THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT BISLEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 207, 30 August 1905, Page 10

THE NEW ZEALANDERS AT BISLEY.

■' \ - SHOOTING FOB THE KOLAPORE CUP. "BEATEN, BUT NOT 6u_____SSß_>." (From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON. July 21. It was, perhaps, too much to nope that the Koiapore Cup would go a second time in succession to New Zealand. Had the team shot up to their practice form they would probably have won; but there waft slight faUlng-off—not very much, but just enough to lose the match. The team lias the consolation, however, of knowing that they put up a higher score for the Cup than any previous team from the colony. Though only taking thud place, they scored 30 points more than the New Zealand team which won the Cup last year—and they finished only nine points behind the victorious Canadians.

"Our team were beaten, but not outclassed," was Major Hughes' verdict, as expressed to your correspondent. "The Canadians well deserved their win, but 1 would not say they were a better team. The match was lost and won at the last range—the 600 raids. Up to the end of the second range it was anybody's match. It was a close shoot throughout. How was it we were beaten? Well, 1 think our men were over-anxious. They did not settle down to lt at the first range as they should have done. We should have been level with Canada at the 200 yards, instead of finishing five points behind. Our htea didn't shoot up to tbe form -hoy r.howM in practice. There was an "outer" in our score at r«00 yaids which had no br.slness to be there. i think they felt tne strain ot shooting for places in the Cup t.am the week before. Some of the men said it w.s 'worse than shooting for the tir-it. r,t Trent-am.' They had a b't of bad luck in the matter of wind in the sboot for the Cnp. It was a -fish-tail' breeze from the left-front, and very tricky and troublesome. Ttieie were two more outers in onr score at 600 yards, but the breeze steadied a bit when the last four men went down, and they finished up very svrongly. You will see by the scores tha. the shooting was good all through. We beat last year's winning score by 30 point, and were only nine points behind the win-

Major Hughes expressed the hope that iNow Zealand's failure to retain the Kolapore Cnp would not deter the Government from .ending another team Home next f*- ™ * Ti V: isit *<" England has convin, ~ the major that tho rest of sending a te<im s more than repaid in the advertisement n gives The colony, in the encouragement Hef lf S J° in the opportuiU±_Mii '„!,* t0 y°, un £ Sew Zealanders to __22.. ?•** 0 . U,( by oontact wltl > representatives from all parts of the Empire and finally in fostering the Imperial sent ment, and so strengthening the connection between Mother! .nd aud colonies "_h,l _- SC ° raS . l ° m "" a * doa tho ma J°'--that if a colony gain, a reputation for marksmanship, foielgn countries will think twice before putting, it to the test in actual warfare." KOLAPORE CUP SCORES. The shooting for the Kolapore Cup was the best of the week. All five teams exceeded the total of 719 which won the run last year for New Zealand. This yenr Canada scored 7.5, with the Mother Country only 6 points behind. New Zealand 9 and Transvaal 12. It will be noticed that' only a narrow margin of 12 points separated the fourth team from the first—and this nt the end of the third stage of a teams' match indicates a phenomenally rlose contest. The Canadian victory was very popular In camp and out of it. Here are the scores:— CANADA.

