TRENTHAM RIFLE MEETING.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14293, 2 March 1912, Page 9

TRENTHAM RIFLE MEETING.

ADDRESS BY LIEUT.-COL. COLLINS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION' -ELEGB-il.) TRENTHAM (Rifle Range), March 1. The Trentham Rifle Range presented an animated appearance this morning, when tho competitors mustered at tho squadding pests. Despite the heavy rain, the competitors were cheerful, for tho real business of the meeting was to commence. The 325 competitors came from a:l parts of New Zealand. Most, of those present were rifle club men. their ages ranging from 18 to nearly 00. Among the competitors were many e_-champ;ons, and of the champions who have won the.r laurels on tiio Trentham Range, only JBaihnger, Ching and lrvmo wero absent. Lieut.-Colonel Collins, in an address to tho men, referred to the cause of dissatisfaction among shooters at the small attendance. This, he explained, was duo to the establishment of tho Territorial forces, and matters being in a transition state. Ail things considered, tho attendance was good, being 320 rifles. In tho old days thc volunteers wero always represented at theso meetings, the expense being subscribed by tho companies. Tho volunteers wero not now in existence, and the companies of territorials were unable to send men at their own expense. The Cate harvest down south also tended in the direction of reduced entries. When these factors were considered, it would bo seen that larger entries [ could not have been anticipated. As to tho programme, they had arrived at a time of most acute crisis. The bull'seyo was doomed. General Godley came out here, and he said he was no extremist; he would do what ho could for rifle shooting, but, considering that universal training was in vogue, it was only natural that tho shooting must bo of a military character. For that reason the Association's meeting naturally included a good many Service matches. When the programme was drawn up it was a compromise. The meeting really only commenced today, the previous two days being devoted to practice matches, and it showed thc keen interest taken in them that yesterday thero were 700 entries for thoso events. Great improvement had been made with regard to service matches, and the men would know the result of their shots as they fired. Ho thought thero would be no trouble in securing an alteration in tho constitution of tho Association in the direction of allowing competitors to have a voice in the election of the executive. Arrangements wero being made to further encourage riflo clubs. Although tho pri_e list was reduced on account of tho reduced attendance, the amount provided was in a higher ratio than previously. Ho believed this meeting would bo thc forerunner of groat meetings in the future, and expected that tho next meeting would securo 1000 entries.

Tho men were thon marched on to tho Collins and Sommerville ranges. At tho former tho snap-shooting at 300 yds was taken, a half of the men taking part in that, while the other half T '.nt on with the Loopholo Cover, Match at 500 yds. In tho Snap-shooting Match, eight of the men got all their hits on the target, Moyhew (Feilding) and Floyd (Tauranga) each getting six bull's-eyes. Twenty-three got six hits, and a largo number five hits —a great advance on former years.

In the Loopholo Cover Match McCalmon (Opaki) got nine hits, and Melville (Waikato), and R. J. King (Opaki), eight hits. Tho Rapid Shooting Match, in which the competitors fired ten rounds at a 6ft by 6ft figure target at 500 yards, produced excellent results. The last match of the day was tho slow practice competition at 600 yards. This, liko the others, was at disappearing targets, but the men were _Ilowed Tots of time to aim.

As General Godley has agreed to meet representatives of the rifle clubs to discuss matters in connection with their constitution on Friday next, a meeting will be held in the camp next week to talk over tho position and decide upon the representatives. The following is the prize b'st:— SNAP SHOOTING, 300 yds, seven ehols, £3 10a. Mahew (Feilding), score 35, bulls 6, £3 10s. Floyd (Taurangi), 35—6, £3 10s. Evans (Wellington Suburbs), 35— i, £2.

