VOLUNTEER NEWS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 7, 13 September 1890, Page 7

VOLUNTEER NEWS

[Volunteers and others are invited to contribute to this column. All communications should be addressed to Carbine, and left at the office of this paper not later than Wednesday in each week. ] .■ ■■ RANGE TIME-TABLE. September 13—Victoria Rifles, City Guards, Newton Rifles, Royal Irish Rifles. 20—Auckland Navals, Ponsonby Navals. ’’ 27—“ A” Battery, “O ” Battery, Engineers. [By Carbine.J The first stage of the Martini Henri Quarterly competitions; Was fired on Saturday last, the ranges being 300, 500 and 600 yards. 7 sh°ts at each distance? The club is now divided into two . classes thus saving a deal of trouble handicapping. The principal scorers are: jst Team: Gun. C. P. Taylor, A. 8., 83 ; Capt. Tobin, R. 1., 81; Robt. Osborne, C.G., 77; P. O. Spinley, P.N.A., 75 ; Sgt. Parslow, A. 8., 75 : Bomb. Webster, A. 8., 74 ; M. Kelley, 74 . Lieut.: ;Haultain, A. 8., .72 ; CoL Sgt. Skinner, V.R., 71 ; Pvt. M’Carty, V.R., 71 ; Pvt. Nutt, N.R., 70,: Gun. E.. Buchanan, A. 8., .70 ; Gun. Henderson, AB., 67. 2nd Team: Mr. Ansell, 66. Lewis, .64 ;. Mr. Thorne, 58. < Caph Miller of the Ponsonby Navals has a Medal to the company to be fired for, there being two competitons, the first one fating place on Saturday next, Sept. 20. The ranges- are. ?200, 300 and 500 yards, 7 shots at each distance. The Medal has to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals; From an extract of the New Zealand Gazette of 27th August, we learn that the Governor has a|)j£rd veil/the ■ promotion of Lieut. J. Leahy to Captain of the Onehunga 1 Rifles. The Promotion is dated July 2nd, 1890. The Wairoa Rifles have generously voted £3 out of the Funds of the company in aid of the survivors,, of the Charge of the Light Brigade. " After a lapse of about 18 months since'the disbanding of the Goidon Rifles, a meeting was called last Monday of the late members and was largely attended. - The funds showed a balance of /*2O- ; i2Si’ It was unanimously agreed to expend the sum in a challenge shield, and present to 'the Auckland District to be fired fot-iby teams from each company, the late Gordpn’s; also- haying the right to enter. A committee ’was. formed consisting of Messrs. J. G. Buchanan, White, Fairs, and Leigh, to purchase and also to collect several outstanding accounts with which they intend to purchase' hndther trophy'. •FftGtice'thte'first team of the Victoria Rifles are going in heavy training for the forthcoming iwith : the; ‘ A ’ Battery, having all had a practice together one day this week. The Ponsonby Navals paraded at the drill shed on Monday last, for their monthly inspection, there being about 50 men present, under &ptS Milter and Lieut. Dacre. A detachment was told off to drill on the 64 pounder while the remainder' were put through a course of Torpedo inspection by the Permanent staff. Sergeant Kearney ,of the Victoria Rifles took over the recruit class this week and proved himself Very efficient. The Hon Capt. Russell in introducing the Dbfenfce Bill into' the House stated that the total amount asked for to defray the expenses of the colony amounted to 826 and he said it was impossible to reduce these estimates. He stated they had 78 field pieces, some of them most complicated, whichjrequired specially trained men not only to work them, but also to keep them in order. In addition to officers there are 109 guiiniers, but to make a detachment for each ofi these, pieces it requires 616 men to man the batteries. 'He also informed them that if they would.allpw. him to re-organise the Volunteer Forde hd wb'uld do so with / 10,000 less was spent by. his predecessors. The members criticised Capt. Russell’s scheme for some time and it was filially passed with a reduction of d '

t ’/IT&iriing an Queensland seenis to’ bei carried on in a very primitive manner, as a corresj’issays-; jthat ; Mr.. McLaughton,! the well known trainer and jockey, has been severely injured at Sandgate, while schooling a horse’called Trooper. The hurdles, it appears, were fixed close to. a fence on the top of which was seme barbed wire. The horse refused to jurnpfand-smashed into the fence. McLaughton 'na'd.' .His? dlotfibsi torn off, and was severely 'faegrated;'abdut but luckily no bones were and: Gauntry.