255 253 241 749 Transvaal 255 235 230 74<> (Guernsey 243 247 24. 734 WONDERFUL MARKSMANSHIP. On Saturday last the weather was again gloriously fine, and a gentle south-westeriy breeze tempered the heat. There were no teams matches tor tbe New Zealanders to lire In, but several of them won Individual prizes in various open contests. Tbe standard of the shooting at Bisley on Saturday was very high, even for Bisley, whither the best shots of the Empire find their way. In the "Dally Graphic" Cup match, seven shots at 200 yards, there were 48 possibles (35 points) and any quantity of 34's,while In the "Graphic" match, seven shots at 500 yards, uo fewer than 52 men scored possibles, and 113 men scored 34 points each. Private v»ilkie was amongst the possibles In the "Dally Graphic" match, and Lieut. Irvine In the "Graphic" in the Wimbledou Cup Private Craw made 4S out of 50 at 600 yards, but six other men did even better.so that he only took seventh prise, £3; and Pte. Franklin, who also made 48, was ninth with £2. In the "Daily Telegraph" Cnp match,seven shots at 600 yards, there were five highest possibles and a long string of 34's and 33's. Captain Ballinger notched 34 in this match, and Pte. Craw and Sgt. Drummond 33. The Stock Exchange match, which with the totals made In the two "Graphics" and the "Daily Telegraph" count in the aggregates competition, produced some phenomenal scoring. One competitor made 104 out of a possible 105, thus losing but a single point over three ranges—2oo, 500, and 600 yards. Three men pat up 103 points apiece, and 100's were very plentiful. Captain W. H. Ballinger and Pte. Craw each scored 00 —a good performance, but only worth a £2 prize in the face of such mnrkmanshlp es those higher in the list exhibited. No fewer than 24 98's were con v ted out in this match, amongst them Lieut. Irvine. In view of shnotlnjr such as this, lt Is not surprising to learn on the authority of tho "Times" that a proposal to redi'eo the bull's eye of the target Is to be seriously brought forward. NEW ZEALAND PRIZE-WINNKKS. Ou the day of the Kolapore Cup match a Mew Zaaland team of four finished fourth and wan if . in the Mapptln Bros.' Challenge Cud competition. This was open to three teams of four volunteers from nny volunteer unit. The men had to cover a course of about 450 yards, taking four obstacles on the way and fire at two distances—OirJ «nd 600 yards; five minutes was allowed for completing the course; seven marks de- ; ducted from score for each quarter of a; minute over time in completing: any team not completing within seren minutes to t>e considered distanced. The winning team scored ISB points, and New Zealand were fourth with 16. Seventeen other teams u_?.de scores of lower value. The Mnllens match was decided the same day. This was a field firing competition at a moving target representing a man. The teams, each composed of six men and « eomntß-tr, advanced from the ewyas firing point, shooting at eight different

distances. A' Scotch team won the **** prize (£100) with 74 points, and New Zealand finished ninth with 50 points, winning £6. The winning team of six were all internation marksmen, *Ad included three who had won the N.R.A. gold medaL The 48 competitors who tied for first place in the "Daily Graphic" match by scoring the highest possible (35 points), shot off the tie on Tuesday. Private Wilkie, of the New Zealanders, was placed among the winners, of two framed sketches and £5 apiece. In the Secretary of State for War Competition (10 shott at 9-0 yards), Pt*. Craw and Pte. Hawthorne scored 48 out of a. possible 50 points, wanning £4 and £3 respectively. The winners of the first two prizes (£ls each) scored 49 points. The conditions of wind in this match were exceptionally difficult, and the prize-winner, had every right to be proud of their position. The tie in the "Graphic" match. In which a great number had scored the highest passible, was shct off on 1 jesday. Lieut. R. M. Irvine finished well up in the prizelist, winning two framed sketches and £5. In the Allcomers' Aggregate, in which the totals of several of the more important matches are added together, Captain W. H. Baliinger won £2 with a score of 164. The winner of the first prize (Cup or £15)

