RIFLE SHOOTING.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2618, 8 July 1871, Page 2

RIFLE SHOOTING.

A General Government Gazette, published on the 30th ult., contains the complete returns, showing the result of the firing for the Geuer.l Government prizes for 1871, and also an analysis of the firing for the years 1867-8-9-70-1. The latter compilation is eipecially interesting to everyone who desires to see the volunteer spirit developed in the Colony to its utmost; and volunteers may see in it the encouraging results shown by the higher averages of this and last year as compared with former annual contests. The Independent congratulates the North Island men upon the fact illustrated by these returns, that their average is rapidly approaching that of the South Island, We append a few of the leading figures, which speak for themselves. The score averages for the following years are : 1871 1870 1860 1868 1867 South Island 28.77 27.07 32.62 31.78 31.39 All N.Z. 25.89 22.43 22.55 26.68 24.23 Another feature in the anatysis also bears unmistakable testimony that the volunteoring spirit is becoming more popular as certainly the skill of the marksmen is becoming more perfect. In the results for the years 1867-8-9 and 70, we notice that in soma districts there was no cimpetitio in others no return, and in others averages were not taken from the competitors withdrawing on account of the smallness of their scores rendering it impossible for them to win a prize. The return for last year is so far satisfactory that there is an absence of a y of those discreditable marks just mentioned.