Goldfields Challenge Shield.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 359, 26 March 1903, Page 5

Goldfields Challenge Shield.

(" Lake Wakatip Mail.") The second annual competition for the challenge shield, which is being fired for by the four Goldfields corps, took place on the local range on St. Patrick's Day. The Cromwell and Alexandra teams arrived by coach on Sunday while the Wakatipu Mounted Rifles' team came into town on Tuesday morning. The fact of so many teamsmen being about the town in their khaki uniforms during the first part of the week and the unusual stir gave the event an importance in the eyes of the townspeople that it otherwise would not have attained. The competition has, of course, been looked forward to with eager expectation by the volunteers in each company, and considerable practice has been indulged in lately. Like last year the weather for the competition iwas most able. During the early part of the day there were forebodings of anything but pleasant conditions on the range and these became only too true as, shortly after 10 a.m.—half an hour after starting—rain began to come down steadily and continued almost without cessation during the whole piogress of the match. The rain was also accompanied by frequent strong breezes from off the lake. Under such trying circumstances, therefore, it could hardly be expected that the scores as a rule would be first-class. Captain Jolly (Cromwell Rifles) and Trooper A spinal (W.M.R.) secured 33 points each at the 500 yds range—within two of the possible—which must be considered very good. Taking last year's figures into •account, the Queenstown Rifles and W.M. Rifles' shooting has improved somewhat but that of Cromwell and Alexandra has fallen away. Nevertheless, Cromwellites were successful in placing another win to their credit, which makes two out of the three wins required to entitle any of the four corps to become the owner .of the shield. One of the best arrangements of the competition was the means of communication between the various ranges and the butts. This was eftected by a telephone which was temporarily erected The great advantage of having such .was amply proved during the day by the speedy settlement of all questions arising between the markers and range officers. The range officers during the day were Capts Porter and Algie. Corp J Reid an Priv M'Neil acted as scorers. Individual scoring cards were used, which after being filled up, were signed by the range officers, and then in turn the scores were transferred to the main card by the secretary and checked by him. At a convenient interval the teams were treated to refreshments by the local corps in the immigration barracks which was kindly placed at their disposal by Mr J. M'Leely. The conditions; of the match were: Seven men a team, seven shots at each range with two optional sighters. The following are the scores: — 300 500 600 yds yds yds Tl. Cromwell Rifles* Japtain Jolly ... 26 33 23 Priv Cahill ... 25 26 31 Sergt Jolly 27 26 27 Priv Renshaw ... 29 25 26 Corp Wrightson ... 3o 27 19 7« Priv Smith ..29 20 26 Priv Thomas ... 32 26 16 198 183 168 549 Wakatipu Mounted Rifles. Corp Stevenson ...27 31 30 Trooper Aspinall ... 26 33 29 Corp Harris ... 27 27 24 78 Sergt M'Bride ... 30 19 29 Sergt Jenkins ... 27 24 20 Q M. Sergt M'Kane . . 24 26 19 Trooper Bryant ... 27 20 19 188 180 170 538 Queenstown Rifles. Lieut Reid ... 27 27 28 Captain Porter ... 30 29 20 Lieut Mehaffey ... 24 29 28—79 Sergt Boyne ~.. 23 27 23 Sergt Domigan ... 24 27 22 Sergt M-Dowall ... 24 27 21 Col-Sergt Reid ... 29 17 20 181.183 160 524 Alexandra Rifles. Corp Weir - .. 25 30 28 4"orp South - ... 25 25 21—71 Priv Noble ... 28 21 21 Priv Brown ... 23 24 21 I ieut Callaghau ... 24 29 14 Priv Govan ' ... 19 32 15 Priv Dickson .„ 24 15 24 .168 176 144 488 300yds—Priv Thomas (Cromwell) ... 32 500yds—Capt Jolly (Cromwell) ... 33 (Trooper Aspinall (33) counted out) 600yds—Priv Cahill (Cromwell) ... 31 Highest aggregate in match—Corp Stevenson (W.M.R.) ... ... 88 v

Immediately after the match a meeting was held in the Garrison Hall and the matter of forming a Goldfields Rifle Association was discussed. Over 30 volunteers were present. Captain Porter was voted to the chair. After hearing the opinions of Capts Jolly, Porter, Algie, and Laidlaw and others, it was unanimously resolved to form an association. The meeting made a recommendation to the Committee that the first meeting be held at Arrowtown and that the Challenge Shield match be fired at the same time. • It was resolved that the Officers and N. C. Officers of each of the four corps and the Captains of the three Rifle Clubs in the district form an executive.

At a meeting of the executive held afterwards, Lieut-Col Robin was appointed president and Captains Porter (Q.V.R.), Algie (W.M.R.), Laidlaw (A.V.R.), Jolly (C.V.R.), and Capts Keddell, Crabbe, and Anderson of the three rifle clubs were elected vicepresidents, Color-Sergt Reid was proposed as secretary, but he stated that he could not find it convenient to oarry out work entailed. The appointment was therefore left in the hands of the local committee to decide, as was also the matter of subscriptions.