, scored 160. ; The following New Zealanders won £1 ' each dn the Armourers' Match: Pte. Pear- ' son, 46 out of a possible 00; Sgt. Drum- ' mond. 45; Sgt. Shaw, 45. In the Kynoch ' Match Sgt. Show and Sgt. Drummond each • won £1, with a score of 44 oat of 50. The ' top score in each of these matches was 48. Pte. Brown won 10/ in a 2-O.ds sweepstake - match on Mondpy, with 34 out of a pos- ■ sible 35. The winning score for the Wimbl-don 1 Cup (or £25) was 49 out of a possible 50. Pte. Craw cam« seventh with 48, winning ; £3; and Pte. Franklin, who also notched : 48, was placed fourteenth, winning £2. . Sgt. Drummond won £1 in the Alexander r Martin Mate- with 47 out of a possible 50. - The winner of the match scored the pos- ; sible, as also did the runner-up. Pte. Craw ', won a King's Range prize by putting on the , possible at the first range of the first stage . of the King's Prize. ' SHOOTING FOR THE KING'S PRIZE, j • The King's Prize, which Is the bine rib- ! and of rifle-shooting in the British Em- ! phe, will not be decided until the day af- ; ter the mail closes, but, the opening stages I have produced some interesting, result*. The first stage was fired on Wednesday, ; when each of the 1470 competitors fired ' seven shots at each of the following; ranges ! —200, 000, and 600 yards. The winner received the bronze medal of the N.R.A., ' and the 800 best scoters went forward to [ compete for the second stage. The wea- | thc-r on Wednesday was glorious from the ' point of view of the spectator, but a , tricky wind and an occasions heat-haze ; bothered the marksmen a good deal. Nevertheless the shooting was better than ' last year. Forty-eight men pnt on possibles at the first range and no fewer than , 125 competitors only dropped a single ' point: the other ranges also produced some ' _plendid marksmanship. Colonials were I numerous among the 300 who qualified for j the second stage, amongst them being five I "X>w Zealanders. s< yen Canadians, and 12 . I Transvaalers. The performance of the '. I Transvaal team. In potting a dozen men ; out of a total of 18 into the 300, was es- , pecially creditable. The scoring this year iias been higher than ever on the average. . At the first Bisley meeting in 1890, with I the Martini-llenry, scores of 86 and S7 were food enough for the 300, and in the following year men with S3 and 82 gained admission. This year, however, scores ', under 04 were out of it altogether, and 92 . marksmen who score. 04 points each had . to shoot off the tie to determine who should (ill the lemainlng 64 places amongst the 300 who compete in the second range. The New Zealanders who qualified were s Rergoant Drummond, 100 (out of a possible - tor.); Pte. Hawthorne, 97; Pte. Brown, 97; 3 Pte. Craw, 03; and Pte. Wllkie, 94. The - wl-ming score was 103. registred by Sergt. 7 Sorter, nn Aberdonian, who wins the 1 Rronze M n dnl. 7 The second stage of the King's Prlz--8 ?0 shoty at f.OO yards, is being fired c day. The first prize is the Silver M«dai i of the N.R.A., and the 100 best aggregate . scores in the two 6tages will qualify to 1 shoot in the final stage, the winner of - whi<-h tTkes the King's Prize r.nd the '".old Mcdil of the N.R.A. Tlie King Is to be present at Dis'ey to-morrow to review '_*.x. oo! --V aI . b '' M nnd witness the Una] of the King's Prize contest. ii f A BRILLIANT FINALE. •5 THE KING AND THE COLONIALS. • LONDON. July 29. y The closing day of the Bisley Rifle Mect- _ -Ug was the most notable day iv the anuals of the famous shooting range. A visit from the King-the tti.t a Sovereign „ has ever paid to Bi.l.y—and a record aathe ermg of spectators combined to give the meeting a hriiliant aud memorable endiu" The weather was magnlticent, as ie had been throughout the whole fortnight so that Bisley finished up literally in a blaze of triumph. The King stayed for Uie greater part of the afternoon, and took a u.eu. interest in the doings of his rifle- - men. Ills Majesty made it plain that he was thoroughly in sympathy with the efS forts of tne N.R.A. to encourage rifle--7 s .,?_'"" a »", ,n sst army men, volunteers and civilians alike, aud he bestowed special 5 attention upon the colonial marksmen who had travelled long distances overseas to 2 be at Bisley. "I am glad to think," said His Majesty, "that this most excel- ,, ieut aud national Institution is uourishJ ing, and, above all, that not only our own countrymen at home take part in the 1 rifle-shooting, but that so raacy from the different colonies came over. They are 5 very heartily welcome, as anything that - tends to bring the __mpire more together is _ always a satisfaction, not oaiy to mc, but, I am sure to all In our islands. As Lord Roberts said afterwards, there could ■ y not be a greater encouragement to rifle- . shooting than this visit of the King's to . Bisley. The King arrived at Bisley about two ' o'clock, accompanied by the Duke of Spar- • ta and a brilliant suite. The Minister for 5 War (Mr 11. O. Arnold-Forster), Lord Rob- <■ efts, General Lyttelton, Lieutenant-General ) French, and Major-General Baden-Powell - were amongst those In attendance. His > Majesty after lunch inspected the colonial ; teams, who were drawn up In front of the 1 Council 1 'avilion, to the number of about a hundred. There were Canadians, Transvaalers, New Zealanders, and Guernsey , men, In considerable numbers, and a sprink- , ling from Burma, the Cape, Central South Africa, Kaffmria, Natal, Rhodesia, Straits '< Settlements, and the West Indies, to say j J nothing of the secretaries of the rifle clubs 1 of Cairo and Alexandria. The King talked first with Colonel Ilesslln, the Canadian f colonel, and then with Major Hughes (New , Zealand), and other commanding cffi.tra 1 one by one, and, after greeting the Transj vaal colonel. His Majesty spoke thus: » "On this first occasion of your coming to r Bisley I cordially greet you. Your men repi resent a new colony, and they have done j exceedingly well. I hope to see a Transvaal team here constantly la future years." t Otherwise there was no set speech, and on the dismissal of the parade the King • drove off to the 1000 yards' firing point ou J Stickledown, to see the final stage of the 5 match for the King's Prize, a purse of 3 £230 and the Gold Medal of the R.N.A. 1 To win the King's Prize Is the highest 3 achievement in target-shooting In the Brit- - ish Empire. It is a most searching test i, of merit, and though luck can never be ; entirely excluded, only a marksman of the i- highest calibre can reach the final stage and v become one of the King's Handred. Three of the New Zealanders, by the wav, finishj ed well up in the final. Nearly 1500 men , competed at the first stage, which consisted of three ranges, 200, 500 and 600, seven shots at each range. The three hundred. " best scores o.ualifled -o shoot at the second 1 stage—twenty shots each at 800 yards. - Then the scares of tha first aud second ' stages were added together, and the hun- • dred best went forward to compete in the - Una] stage —800, 900 and 1000 yards, ten i shots at each range. To lay on the bull'sr eye. that number of shots within a rcla- . tively brief space of time demands rare . skill and endurance. On Saturday the f ac ! was rondo-red much more difficult by reason of a broiling sunshine and a provoklng- ' ly gusty wind. The man who had led in the first two stages fell right away at the J 800 yards' range of the float stage. The ' finish, as often happens, was in no sense ' exciting. An East Surrey volunteer, .Sert ge.int Comber, finished fairly early with a total of 315, including a fine score of 41 at 1000 yards, and nobody caught up to him. The King warmly congratulated the winI ncr, who was after .yards "chaired" in tri- | umph to the marquee. Comber, a slim, j ; dark-complexioned, silent man, seemed the - least excited person on the ground, so " coolly did he take his trimnph. lie is an. : old hand at the game, however, and comes { of a famous shooting family. He served { In the South Africau war, aud ten days I ! ,;.fter his return won the SL've. Medal at ' : the second stage of the King's Prize. His l i score on Saturday read: Ist stage, 98: 2nd 1 stage, 92; SOO, 46; 900, 38: 1000, 41-grand ; total, 313. 1 Of .he three New Zealanders in the j King's Hundred. Pte. G. Hawthorne was 3 346h with a total of 297 —eighteen points less than the winning score. Sgt. Drom- - mond came 50th with 291, and Pte. Percy 1 Brown 67th with 257. The New Zealanders ■ were weakest at the 1000 yards' range, 1 where their respective scores were 32, 30 » nnd 21. Private Hawthorne's prize was t £12 and the N.B.A. _*_*•; Sgt. Drum-

