PRESENTATION OF RIFLE ASSOCIATION PRIZES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3004, 10 February 1881, Page 3

PRESENTATION OF RIFLE ASSOCIATION PRIZES.

The presentation of the prizes won at the late Rifle Association contest took place at the Theatre Royal last evening. Both the Artillery and Rifles paraded in Tennyson-street, and marched to the Theatre accompanied by the Artillery band.

The Theatre was crowded, and the circle being entirely occupied by ladie9 it presented a striking and pleasing appearance. The stage was occupied'by the volunteers, the Artillery being drawn up on one side and the Rifles on the other.

After a performance by the band, Mr H. S. Tiffen, who occupied the chair, said he was sorry that a very pleasant duty bad devolved upon him. That might sound like an anomaly, but he felt that hig powers of speech would not do justice to the occasion. He trusted that the audience would look leniently on his short-comi"gs. At their last annual meeting they had Colonel Whitmore with them, and he, with his knowledge of military phraseology had been able to talk to them in a way they could understand. No one, however, could desire more earnestly the success of the volunteer cause in New Zealand than himself.

The following prizes were then presented : —

Silver cup, presented by the President his Worship the Mayor, Sergt. Boss, Artillery; 2nd prize, Mr J. Chicken ; 3rd, Sergt. John Chicken, Rifles ; 4tb, Gunner C. Mogridge, Artillery. The range prizes were won by Sergt. Ross, Artillery; Gunner Thomas Gilpin, Artillery; Mr J. Wilson, civilian : Sergt. James Ross, Artillery. Ladies' Trophy, value £5, presented by the ladies of Napier, Volunteer Beck, Rifles ; 2nd, Gunner Fulford, Artillery; 3rd, Mr J. Chicken; 4th, Volunteer Cato, Rifles. The range prizes were won by Gunner Fulford, Artillery; and Volunteer Beck, Rifles. Silver Biscuit Basket, presented by the Vice-President, Mr H. S. Tiffen, Gunner G. Pram, Artillery; 2nd, Sergeant Garry, Artillery; 3rd, Sergt. Ross, Artillery; 4th, Sergt. John Chicken, Rifle?. The range prizes were won by Gunner Fulford, Artillery ; and Sergt. Chicken, Rifles.

Handicap Match for Silver Cup presented by Mr Robert Stuart, Lieutenant Pell, Artillery; 2nd, Mr S. Hooper; 3rd, Gunner Pram, Artillery ; 4th, Mr J. Chicken.

Aggregate Prizes, Silver Medal presented by Mr H. Selig, Mr Joseph Chicken ; 2nd, presented by the N.Z. Shipping Co., Sergt. James Ross, Artillery ; 3rd presented by Uiiion Steamship Co., Volunteer Beck, Rifles ; 4th, presented by Messrs Kinross and Co., Sergt. John Chicken, Rifles ; sth, presented by Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co., Gunner GK Pram, Artillery.

Consolation Match—First prize, Mr W. Laing, civilian"; 2nd. Sub-Lieutenant Carnell, Artillery; 3rd, Gunner Anderson, Artillery; 4th, Mr J. Wishart, civilian.

The Chairman said he now came to tbe most important item in the programme—the presentation of the Challenge Cup. It had been subscribed for by the Association and the Artillery, wbo had shot for it, the latter winning by four points. The winning team were Lieutenant Pell, Sub-Lieutenant Carnell, Sergeants Ross and Garry, and Gunners Pram and Mogridge. The cup was then handed to Sergeant Ross, who bad won it in the first competition among the members of the Artillery corps, whose property it wss until it was won twice by an individual member of the corps. Major Routledge returned thanks on behalf of tbe Association to the prizegivers, and said that such prizes did much to secure the success of volunteering in the colony. Captain Batham moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was carried, and the presentation terminated.