THE VOLUNTEERS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 252, 28 November 1872, Page 6

THE VOLUNTEERS.

A general meeting of the Dunedin Rifle Club was held at the Drill Shed, Octagon, Nov. 21st ; VoL M. Creagh in the chair. .There was a very thin attendance. After receiving the Secretary and Treasurer's report, which showed the club s finances to be in a very satisfactory state, it was resolved that the operations of the club should be suspended for three months in consequence of the other numerous rifle competitions projected, and that the meeting be adjourned until the last week in February, 1873. The committee's report showed that there vretc six matches fired, viz — one in each of the months of May, June, August, September, October and November, the average number of entries in these matches being 66 ; and the greatest (the fifth) 73. Vol. McLaren, was the highest scorer in a single match with 50 points, and Sub. -Lieut. McKenzie the the highest aggregate scorer for the six matches .with 250 points, or an average of 41.6 per match. A vote of thanks to the retiring- committee and chairman concluded the proceedings. The Oamaru, Hampden, and Otepopo Rifles, and the Oamaru Rifle Cadets, have been constituted the third or Northern Battalion of Otago Volunteers. Captain Steward has been advanced to the rank of Major, and commands the battalion.

The Governor has accepted, the resignation of Lieut. A. Dunn, Dunedin Scottish.

The quarterly competition for the Challenge Cup of the Anderson's Bay division of the D.N.B. took place on Monday the 18th, at the Anderson's Bay range. The conditions were— 4oo, 500, and 600 yards ; five shots at each ; Hythe position at 400, and any at 500 and 600 yards. The weather was all that could be desired, but the shooting was not so good as might be expected. Lieut. Grant was the winner with a score of 47 points.

At last night's meeting of the council of the Otago Kifte Association, a sub-com-mittee was appointed to prepare a programme for the forthcoming meeting, and to report on the 25th inst. It is intended, should a sufficient number of country volunteers join the Association for the ensuing year, that a > simultaneous match shall be shot at their own ranges on a day to be fixed by the council— open only to those who have not taken a prize at the Association meeting. The score obtained by Captain LamborU;. No. 5 Company Robin Hood Rifles, ia thecompetition for the Battalion Cballsnge Prize, deserves notice. The score o£ 56 is in. fact the highest score in the history of tn& volunteers. The number of 6Q is the highest that can be made, supposing every shot to be a bull's eye ; and to show what Captain Lambert did we may state that at 200 yards he made three bull's eyes, and the same number at 500, being IS at each range. At 600 the whole fiye shots were bull's eyes, 20 being scored. The day was not the bestth&jj could be chosen for shooting, it being necessary at 600 yards to aim at the edge ol the target. There is no record of such a score as this, and its accomplishment is thetneme of conversation with every volunteer who knows anything of shooting. Captain Lambert's score has never been reached, and this is all the more remarkable because in the year there are 700,000 shots fired in these ranges by volunteers throughout the kingdom, and since the establishment of the "olunteero no less than 7,000,000 shots must have been fired without such a result being obtained. The feat achieved by Captain Lambert is one which will long be talked of among the Robin Hoods, and will be a feature in the annals of the corps. The shooting was witnessed by many of the best shots in the regiment, and the result was loudly" applauded.