-aond woo __1© and badge; and Ptfc Brown £8 and- badge..' . . : i__The first Tour prises In tie E3___i ****• Match, vt__. £250. £_o>, £40 and -ftp. went to Englishmen. A Canadian won tee flitn , prise of £20. and a man from Natal and another from Singapore eacb woa _sl_». NEW ZEALAND PRIZE-WINNERS. New Zealaitde-B figure In the prize-lists of a. number of other competitions decided In the closing stages of the meeting. Four members of the team qualified for prtxes in the Grand Aggregate, the scores in which comprise those made la the King's Prize and St. George's (first stages), the Alexandra. Graphic, Daily Graphic, and Daily Telegraph. The winning score was 335 points, to the credit of Sergt. Ommundsen, Queen's Edinburgh, and amongst other prise-winners were the following New Zealanders:— Pte. Craw, winner of N.R.A. Bronse Cross and £2 «. 320 Sergt. Drummond, winner of N.B.A. Bronze Cross and £2 318 Captain Ballinger, winner of £2.......316 Lieut. Irvine, winner of £2..... 315 The Volunteer Aggregate, which was also won by Sergt. Ommundsen, with USpoints, included:— Sergt. Drummond, winner of £2 161 Pte. Craw, winner of £2 180 The Corporation of the City of London, which -was won by Pte. Reid, of the Transvaal, with 330 points. Included:— Pte. Craw, winner of £7 10/ 320 . Sergt. Drummond, winner of £5 318 The Elkington Long Range Aggregate, . won by Sergt. Comber with 134 points, in- [ eluded:— Major D'Arcy Chaytor, winner of £2...123 The St. George's Cnp, which rants next to the King's Prize In importance among ' volunteers, was won by Colonel Sandeman with a total of 135. The prize-list included:— Pte. Craw, winner of N.H.A. badge and £9 .! 132 It is significant of the keenness of the competition that although Craw was only three points behind the winner, he was 13th on the list. But the shooting was wonderfully close in ail the matches. THE HOMES OF THE CHAMPIONS. The winners of the big events at Bisley arc well distributed between England, Scotland, and the Colonies, when the numerical strength of each country's representation at Bisley is taken into account. Scotland was the champion of all range work, and England easily first in the King's Prize. Canada deprived New Zealand of the Kolapore, but the Transvaal made a better allround display than either. The distribution by countries is shown in the following summary of the chief events:— Furnisned by King's Champion England Aggregate Champion Scotland Kolapore Champion Canada Rifle Club Champion England Schools Champion England Long Range Team Scotland Short Range Team England Mullens Scotland Alexandra Scotland Prince of Wales's Scotland St. George's England China Cup Scotland Highest Placed Colonials In King's Prize Canada and Natal Most Colonials in the King's Final Transvaal Best Colonial Aggregate Transvaal In recent years the King's Prize has neen widely distributed. In ISSO (then the Queen's) it went to Guernsey, and in the following year an Englishman won. The successes since have been by a Scot, an Englishman, a Welshman, a Canadian, and an Englishman again. «

