RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11525, 6 March 1903, Page 6

RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

THE OPENING DAY

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

TREXTHAM, March 5. The- firH day's shooting at the Trentham. m<;etin£ \rv.a highly sucMwful from every point of view. The entries were a record einw the £rc;tt exhibition meeting at Winfj.ilui, and ia the matter of tyros J«ri;«;*i. number th-e Association lins ever had, thus proving tho increasing interest in shooting lliroughont the colony. Out of i>lß t-ntries thei* mo 95 from rifle dubs. It will, tb'.'ieforc, be i«-n thai, notwiththe disadvantages under which tliL-y me x>inoed with regard to the proa.; :i whole, ihey ore dcterminf*fl k> lift'lit. hard t'» ivtiun the belt. The. shootir.'4 in thj opening match wns clearly a record for Xew Zealiind, and probaoly for the Australasian colonies. That two meo .vhnuid inak-.i ICO nut of a pof;siblc 105 in tho preliminary canter of a big m?et:nc,' jnoviia that t.h? niuch-talked-Oi want of pniMi-o has d<>i-.e no •

Tho men shot fc«|.t:-r in the opetiisg match this mu-tiuy than they cur did in tluir lives. Looking ;i'- tho tvr> highest score. , ! —those nindr by Hyde- nnd Lfster—they may bo c;i!kd iiwrvoHnus. True, the. light up to tho last minute of shooting wus all thnt coii'd foe wi'hed for for high Bcorins:. but when the lightßcss of the .303 bullet i» con.sidered, and tho effect that evea the slightest wind has en it, and also iiwt there was u.t times a smart breeze atlnvart the lino of fire, which tended to •puzz-lo marksnwn, every credit mu.«i be givra to Lt«ter and Hyde, who tackled the work with such saccesa. Turner (Wellington) was a little behind the leading men, putting up 99, Tvihile Speck and Ching each came very clo« tip with 98. In past years either of these scorex would, have secured first prize. At the opening range, 200 yds, the veteran F. W. Williams (Napier) .guvo an idea of the strong direction of the shooting wlietn he planked en tho possible, which was ehortly afterwards equalled by Howard (Napier). Tljus the honours of the first possibles fell to that town. There was a goodly number of 34's, and 33's were quito common. At tho SOOyde range there were four poasibles—Ching (Nelson), Corporal Jack (Limrood), Whitley (Kaiapoi), nnd (Davidson, (YVuiiroo). At 600 yds the fine quality of .the' shooting was maintained, and for a time it looked nil though the century would be considerably orejatepped by the highest scorer. Soon word was passed' down tiie line that Hyde, who was reported to be in. poor form, had scored 100, putting on 34 at the last range. Ching finished directly. afterwards with 98, and nnd much interest takenin Cox (Auckland), •who looked to have every ahanbe of beating F| d«. In the meantime Lesßer (Christfhuichj wne jiulling up the score, and when h« had reached 9* it looked any odds hia liealiiiig Hyde, but he wae only able to ge* ithxee witn loan final slhofc, whidi placeidl Jiim with 100 to hia credit and second place «i tho prize liat. After such splendid shooting, 97'» aod under looked small indeed, aiid oitteide spectaiora, of whom thter© were several, hardly noticed themThe ex-champions competing are Parslow (Aacklamd), Hydo (Opaki), W. and H. Ballinwer (Petone), King (Oamaiu), Ghirrton (Vyangafliui), 3lajor Okey (Taranaki), Rose (Napier).

The Nelson, Blenheim, amd Picton competitors fttrived too late for the first two ranges owing to the bfjng delayed, but they wore allowed) to fire those distances at tho close of tho final range shooting.

The omadng ehot of the meeting wae linnl by Major Okey. The fdlowing are the scores in the AUCKLAND MATCH, 200 yds, 600 yds, 600yde; aoven diote. Hyde (Opaki), £6 100 Lrster (Ca-ntcrbnry Engineers), £5 ... 100 Turner (Wellington), £4 ... ... 99 Cox (Auckland). £4 ... ... 99 Speck (Stratford, £3 ... ... 98 Ching (Wairaea), £3 , ... ... 98 Wilson (Potoiw), £2* ... ... 97 Webster (Akarana), £2 97 Hutley (Hastings), £2 ... ... 96 Ittidt (Kivitangftta), £2 ... ... 96 Davidson (VVniroa), , £2 ... ... 96 Williams (Taradale), £2 ... ..96 Kiiiß (Opaki), £2 % Sandford (G*hri«t<:hnroh), £2 ... 95 Ayeon (,En«t Taieri). £2 ... ..95 M'ilroy (Nolson), £2 ... . '95 Pirrntll (I'utca), £2 ... .35 Snmil (KititangAta-), £2 ... ... 95 Hardy (BUnlicim). £2 ... ... 95 Turnbull (Opjiki), £2 ... ... 94 Kemp (Citfrstcburch). £2 ... ... 94 Biirraciough (Wangiinui). £2 ... 94 Lt. Okpy '(Taracaki). £2 ... ... 94 Howard (Napiw), £2 ... ... 94 Buina (Karori), £2 ... ... 94 Soarle ((jnvei-sh.im). £2 ... ... 94 Irvine (Waimea). £2 ... ... 94 Ballmger (Fetan«), £2 ... ... 94 Henry (Opaki). £2 ... ... 94 Brmrn (Flauraki). £2 ... ... 94 Counted out—McHnMSe (Opaki), Okee (Piako). Come (Ohinemuri). TJIO following were the winners of Tyros prise*:—Williamson (Manchester Rifles) 94, Gilkne (Duntdin) 93, Morrison (Ohir<*muri) 93. Hopkins (Waipawa) 92, Franklin (Ruahine) 92, Bishop (Hast-inge) 92. E. J. Neil!, a waiter in the enmp, took ill yesterid.iy, and hie condition ia'rerioue. This eveoiog he wa, , ? removed in an ambulance to the city brepvtal. It. is stippoeed he 13 RufiVrinc; from scarlet fever. Tho genera! health in the camp is good. (special to "the press.") TREN-THAJi, March 5. Tha shooting to-day was of a far more exciting nature thaji has be-in the case on, the oponinff day in any previous year. Deepite tl>« high shooting, Canterbury men did fairly veil, several of thorn ptting into tho prize list. Lt«tDr (Engineers) ehot Tx-IU-r than ever befoi-e, his scores being 34, 34, and 32, a 5, caused by the change of wind, spoiling his 6QQyds wore. The scores of the otJver Canterbury repwsMJtatives were:—Engineers—Kenlp 94, Liglitfoot 88, Hearne 82 Morrin 84, Smith B. Turtill 75, Buntin 69. City Gunrde— Ysifcws 83. S;\ndford 95, McColl 73- College Rifles—Marsh 90. Heu-lctt 85, Scott 81. Linwond Rifles—T. Jack 89, Cooper 86, P. Jack 89, C3ve 89. Imperials—Luxton 88, Renn*ci 83, MoDcrief 79, McConnell 75. Reserve Club—McKay 90. Lnverv 92, Manning 93, Whitley (KaiapoiU9o, Willis Barker (Lebon) 89.