Colonial Prize Firing.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4324, 9 November 1882, Page 2

Colonial Prize Firing.

GORDON THE CHAMPION.

(Per Press Association.) Dunedin, Yes'erday,

During the .afternoon the weather was extremely cold, and showers passed over the range. Very few spectators were pre» sent; in fact, there has not been a large attendance of the public at any day during the whole Meeting. In the Rifle Challenge Match the following were the winning teams :— Clutha Rifles, 359; Wellington City Rifles, 338 ; Donedin City Guards, 332; Waikari Rifles, 329. At the conclusion of this match the 20 highest aggregate scores for the Carbine Belt then looked up their position for the last match—lo shots at 500 yards. The greatest interest was shown in the result, as Gordon, Allan, Weir, and Gill were within a point or two of each other. Allan started with a miss. This appeared to dishearten him, and he finished with a poor score. The others, however, made fair shooting, atid Turner, of the Wellington Artillery, scored 43 out of a possible 50, beating all the 20 at this range by 7 points. At 5.10 ptJ. the last shot for the Carbine Championship was fired, and Col. Stavely, amid great enthusiasm, declared Lieut. Gordon, of the Thames Naval Brigade, to be the winner, and as he won it last year, he retains it as his own property. Bandsman Grill, of the Thames Navals, and Bombardier Turner, of the Wellington Artillery, tied for second place, but in firing off the latter scored a miss, and Gill, making a bull's eye, scored second position. Seaman Weir, of the Thames NaTals, is fourth, and F. France, Wellington Navals, is fifth. The following are the full scores of the 20:— Lieut. Gordon, Thames Navals ... 312 Seaman Gill, Thames Navals ... 305 Bombard. Turner, Wellington Arty. 305 Seaman Weir, Thames IS avals ... 304 P.O. F. France, Wellington Navals 303 Trooper Perry, Alexandra Cavalry ... 302 Gunner Williams, Wellington Arty. 302 Bandsman Howe, Wellington Navals 301 Sergt. Allen, Dunedin Artillery ... 300 P.O. Thomas, Thames Navals ... 300 Sergt. Webb, Wellington Artillery 298 Seaman Floyd, Thames Navals, ... 294 Lieut. McCredie, Wellington Arty. 293 Capt. Somerville, Alexandra Cavalry 293 Corporal. Holmes, .Wellington Arty. 290 Seaman Harris, Wellington Navals 288 Lieut. Koss, Napier Artillery ... 287 Seaman Stitt, Wanganui Navals ... 286 Gunner Jack, Dunedin Navals ... 283 Gunner McKenzie, Wellington Arty. 280 Lieut. Gordon, along with the Belt, takes the JS.Z.R.A. gold star and £50; Gill, the N.Z.R.A. silver star and £25; Turner, the N.Z.R.A. silver star and £12 10s; Weir, £7 10s; and F. France, £5. Turner, being the highest scorer at this range, will be the recipient of the cup presented to the Association by a Dunedin citizen. At the conclusion of the match Lieut. Gordon was carried shoulder high up the pavilion. The final stage of the Rifle Championship was then proceeded with, and at 6.15 p.m. Sergt. Kennedy, of South Dunedin Rifles, was declared the winner with a score of 316; Lieut. Coventry, Dunedin Guards, 311, second ; ' Vol. Harding, Oamarn, 311, third ; Sergt. Hogg, Clutha, 305, fourth ; J and W. Wilcock tied for sth place, but in firing off J. scored a bull's eye to his brother's 3. and took the fifth prize. Harding and Coventry also tied for the second position, and firing off the latter made a bull's-eye to Harding's 3. i There was not so much interest taken in the Rifle Belt, as it was a foregone conclusion that an Otago man would win it. Lieut. Crossman, of Nelson, who was well up for the Belt, made an unfortunate mistake at the last range, which completely threw him out of the contest. When at 500 yards he by some means put his first five shots on the wrong target, and of course they were counted as misses. Kennedy was loudly cheered on his victory, and he also was carried shoulder high up the range.