200 500 60O yds. yds. yds. Tl. Capt. A. Elliott .. 34 3. ;J4 103 S.-Sgt. G. It. Crowe .. 33 ,14 ,10 07 Capt. W. 11. Forrest.. 32 :i2 3a !)'j Capt. J. Dull .Stuart.. S3 ;>_ 31 »5 Sgt. G. W. Russell :-_> ::•> s_ 05 Pte. A. Wilson X5 ;;o 31 34 S.-Sgt. W. 11. Moore .. 32 ::o :io y. S.-S_t- II. Kerr 1 32 28 28 S3 2C0 251 247 753 This team also won tlie National Rifle Association prize of £80 awarded to the team, exclusive of the Mother Country, which mates the highest aggregate in the competition. MOTHER COUNTRY. Q.M.S. J. Fraser, Banff Artillery 33 34 35 lO'J Pte. W. Gray, London Scottish ,"_ ._} 33 <)s Pte. Collier. UR.H ,'i2 35 .0 07 Lt. W. T. Davies, 3rd Glrnn 33 33 29 05 Arm.-Spt. A. Lawrence, 1st Dumb 34 26 S3 92 Lt. C. D. Miller. 1st Derby 30 31 31 1)2 Spt. A. Paterson, 3rd Sea 20 31 31 91 Capt. K. D. Johnson, L.R.B 28 29 28 85 251 252 2.9 752 NEW ZEALAND. Pte. Mllroy 33 30 33 9(5 Lt. Irvine 31 34 31 90 Pte. Pearson 33 30 32 95 Pte. Rrowne 33 31 31 95 Pte. Jack 32 31 :io 93 Pte. Franklin 31 33 29 93 Pte. Wilkie 30 33 28 91 Sgt. Shaw 32 31 27 90