N.Z. RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 58, 8 March 1879, Page 2

N.Z. RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

(By Telegraph). Bhigiitwater, Saturday. Owing to the rain the fifteenth match did not commence yesterday until 1030, and consequently was not finished until half past five o'clock. The shooting was magnificent, as, indeed, it has been throughout the whole meeting, thereby bearing testimony to the good judgment exercised by the Association in selecting Nelson as the site for their annual meetings. The ranges in the 15 th match were 200, 250, and 300 yards, target 6ft x 4ft, with an eight inch bull's eye, which at the last range presented but a very small mark. The highest possible score was 84, and the highest made 73, and, although there were 24 prizes, such was the general character of the shooting that nothing under 68 obtained one. Shortly after five the men proceeded to the 2uo yards' range to commence the last match for the championship, which evidently excited a great deal of interest, every one on the ground, whether representatives or visitors, assembling at the range to witness the firing. Paynter rather disappointed those who were anxiously watching him in the hope of seeing him increase the slight lead he had secured ;in the contest for the belt, as he made an outer and two centres at the first range, his total scorg being 24 out of a possible 28, while Purnell, who was previously two points behind him, made 26, thus bringing himself up to a level with the present holder of the belt. Only about 25 fired, and as the light was beginning to fail the bugle sounded the " cease firing," and the remainder of the match was postponed until to-day. 230 p.m. The morning broke beautifully for the firing, which commenced at 630 at the 200 yards' range, and was finiihed by breakfast time, after which the riflemen went to work at the 400 yards. At the close of this range Ballinger was leading for the championship by two points, 154 being his aggregate against Payuter's 152, the latter not having fired with his usual steadiness, and scoring only 22 at this range. At the next he made only 20, but Ballinger made a miss and scored only 18, making the two a tie. In the meantime Hutchiuson, of Otago, who was five behind Paynter at the commencement of this match, had been shooting splendidly, and making 72 at the three ranges was leading by two points at the close of the third range. 2-40 p.m. Shortly after dinner the men were mustered again and marched to the ranges, and the excitement grew intense when it was made known that there were no less than twenty within eight points of one another for the championship, namely, Hutchinson 173, Paynter, W. Ballinger, and Coventry 172 each, Smith 171, Purnell and Waugh 170, Skinner, Fenton, and Okey 169 each, Marshal! 168, Kennedy, James Doidge and Monk 167, Harding and A. Ballinger 176, "Miller, John Dcidge. Willocks, aud Richardson 165 each. The firing commenced at 230, [and each shot was watched with the keenest interest. The scores will be found below, as well as those for the Carbine match, in which the interest was not so great among the spectators, owing to there being no local man among the leading ones.

MATCH No, 9

200, 400, 500, and 600 yards, 7 rounds at each distance. Prizes— £12, £10, £9, £8, £6 £5, 3of £4, 3of £3, 2of £2. This is the last match for the rifle belt.

MATCH No. 10.

200, 300, 400, and 500 yards; seven shots at each distance. Prizes — £10, £9, £8, £6 £5, 3of £4, 3of £3, 3of £2. This is the last match for the carbine helc.

200 400 200 100 „ . y d 3 y^ yds yds Morris 25 28 Rogers 21 95 Okey 26 26 James 21 25 Willocks 25 26 Freeth 23 21 Weir 25 26 Reeves 19 2? Cooper 25 56 JamesDoidge 23 >>0 M'lntosh 25 26 Christie 24 20 Crossman 25 25 Sharland 23 17 Monk 23 27 Kitcbing 21 <>2 Waugh 25 25 Buckley 21 22 H. Sutton 22 27 Jenkins 22 93 W. Ballinger 24 25 Freeth 20 22 Macarthy 24 25 Acbeson 20 n Coventry 24 25 Adolph 22 19 Fenton 24 25 Kennedy 23 91 Fairs 26 23 Perrin " 21 •21 Burns 25 24 Hebley 21 20 Leigh 23 26 Linstrom 23 21 John Doidge 26 23 G. Miller 20 24 Allen 22 27 Martin 16 19 Richardson 22 26 Martello 22 22 Skinner 23 25 Neal 19 22 Downie 23 25 Hancock 19 95 Mills 24 24 Bradley 19 15 Cuff 24 24 Thompson 18 24 Cameron 23 25 M'Leod 19 21 Davis 24 23 Mair 22 18 Best 22 25 Morrison 20 14 Reid 26 21 R. Hood 20 25 Beach 23 24 Parker 20 19 King 24 23 Waddle 23 2 r ' Kenny 23 24 C. Sutton 20 15 Harding 22 25 Cording 24 19 Millar 23 24 Stagg 24 20 Hutchinson 22 25 Cresswell 21 94 Wilson 23 24 Gray 20 17 Ballinger 24 23 J. Sutton 23 22 A. Ballinger 25 22 Marshail 25 21 Parson 22 25 Macarthy 18 21 Purnell 26 21 Clark 21 95 M. Griffiths 24 23 Small 21 21 Paynter 24 22 Carrie 21 23 Smith 23 23 Lancaster 12 24 Anderson 24 22 Gorrie 21 24 Keller 23 23 M'Kenzie 20 22 Soper 23 23 Turner 25 p Kelly 22 24 500 yards. J. Sutton 25 McLeod 19 Hutcbinson 25 Richardson 19 Waddell 25 Reeves 13 Willocks 24 Reid 17 Monk 24 PhiUpotg 14 Waugh 24 Anderson 12 Mills 24 Currie is

