THE VOLUNTEERS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10175, 24 October 1898, Page 3

THE VOLUNTEERS.

There was a large gathering at Bromley range on Saturday, when competitions were fired at 200, 600, and 600 yards by the Engineers for; their champion , belt and thirdclass prizes, the City Rifles and Imperial JRiftes for handicap prizes. Sergeant Lester was the highest scorer for the Engineers' bell with 89, the highest scorer in the third class being Sapper Freebury 69. In the City Rifles' competitions the best scores were

—A class Colour-Sergeant Bean (sor), 82; B class, Sergeant Tiirvey (10), 74; C class, Private Robinson (scr), 54; and in the.lmperial Rifled the highest scorer was Colour? Sergeant Butcher. A number of the E Battery were down for practice with their carbines, and fired at 200 and 500 yards, Bombardier. Munns coming out top scorer with 49. Three of the Mounted Rifles were also down for practice. A detachment of the City Guards were at work .preparing the No. 3 range, clearing tiho scrub and erecting a flagpole. The Christ's College Rifles'corps is tho only one in. tho battaliou which adopts the system of holding an annual ladies' day on the range. This is tho more to bo wondered at, as the other corps have seen how successful the feature is, not only in inducing men to go to the range on that day and get through tbe necessary routine firing, but also, when combined with the open squad competitions, in interesting the ladies in the general work of volunteering. Saturday last was the day fixed by the Coaege Rifles for their annual ladies' day, and us the Associated corps range was engaged, the corps obtained the exclusive use of the class-firing range, at tho same time deciding to put the men through their class-firing., allowing the scores to count for prizes. At least fifty ladies mustered in Cathedral square in reply to the invitation of the corps, and. a couple of large drags conveyed the visitors to the grounds. Among other prizes fired for was the Championship of tho corps, the scores for which were added to those made in the Shield matches last season, the s(me conditions governing the B class prizes. The,,comPetition on Saturday was a handicap one, ut the committee wisely decided • only to allow haudicaps to count up to centres or 90 points, ...the ties. I*3 be decided by the highest scores afc-thenkwigest range: At the dose of a very pleasant afternoon s shooting, in which'2B men took part, the prises were presented by Mrs Gordon to the successful competitors under:—Champion Cup (presented by Major Day). Sergeant Marsh 653;.. Private Dickenson (E. Rsece .and Horn* [tipphy) 500. B Class—Sergeant Hartland (Lieutenant Mertcai's trophy) 385; Corporal C::l-ew- (Corps' prize) 373, Junior Cup (for maiden shots)— Private T, Wilson 90. HanIdicap prizes—Corporal Flavell, 90: Private Dixon (Messrs fciiinpSon and Williams's prize) 90; Private Prendeville (Mr Bonninfftpn's prize) 90; Private Cox (Mr F. A. Cook's prize) 90. ;At the close of the prize distribution cheers were given' for Mrs GorcYm, the ladies, the officers, and prize winners, the party reaching town at i 7.15. , • ■ •