; Harding, Blenheim, 239 ; Wells, Taranaki, 239; Paynter, Nelson, 2!)3 ; Kennedy, Otago, 236 ; McGonagle, Wnnganui, 530 ; Haslott, Auckland, 228. With the Belt, Churton takes the New Zealand R.A. gold star and £'25 ; Purnell, Now Zealand R.A. silver star and £12 10s. ; Hughes, New Zealand E.A. silver medal and £8 ; Cooper, £5 ; Hay, Auckland, £3. Churton also takes the National Rifle Association's medal for tho highest aggregate in the matches which count for the championship. The competition for tho Union Steam Shipping Company's Cup, between the twenty highest in the Nelson, Canterbury, Auckland, and Wellington matches wus won by Churton, of Wanganui. Tho Citizens' Match, Team Matches, and Civilians' Matches havo yet to be fired, and it is expected the meeting will close late this afternoon.

The s.s. Wanaka will be detained until 3 p.m. to-dny to take the Southern representatives home.