Liostrodi 34 Lancaster l# Kelly 24 Allen 15 Kennedy H Gorrie 16 Fehton 23 Griffiths 15 Cameron 23 Burns 15 Marshall 23 M'lntosh 17 Leigh 23 King 10 Morris 23 Sharlahd 13 Kennedy 23 Kitchiflg 19 G. Miller 23 Crossman W Harding 23 Parson 13 Clark 23 Jenkins 18 Mair 23 Cooper 16 Capt. Wilson 23 tfreeth 18 Weir S3 Acheson 15 A. Ballinger 22 Coventry id M'Kenzie 22 Martid 9 Rogers 22 Kellan 18 Sergt. Ballinger 22 Martello 1* Hancock 22 Christie 19 Downie 22 Adolph 18 Millar 22 Perrin 19 James 22 Hebley 19 Skinner 22 Neal 13 j Smith 22 Bradley 18 Okey 22 M'Carthy 4 Bes t 22 Small 17 John Doidge 21 C. Sutton 12 Buckley 21 Soper 12 Turner 21 Purnell 19 Davis 2i Cording 18 Cuff 21 Stagg 12 Freeth 21 Cresswell 12 Thompson 21 Gray retired James Doidge 20 H. Sutton 15 Paynter 20 W. Ballinger 18 Beach 20 Hood 18 Morrison 20 Parker 14 Macartney 20 600 yards. Downie 8 Cooper ' 20 Beach 9 Jenkins 19 Christie H Morris 20 Linstrom 8 Marr 15 Harding 20 M'Leod 18 Hebley 17 Thompson 18 Perrin 2 Buckley 21 Small 17 Griffiths 21 Clarke H Rogers 15 Macarthey 8 M'Kenzie 14 Haucock 2 Gorrie 9 Macintosh 15 Best 20 Thomas 5 Fenton ~8 Burns 11 Reid 20 Cuff 2 Reeves 12 W. BaHinger 19 Weil- 14 H. Sutton 15 Cording 22 F. Sutton 14 Kelly 12 Stagg 8 Soper 12 A. Baliinger 20 Ballinger 15 Waddle 18 Martin 16 Hood 23 G. Miller 22 Wilson 7 Hutchinson 17 Morrison 5 J. Miller 17 Kennedy 16 Monk 20 Adolph 18 Allen 7 Acheson 10 Mills 9 Kenny 10 Lancaster 18 Neal 10 Tairs 11 Martello 11 Currie 17 Waugh 6 Okey 20 Keller 22 Cameron 0 Willocks 17 Doidge. 17 Anderson 17 Purnell 12 Phillpotts 16 C. Sutton 4 James Doidge 22 Jame3 12 Freeth 17 Crossman 19 Skinner 18 Kitching 15

200 300 200 300 J«ls yds yds yds Johnson 23 27 Leach 22 19 Woolley 24 25 Howie 21 20 Jack 25 22 Kermode 24 16 H. Wimsett 21 2G T. Wiinsett 18 17 Hood 23 23 Milne 22 12 Thomas 24 21 Shone 21 19 Cropp 23 21 Bannister 25 15 Mapp 21 22 Moore 21 16 Gordon 22 22 Coleraan 21 21 Burr 23 20 Laird 21 19 Bowden 21 22 Pell 19 18 Bird 22 21 Judge 19 21 Somerville 19 24 Armstrong la 20 Koss 20 22 Harris 14 19 Nicholson 24 18 Macintosh N. 20 19 Lloyd 20 18 Walker 19 17 Hill 21 2u Houston 21 17 Gully 22 19 Dixon 21 19 •iOO yds. Dickson 16 Moore 25 J«ck 20 Cropp 24 Koss 23 Ctileman 21 Nicholson 21 Somerville 23 Lloyd fis Lain! Ig Hill .22 Wooley 21 Gully 19 Pell 24 Leach 25 Judge 23 Mapp 25 Gordon 26 Howie 21 Thomas 24 Kermode 22 Armstrong <>& T. Wimsett 15 Harris 23 Milne 15 Mauiutosh 21 Shone 21 Boweu 23 H. Wimsett 20 Johnson 21 Hood 24 Walker 21 Bird 16 Burr 22 Baunister 24 Houston 25 500 YARDS. Houston 16 Macintosh 22 Burr 11 Karris 15 Walker 18 Armstrong 25 Johnston 11 Shone 17 Bannister 21 Milne «>i Bird 20 T. Wimsett 18 Hood 20 Kermode 4 11. Wimsett 21 Bowdeu 03