NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 10 November 1882, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL COMPETITION. t (PEK UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.) c Dunedin, Nov. S. ] The shooting to-day was the most ' important of the meeting, as it was i known that the championships would i be decided. During the afternoon "" the weather was most • extremely 1 cold, and showers passed over the < range. Very few spectators were present ; in fact there has not been a large « attendance of the public at any time i during the whole ineeting. The shoot- i ing to-day was very slow. The Bifle Company's Challenge match, which started early this morning, only finished at 4.30 p.m. The proceedings to-day were opened with the last range of the Carbine Challenge Match, the Thames Navals winning the match rather easily. In the Kifle Challenge Match the following were the winning teams : — Clutha Rifles, 359; Wellington City Rifles, 338 ; Dunedin City Guards, 332 ; W*ikari Eifles, 320. Fourteen other teams competed, and their scores ranged down to 275. At the conclusion of this match the twenty highest aggregate scorers for the Carbine Belt took up their positions for the last match, 10 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, and Turner, of thd Wellington Artillery, scored 43 out of a possible 50, beating all the twenty at this range by seven points. At 4.10 the last shot for . the Carbine Championship was fired, and Colonel Stavely, amid great enthusiasm, declared Lieutenant Gordon, of the Thames Naval Brigade, to be the-win-ner, and as he won last year he retains it as his own property. Seaman Gill, of the Thames Navals, and Bombadier 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, secured second position. Seaman Weir, of the Thames^ is fourth', and F. France, of -the Wellington Navals, is fifth. The following are the full scores of the twenty: — Gordon, Thames Navals... ... 312 Gill, Thames Navals ... ...305 Turner, Wellington Artillery ... 305 Weir, Thames Navals ... ...304 F. France, Wellington Navals ... 303 Perry, Wanganui Cavalry ... 302 W. Williams, Wellington Artillery... 302 Howe, Wellington Navals ... 301 * lien, Dunedin Artillery ...300 P. O.Thomas, Thames Navals ... 300 Webb, Wellington Artillery ... 298 Floyd, Thames Navals ... ... 291 McCredie, Wellington Artillery ... 293 Sommerville, Wanganui Cavalry ... 293 Holmes, Wellington Artillery ... 290 W. Harris, Wellington Navals ... 288 Ross, Napier Artillery ... ... 257 Stitt, Wanganui Navals... ...286 Jack, Dunedin Navals ... ... 283 AlcKenzie, Wellington Artillery ... 280 Gordon, along with the belt, takes the N.Z.E.A. gold star, and £50 ; Gill, the N.Z.E.A. silver star and £25 ; Turner, the N.Z.E.A. silver star and £50; Weir, £7 10s; and F.France, £5. Turner, being the highest scorer at this range, will be the recipient of tho cup presented to the Association by a Dunedin citizen. • At tho conclusion of the match Gordon was carried shoulder high up to the pavilion. The final stage of the Rifle Championship was then proceeded with, and at 6.15 p.m. Sergeant Kennedy, of the South Dunedin Eifles, was declared the winner with a score of 310, Vol. Coventry, Dunedin Guards, 311, second; Vol. Harding, Oainaru, 311, third; Hogg, Clutha, 305, fourth. J, aud W. Willoclts tied for fifth place, but in firing off the latter scored a bull's-eye to his brother's three, and took fifth prize. Harding and Coventry also tied for second position, and in firing off the latter made a bull's-eye to Harding's three. There was not so much interest taken in the Rifle Belt, as it was a foregone conclusion that an Otago man would win. Lieut Crossman, of Nelson, who was well up for the belt, made an unfortunate mistake at the last range, which complexly 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 tho range. The followng are the scores of the twenty highest for the Rifle Belt:—. Kennedy, South Dunedin Rifles ... 316 Coventry, Dunedin Guards ... 311 Harding, Oamaru Rifles ... ... 311 Hogg, Clutha Rifles ... ...305 W. Willocks, Clutba Rifles ... 301 J.. Willocks, Clutha Rifles ... 301 McHatchie, Bruce Rifles ... 298' Webster, Dunedin Guards ... 296 Mooseman, Wanganui City Rifles... 296 Reed, Bruce Kifles ..." ... 294 Stone, Clutha Rifles ... ... 292 Sutton, Spring Creek Bines ...290 Mooseman, Wanganui City Rifles ... 289 Mills, South Dunedin Rifles ...288 Miller, South Dunedin Rifles ... 287 Brooks, North Dunedin Rifles . . 287 Foster, Wanganui Rifles ... ... 286 Crossman, Nelson Rifles ... ...285 Purnell, Wanganui City Bifles ... 253 Johnson, North Dunedin Rifles ... 278 Kennedy, in addition to the belt, takes the gold star and £50 ; Coventry, the silver star and i>2s ; Harding, the silver star and £15 ; Hogg, £7 10s; and Willocks, £5. The extra match for the cup presented by Mr Fergus, M.H.R., was completed this evening. The conditions of the match were 10 shots at 200 yards ; standing position. McCartney, of Portobello, won the first prize with a score of 30. The other principal spores were, Parslow, Auckland, and Mills, Dunedin, 29 ; Nutsford, Patea, 26 ; Harding, Oamaru, 25. This was the last match of the day. Iv the last raDge for the Rifle Belt Harding, of Oamaru, was the highest scorer, and takes a cup presented to the Association by the Union Steam Shipping Company. The Trophy Match [and Staff Match will be fired to-morrow morning, after which the review will be held on the ground chosen for the range. The last match on the programme, The Otago Ladies Sheild Match, will be fired on Friday morning. Vol. W. Willocks, of the Clutha Eifles, and P. O. Weavers, of the Wellington Naval Brigade, have fired through the meeting without missing the target, and will fire off shot for shot at 500 yards for the Rifle Association's Silver Medal awarded to competitors who make the greatest number of hits. November 9. This morning the competition for the Union Steamship Company Trophy was decided, Private Soutag, of Waikari, being the winner. In conuequence of the ground being wanted for the review, the staff match was postponed till tomorrow morning, when the Otago Ladies' Shield Match, the last on the programme, will be fired. The distribution of prizes took place this afternoon, the Mayor of Dunedin officiating, when Gordon (Carbine Champion) and Kennedy (Rifle Champion) received their prizes. There was great enthusiasm in handing Gordon the belt. The Mayor said that Gordon had proved himself the best carbine shot in New Zealand, not only at this meeting, but

»t all previous competitions, and he hoped that he would long continue the interest which he now took in contests of this hind. On descending from the' < platform, Gordon was cheered vociferously. This is the first time on which ' Kennedy has won the belt, and he also received hearty cheering. Gordon takes £67 10s in money prizes, and Kennedy £70. j t the review this afternoon 900 Volunteers were present, including the Dunedin,— lnvercargillj- and '■Oamaru Companies. The different movements were well executed, and the march past elicited applause from the spectators,' : who assembled in large numbers. The weather throughout was fine. — — 1