BOYS AT BISLEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 232, 28 September 1908, Page 3

BOYS AT BISLEY.

NEW ZEALAND CADET GAINS SECOND PLACE. AN IMPERIAL CONTEST. (From Onr Own Correspondent.) LONDON, August 21. The young New Zealand cadet, Coloursergeant YV. R. Friar, who came 13,000 miles to compete at Bisley for the Lady Gwendolen Guinness Cup, had the misfortune to lose it by a single point. He scored til out of a possible 70, tieing with F. W. Candler for second place. Tile winner, Ernest Barltrop, scored 62. Friar also got second place in the contest for the Cheylesmore Cup, on the miniature range. The shooting took place last Saturday, August 15th, at | Bisley, where a company of city schoolboys, under the charge of Dr. K. J. E. Hanson, had been in camp for a week. Colour-sergeant Friar went into camp with the boys. The weather on Saturday was beautifully fine, but the wind was puffy and rather awkward for shooting. The only condition attaching to the Guinness Cup was, it should be competed for by boys actually camping at Bisley on the day of the competition. This condition was strictly complied with. The competitions, indeed, assumed an Imperial aspect, for among the boy competitors were an English public school boy, a boy representing Australia, a buy from Natal, and the lad sent over and financed by Now Zealand. The ranges wore 200 and 500 yards, one sighter and seven shots at each range. Service rifles were used. The young New Zealander's sighting shot at each range was a bull'seye. At 200 yards his seven shots were 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 5, s— a total of 31 out of a I possible 35. At 500 yards he scored 15, 4. 4. .5. 3, 4, s—a totalof 30.

Tt will be seen by his scores that the boy jshol really well, and had bad hick in not pulling off the prize. Dr. Hanson informed mc that he himself would present a second prize to Colour-sergeant Friar, so that, although he missed the Cup by a point, he will not re! urn empty-handed. The winner of the Cup was a boy of between 14 and 15 year*, from the Sir John Cass School (London), whose aggregate of 62 out of a possible 70 was distinctly good. The leading scores were as under: — The Guin-ne.-s Cup, 200 and 500 yards, seven shots at each range: E. Barltrop (Sir John Cass), ,'JO. 32— 62; F. VV. Candler (King Edward VI.), '2S, :?3 —61; W. R. Friar (New Zealand delegate), 31. 30—61: A. T. Ellis (Cambridge County). 30, 30 —bo; W. Hawthorne (Natal delegate). 27, 31 — SS; J. C. Taylor (Gresham), 29, 28—57; H. Croves (Sir John Cass), ,'lO, 27—57: W. Gardner (Neat's Foundation)., 29, 20 —55; R. Copeland (Australian delegate). 27, 20—53: A. h. Carter (Christ's Church. Southwark), 23, 29—52.

The afternoon competition on the miniature range for the Cheylesmore Cup produced even better shooting. The conditions were 10 shots nt 25 yards, to be given in a time-limit of 100 seconds. A half-inch bull was used. Twenty-four boys competed, and rive of them, including the New Zen land boy, tied for first place with a soon 1 of 1! out- of it possible 50. Friar fired his ten shots in seventy seconds. The five boy=; who had tied shot off for first place, and C. Knight, a London boy, of 13J years, won the Cup with the splendid score of 4o points out of a possible 50. Friar came second with 42. The lending scores in the match were: — The Cheylesmore Cup, ranid firing, 10 shots at 25 yards; time allowance, 100 seconds: C. Knight (Sir John Cass), 45; VV. R. Friar (Xew Zealand delegate), 4-2; V. Wormald (Swan-street); ,7. C. Tyler (Cresham). 3S: A. Blanche (King Edwv.rd VI.), 38'; E. Lambert (King Edward VI), 30.

Young Friar told mc that he had had no practice at miniature rifle shooting before coining to England a week or two ago. Under the circumstances, his performance in the Cheylesmore contest was distinctly good. It is a pity lie had to be content with second place in each match, but he had no reason to be ashamed of his scores, which would have been creditable to a marksman of mature years. And, although unsuccessful in the main object of his visit, he has had a good time in London and in the camp, and his tour will not fail to be of considerable benefit to him. During the next couple of months he intends to see something of the United Kingdom, before setting his face homewards again. The New Zealand cadet was presented to Lord Roberts at Bisley on Wednesday, after the shooting for the Roberts Cup, and received from the famous FieldMarshal a match rifle inscribed: '"Presented by Field-Marshal Lord Roberts to C'ol.-Sergt. William Robert Friar, of the N'cw Zealand Public Schools Corps, 1!>0S." The gift serves the double purpose of commemorating Mr Friar's visit to the Motherland, and of rewarding him for bis fine shooting made in the Guinness and Cheylesmore competitions last week.