OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 4314, 23 December 1876, Page 4

OTAGO RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The prizes won at the recent meeting of the association were presented at the Drillshed on Thursday. The were formed into three sides of a square, the strength on parade being No. 1 City Guards : 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 sub-lieu-tenant, 2 sergeants, and 30 rank and file. City Guards Cadets : 1 lieutenant, 1 sublieutenant, 2 sergeants, and 22 rank and file. Artillery : 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, and 9 rank and file. Artillery Cadets : 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants, and 6 rank and file. Naval brigade : 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 sub-lieutenant, 4 petty officers, j and 32 rank and file. North Dunedin ; 1 I captain, 1 sub-lieutenant, 2 sergeants, and 7 privates. City Guards Band : 1 bandmaster, 1 sergeant, and 13 performers; staff-major, and four sergeants. The prizes were arranged on a table at the head of the shed, while the platform was occupied by his Worship the Mayor, Mrs Reeves, and the officers of the Association. The names of the winners were read out by Mr S. James, the association’s secretary, and the prizes were presented by the Mayoress. In addition to the prizes given in the Cadet Match, extra prizes, consisting of Christmas cakes, were awarded to the following ; Cadet J. Currie, No. 1 ; Cadet J. Mallard, High School Hifles ; Gunner A. Smith, High School Artillery ; Cadet Wain, High School Rifles ; Cadet P. Davis, No. 1 ; Sergeant P. Wilson, No. 1; Cadet Lindsay, No. 1; Cadet Fairbairn, No. 1 ; Cadet Solomon, No. 1 ; Gunner D. Burn, High School Artillery ;(. adet F. Whittaker, No. 1; Cadet E. Burn, High School Artillery. StaffSergeant M'Kay received the customary Christmas present of 15 from the Artillery Company, for his civility and attention during the year. Major MAVELy : On behalf of the Otago Rifle Association, I thank you, Mrs Reeves, for the kind manner in which you came forward to present these prizes; and I also thank the donors of trophies and those who subscribed money prizes. I think that the association meeting has been a very successful one, and I hope next year. that it will be more so—that will rest entirely with the members of the association themselves. There is one thing I have to mention. I should like to have seen those members who won prizes present. The least they could do was to come here, or appoint some person to receive their prizes for them. The next matter is the presentation of a trophy, which, although not purely a gift of the association, has been fired for in connection with the Otago Rifle Association’s meeting—the Ladies’ Challenge Shield, won by No. 1 Company City Guards. The gentlemen who fired with the winning team will kindly come to the front. Trophies of the value of L2 each, suitably inscribed, will be given to each member of the successful team.

Captain Wales, Lieutenant Wilson, Volunteers Nightingale, Smith, and Creagh having stepped to the front, The Mayoress said : Captain Wales. I have much pleasure in congratulating you and the members of your company on beinu the first winners of the Ladies’ Challenge Shield, It is quite appropriate that No. 1 Company should win it, it being the oldest comrauy in the Province. Captain Wales replied : Mrs Reeves and •fficers and Volunteers, on behalf of the No. 1 Company I have to state that it gives us a great cause of pride to be able to have this valuable trophy in our possession for a year. It was not won without a tough struggle, and now that we have got possession it we will do our utmost to retain it. Each year no doubt it will become

of greater value, which will have the result of making all companies struggle Very much to try and win such a handsome trophy. As the men returned to the ranks they were loudly applauded, the band striking up “See the Conquering Hero Comes.” The shield has been lodged in the Athenaeum.