VOLUNTEER NEWS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 38, 18 April 1891, Page 2

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. April 18 .... ‘ A ’ Battery, 1 O ’ Battery, Engineers. 25 Victoria Rifles, City Guards, Newton Rifles, Royal Irish Rifles. | By Carbine. | The final competition for the Ponsonby Naval Artillery Belt, took place at the Mt. Eden range on Saturday last, and resulted in a win for P.O. G. E. Spinley by 11 points; the total being 138 points against last years 123. A strong wind was blowing up the range and made it very difficult to keep on the target. The conditions were 7 shots at 200, 300, and 500 yards. The highest aggregates are :—•

The following table will show the list of previous winners : — Year Name Points 1888 ... Seaman A. Wright ... ... 50 1889 ... Seaman J. Hedley ... ... 76 1889 ... , 2nd Class P.O. J. Ewan ... 76 1890 ... Ist Class P.O. J. Spinley ... 123 1891. ... 2nd Class P.O. G. E. Spinley ... 138

The four infantry companies paraded for spection by Major Goring last Tuesday evening. The attendance being very good, viz.: Victoria Rifles—Lieuts. Somers and Eagleton and 40 men; City Guards —Capt. Kohn and Lieut. Dormer and 33 men ; Newton Rifles— Capt. Robertson, Lieuts. Durham and Taylor and 34 men ; and the Royal Irish, Capt. Tobin and Lieut. Caulton and 29 men. The band was. also well represented under Drum-Major Kearsley. The companies being formed in! column Major Goring began the inspection, going over every part of each man’s rifle. After the inspection the companies were formed into line and the Major addressed the men. He said on the whole he found the rifles clean but there were individual cases which he found very dirty The battalions were then put through some movements by Capt. Kohn and afterwards handed over to their respective Captains. The return match between the Newton rifles and South Franklin Mounted Infantry took place on Saturday at the Pukekohe range. A very strong wind was blowing, so the shooting was not up to the average. The match resulted in a win for the South Franklin team by 74 points, making the two corps even, as the Newton Rifles won the former one. The conditions were 5 shots at 200, 300, 400, and 500 yards, seven men a-side. Lieut. Durham (Newtons) and Lieut. Bilkey (South Franklins) were in command of the teams. The scores are :—

.Majority for South Franklin’s, 74. 317 In the evening the visitors were entertained at a dinner and concert in the Pukehohe Hotel. Private Neylon of the Victoria Rifles was presented with the attendance medal given by Surgeon Dawson at the inspection parade on Tuesday last. The Major made a slight mistake in pinning it on the wrong breast. The “ O ” Battery was inspected on Wednesday night by Major Goring, who expressed himself as pleased with the neat appearance of the men and cleanliness of arms and accoutrements, but was greatly disappointed at the small muster. Several new members were elected. The Battery fire a friendly matchat Mt. Eden range on Saturday next against the Royal Irish, the following being the team : — Lieut. Webster, Sergts. McCallum, Fairs, Ronayne, Corp. Walker, Gunners P. Browne, Greenshields, Head. Waiting men —Gunners F. E. Browne, Greenbough, and Hughes. The Minister of Defence® intends to place the fortifications and the Permanent Artillery in the four centres, under the control of the officers commanding the various district. There will be a Sergeant-Major in charge of each district. The volunteers and permanent men will occasionaly drill together and a surprise alarm will be given shortly to test the efficiency of the working.

Speaking of curious matches, an exchange mentions one in which a hunter, for a wager made by his owner, jumped nine single hurdles in a field, and then came back over them without refusing one. To win a second bet a stranger rode the horse, which to the surprise of the onlookers, again jumped the obstacles without a mistake.— Otago Witness. At a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club held on April 3rd, Mr. Ormond in the chair, it was resolved that Mr. S. Powell, of Wanganui, be asked on what terms he would act as starter to the Club. Messrs. Cohen and Stork also wrote asking how to act when the starting bell rang and they had money in hand. It was resolved that no investment could be made after the bell rang, and that the proprietors be cautioned not to hand over tickets until the money representing those tickets had been rung on the machine. The secretary stated that there was a surplus of as the rasult of the Autumn Meeting.

Name 1st stage 2nd stage G. Ttl. 2nd Class P.O. G. E. Spinley ... 67 71 138 1st Class P.O. J. Spinley .. ... 61 66 127 2nd Class P.O. J. Ewan ... ... 60 65 125 2nd Class P.O. W. Slierson ... 68 51 119 2nd Class P.O. W. Nesbitt ... 60 57 117

SOUTH FRANKLIN MOUNTED INFANTRY. Total 200yds 300yds 400yds 500yds Vol. Pilgrim ... 18 16 20 10 66 Corp. Harris ... 20 12 16 16 64 Vol. W. Adams ... ... 19 9 20 13 61 Corp. Adams ... 13 19 20 5 57 Sergt. Lucas ... 18 8 16 9 51 Vol. Jos. Adams... ... 21 15 10 5 51 Lieut. Bilkey ... 5 12 20 4 41 NEWTON RIFLES. 391 Vol. Good ... 22 18 18 6 64 Vol. A. Rotherham ... 16 13 14 10 63 Vol. W. Rose ... ... 20 11 10 7 48 Vol. J. Robertson ... 19 9 14 6 48 Lance-Coi'p. Koether ... 12 13 9 5 39 Sergt. Pitkethley ... 16 6 15 0 37 Vol. Henderson... ... 15 7 2 4 28