NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3266, 16 March 1885, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL MEETING.

(By Telegraph.) Wellington, March 15. Yesterday at Island Bay it poured with ram and about 3 o'clock a perfect hurricane was blowing, necessitating the postponement oi the shooting. The weather had been bad all day, and the shooting was therefore not nret class. A meeting of delegates ha 3 been held at which there was a very large attendance. It was announced the Executive Council had abolished themselves, and a Committee of Management was appointed, consisting of ten members, five of whom are armed with rifles and five with carbines. Thosse anpointed were :— Rifles— Lieut. Paynter (Nelson), Lieut. Purnell (Wanganui), Capt. Loveday (Wellington), Lieut. Eogerg (Blenheim), Morris (Oamaru) ; Carbines— Capt Somemiio (Wnnganni), Lieut. Hislop (Wellington), Capt. Wildman (Thames); Lieut. Rule (Oamnrn), and Lieut. Boss (Napier). It was decided that the Committee shall, three months before next meeting, visit the spot chosen at which the Bhooting is to be held, to make the necessary arrangements. New rules and regulations are to be drawn up and published three months before the meeting. The Wellington Match, open to all comers, 20' ', 300 and 500 yards ; seven shots at each distance, counting for both belts, is not yet finished, but the following are the highest scorers : — Flyger, Wanganui ... .., „, 89 Maddock, Blenheim ... ... „, 86 Crisp, Port Chalmers 1 86 Parkes, Wanganui ... ... ui 85 Watson, Port Chalmers ... ... ... 84 Stowell, Taranaki... ... ... -i# 83 Inglis, Thames [\ 83 Taylor, Auckland ... ... ... ... 83 Dougall, Christchureh „. „, lti 88 Langham, Napier 82 Lloyd, Wanganui ... ... ... „, 82 Webb, Wellington 82 About 50 men bave yet to fire in this match. The Otago Match, 200, 300 and 500 yards ; open to all comers ; 7 shots at each range, and counting for both belts, has been commenced. Most of the competitors have fired over the first range, and the following are the highest : — Hoskins, Taranaki ... ... ... 33 Prain, Napier ... 33 Eabe, Wellington 33 Costley 33 Boss, Napier ... ... ... ... 33 France, Napier ... 32 Harris, Wellington 32 Mitchell, Port Chalmers 32 Turner, Wanganui ... 32 About fifty men have yet to fire at this range. Most of the Rifles have finished four out of the six matches counting for the Rifle Belt, and also the first ranges of the Otego and Canterbury match. So far the highest aggregates are : — Lucas, Thames ... 371 Purnell, Wanganui 367 Jenson, Wanganui ... 350 Downie, Thames 348 Cooper, Auckland 344 Hoskin, Taranaki 340 Newdick, Thames 339 Hutchison, Dunedin 334 Hawk, Thames 334 Badger, Greyinouth ... ... ... 326 Bentley, Masterton ... ... ... 325 McGonale, Wanganui 322 Jones, Waikari ... ... „, ... 315 Taylor, Auckland 314 Flyger, Kummer and several others who are not far behind the leading man hare not yet fired the first stage in the Otago match. The carbines have completed four out of six matches counting for the Belt, and a good many of the men have completed the fifth match, and the first stage of the List match. So far the highest aggregates are : — Perry, Wanganui ... 393 Woolley, Auckland 392. Davy, Wellington • 390 Harris, Wellington 385 Webb, Wellington ... 382 Weir, Thames 382 Babe, Wellington 379 Jack, Dunedin 373; Franco, Wellington 372 Waters, Port Chalmers ... 367 Bead, Port Chalmers ... 358 Dixon, Wellington ... ... ... 357. Parslow, who at the completion of the fourth match was leading for the belt, has yet to fire the first range in the Otago match, and Boss has not finished the fifth match or the first range in the Otago match. A general meeting of members of the Association was hold in the drillshed last night, Capt. Somerville, of Wangnnui, presiding. Abont 150 were present. A resolution was carried to have meetings peripatetic as at present, and Wanganui was chosen as the next place to hold a meeting. Nelson, Christchurch and Blenheim were proposed, and their respective meri's were discussed before the meeting came to a decision. The question of dividing the Government vote of the Association between the two islands was brought up, and a resolution adopted that this meeting is in favor of the vote being kept intact as at present. Other matters of detail were left to a Committee appointed by the delegates. The weather has cleared again, and should it continue fine to-morrow the championship will be decided on Tuesday afternoon. The church parade to-day was poorly attended by visiting volunteers.