WIND AND SUN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 65, 19 March 1926, Page 7

WIND AND SUN.

TO-DAY'S TRENTHAM WEATHER. POOR SHOOTING CONDITIONS. x :-,..■ FORM UPSET. ;§ (Br Telegraph.—Press Association.)" ••) TRENTHAM, this day. ' The weather was again holding glori* ously fine this morning when shooting began at eight o'clock, at 900 yds, to complete the Dominion Match. Shaded targets and sun-bathed mounds, with mirage in front of the targets, affected some of the men atul misses were dotted about freely. About nine o'clock the first really threatening puffs of wind came along and, though riot yet serious, are giving the marksmen something to think about. Later on, the Hawke's Bay Match, ten shots at 000 yds, will be fired, and in the afternoon the Otago matoh, ten shots at 800 and 900, -will keep the men occupied. These last thirty shots will complete the 116 fired to determine finally who shall fife in tlie King's fifty to-morrow. The general opinion is that, unless Roots breaks down badly, nobody can stop him from putting his name for a third time on the belt. At the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association last night. Colonel R. Hiighes was re-elected president. Mr. Feliingham was elected secretary, and Colonel Creswell, Major Dunn, and Captain Simmonds, the executive. The latest positions of the leaders in. the Rifle Club Champion Teams Match are: —Wellington Suburbs, No. 1, 1834; Featherston, 1315; Wanganui, Kb. 1, 18la; Karori, No. 1, 1801; Akarana, 1792. (Details of yesterday's ehooting will be found on another page.) "Fish Tail" Brings Trouble. As the hours passed clouds blotted out the glaring sun, leaving, the light soft and clear, but one of Trentham'9 trickiest "fishtails" developed, with disastrous results to the Bcores at the 900 yards of the Dominion Match. Many cards disclosed misses, and the man who got every shot on the target counted, himself lucky, Rhodes put all ten into the bull, but as he only came back "with 55 on for fifteen shots at 600 yards his 900 yards "possible," the only oae registered thus far, did not bring him much grist. H. Donald (71, 46—117) and Caughley (70, 45 —115), at the end of the matchj iieaded the list. Among the tragedies of the morning was Masefield's shoot. Starting with a> miss and a. three for sighters lie got another 3 3, then four misses, then 2, then three misses, then a 2—total 7. Hβ had come back with a useful 65, so his "crash" Tjrought Jiim condolences from all sides. Even the official flag at the headquarters office was overcome, and fell mysteriously to half-mast. The match was won by Donald (Opaki), total 117, followed by Caughley (Karori), 115; R. J. King (Opaki), Heny (Kaiapoi), Jepson (Tahora), C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), Hollard (Opotiki), each 114; Mcßain (Wellington), O'Donnell (Petone), Roots (Patea), Ginney (Petone), Irvine (Nelson), each 113. Thi3 matoh docs not count for the belt. The tricky conditions continued for the ten shots of the Hawke's Match, 900 yards, belonging to the Belt series. Caldwell notched the possible, while Roots "came a mucker," with only 20,