WITH SERVICE RIFLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 10

WITH SERVICE RIFLE.

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS. SHOOTING FOR KING'S PRIZE. McIVOR STILL LEADING. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TRENTHAM, Monday. Heavy rain which eet in early this afternoon interrupted the national riiie championships at Trentham and caused a postponement of shooting for the day. When the marksmen quitted the rainsoaked mounds, four matches in the belt series, three short-range matches, and one long-range match had been fired. With the completion, of, these, W. Mclvor, of Petone, was still leading for the King's Prize with a score of 279 out of a possible 300. C. J. Nix, Featherston, is in second place with 278, and third position is rilled by W. N. Masefield, Marlborough, with 270.

From a marksman's point of view conditions could not have been worse when the competitors went down at the mounds in the early morning. . The weather was fine, but threatening, with a strong fishtail wind down the range. Shooting was not by any means easy, even for skilled shots, and havoc was played with some of the scores of those less experienced in elevation and wind adjustment. In the afternoon the wind increased almost to a gale, and was accompanied by heavy rain.

Last of Short-range Matches. >

The last of the short-range matches in the belt series, the Canterbury Match, of 10 rounds at 000 yards, was completed half way through the morning, the winner being C. J. Nix, Featherston, with a possible. The second and third places were filled by W. H. AVest, Blenheim, and E. A. Ballincer, Petone, each with a txore of 47. The B grade was won by W. Oakley, Christchurch, with 46, and the tyro yrade by J. McKenzie, Opaki, with 44.

The Trentham aggregate, awarded for the highest aggregate scores in the shortrange matches, was won by Mclvor; with ]92 out of a possible 200. The runner-up was Nix, with 190, third place being taken by C. Pickering, Otaki, with 186. After firing in the Canterbury Match, the competitors moved back for the first long-range match in the belt series, the laranaki Match, of 10 rounds at 800 and 900 yards. This was won by V. E. Donald Opaki, with 92. Masefield was second with 91, and H. V. Croxton, Karori, was third with 90. The winner in the B grade was R. I. Wells, Paeroa, with 87. first money in the tyro grade went to I. A. Coleman, Karori, with 78.

Tie in Australian Aggregate,

A shoot-off will bo necessary to decide the winner of the Australian Aggregate, awarded for the highest aggregate scores ill the Mavlborough, Wellington, and iaranaki Matches. Croxton and Mclvor both have scores of 233, and the third place in the aggregate has been secured by Masehcld.

riio--following 20 marksmen are in the load for the King's Prize: W. Mclvor, Petone, 279; C. J. Nix, Feathei-ston, 278; VV. N. Masefield, Marlborough, 27C- H V. Cioxton, Karori, 274; E. A. Ballhr'er «r tO rs°\J? 73; R - H - Nieholl, Petone, 272; \V. H. West, Blenheim. 268; F. W China Ivarori, 2GB; V. Donald, Opaki, 268; h' binimonds, Auckland, 207; H. Frankland Karoii, 267: R. I. Wells, Paeroa, 26,1; H. W. Feast, Grcytown, 265; E. R. Truman? Ashburton, 26.1; 0. Clung, Karori. 265- H Bonn Karori, 265; A. C. Edmonds,' Alfred ton 204; F. S. Hood, Featherston tt i, I V,r^ ar^cr, Ro "K a . 264; E. T. llaldnne, Waipukurau, 264.