NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6129, 16 March 1898, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. < TFeb Pbess Association.! ] OAMABU, March 16. \ The wind changed during the night, and j he weather broke fine and clear this aorning, with a light southerly wind, rhich blows down the range. There are 22 volunteer shooting 1 and sixty -five aembers of rifle clubs. The Council met his morning and decided to allow cometitors to use either colonial or Victorian aanufacturod ammunition. Major Soinmer- ] ille informed the competitors that it had r leen reported that some of them were Lsing Kynoch ammunition, and he warned r hem that a strict inspection would bo f nade, and any offender v/ould be dealt r irith severely. a Shooting began with the first stage of ( he Oamaru Match, 300 yds, 500 yds and T 00yds, seven shots. The wind was steady \ tnd the light good. Several of the com- | tetitors are using colonial ammunition, i>nd at this range ure holdiug their own vith those firing with Victorian. An ixamination of the ammunition was made iris morning, but no Kynoch was dis:overed. The leading suores at 300 yds ] vere — Lyders : (Dunediu), M'Gregor , 'Oamaru), Dickson (Dunedin), Harding Blenheim), each 32. Eleven have made Jl, and there are numerous 30's. The < natch will not be finished before three , /clock. i Before the 500 yds range was begun bhe j (rind shifted to the north-east, which is i icross the range, but remained steady, ; though there was a variable light. Never- < theless, some good shooting was made. < Volunteer Macgrogor and Bandmaster King, both of Oamaru, got on the possible ■ indtake £1 each. Macgrogor fired with , Victorian ammunition, and King with colonial. The opinion gains ground that bho latter manufacture was condomnod too aarly. Drew (Wanganui), Whyto and Rutherford (Kaitangata) each made 34. With the completion of two ranges in i bhe Oamaru Match, M'Grogov was loading i with 67 j King (Oamaru), Claridgo (Wellington), Walden (Wairarapa) and Harding (Blenheim) followed with 63. Three matches for the bolt are finished, i-nd two ranges of the fourth, the loading iggregates being 1 : — M'Grogor (Oamaru), 231 ; T. Robinson (Christchuroh) and Bunckenberg (Wellington), 227 ; Eichardjon (Dunedin) and M'Kay (Christcliurch), 226; A. Ballinger (Wellington) andWliyte (Oamaru), 225 ; Eoss (Napier), 224. Tho wind is gradually increasing.