The following taio £1 ls each—Munro (Murihiku) 35—3, Jones (Opaki) 35 —2, Grant (Taradale) 35—2, King Mastcrton) 35—2, Guy (Kaponga) 35—1, Mft3e_oid (Sounds) 30—5, Hartnell iTaranaki) 30—5, Speck istratfoid) 30—5, Hughes (Wanganui) 30—4, Guy (Kaponga) 30 — i, Lewer (Karori) 30 —3, Beik (Winchester Rifles) 30—3, Clark (Rangitikei) 30—3, Drummond (WestDort) 30—3., Erickaon (Lincoln) SO—3, Smith (kaponga) 30—3, Miller (Goodwood) 30 —2, Brinaley (Wanganui) 30—2, Stubbings (Ngatiawa) 30—2, Hawley (Opaki) Merriiees (6th Regiment) 30—2, Robinson (Wainui) 30—2, SiaunoncU (Waitohi) 30—1, Sutton (Shannon) 30—1. LOOPHOLE COVER MATCH, '600 yds, ten shots., _4. McCalmont (Opalu), scot. 45, bulls 1, £.. McMllo (Wnikato), 40—1, £2 10s. R. J. King (Opaki), 40—1, £2 10a. Tho following tako £1 each:—Craw (Lintf.n) 35—3, Barklc (Suburbs) 35—1, Walker . (Chrictchurch) 30—3, Russell (Petone) 30—2, Duthio (Chri-tchurcb) 30—2, Hill Ekctahuna) 30—1,. Fello-ws Karori) 30—1, Elliott (Motu) 30—0, Russell (Petone) 30—0, Laking ißlcnheim) '30—0, King (Masterton) 30—0, Wilaoa Christchurch) 30—0, .Nicholson (Petone) 30 —0, Mmiro {Murihiku) 30—0, Tong (Okawa) 30— 0, Guy (Kapcnga) 25—1, Masefteld (Sounds) 25—1, Eldridge (Upper Hutt) 2S-;1, Alexander (Akaiana) 25—1, Heed (Featherston) 23—1. /

SLOW PRACTICE COMPETTTIOX, 600 yds, figure target, 1 rounds, cue shot at each exposure. Sharland (_e!son), 32, £4. Gibhnan (Pttca), 32, £3. Caiey (Patea), 32, £2.

Tho following take £1 eacE:—Merciless (Gth Regiment) 31, Cr.patick (14 ltegiraont), Pickering (Linton), Smith (Geraldine), Kelson (Dnmievirke), Bcrklc (Suburbs), Keating (TCew Plymouth), Dickson (11th Regiment), George f.th Regiment), each 30; Hunt (Suburbs) Kuss.il (Petone), Halliday (Karori), Guy (Kaponga), Matthews (Manchester), Smart (Suburbs), Dutcan (Granity), Beattio (Tapanui), Caldwell .(Karori), Plimiter (Ki-rori), M.lvillo (Waikato), Hosts (Koponga), each 29; W. S. King (Christchurch), Thomson (Napier), Skrm-'nd (Waitohi), E. Cray (Linton), Evans (Suburbs), each 28. KAPID SHOOTING HATCH. 500 yds, figure targ-et. ten rounds. Fellows (Karori), £1 .. ..IS I-scer (Port Chalmers), £3 .. ..44

The following tako £1 6s Cd each:—Morgan ir.rd Regiment) 43, Hussell (Petone) 43, Caldwell (Karori) 43. -,

Tne foilowinsr tako £1 each;— Wilson {Christchurch), Botham (Tub Marina), Floyd (Tanransa). Simaioiids (Waitohi), BaUoid (Karori), Mnyhesv (Manchester), each 41". Scannel (Nehon), Daiziell 'Linton), each 40; Given (Suburbs). \V. S. Kin? fChrisfchurcfc), ftliiott (Akaiar.a'), Kennedy lOkawa). C?rey (Patea). Swanson (Opaki). Ward (12th T;«iwent . cr.;U 3.: Fr .lie] (Or.pufci), Mcrrilecs (6th P,e~iKirat), Hueo (Enron), Sunncx (Fmi_ds\ Mnlvillo t VCiiikato), A. H. Guy (Kapon.a), Russell (Petone), each 30.

(srECi.u. TO '''toe phess"). TRENTHAM, March 1. The best scores by the Canterbury representatives to-day were:—

Giiincv Henrr Logan Sndford /Walker Xixon TJric'iscs rvipcr Robinson Wilson LidiSe Batt Jones Wain o Is .. 20 25 .." 15 .. 20 .. 10 .. 20 . ■ *>5 .. 5 .. E0 5 .. Z0 ..15 .. 15 ' .. 20 .. 20 hi o > ~i S £ < o ."0 15 5 15 . 20 1.5 2f> £3 10 so 10 20> 5 6 5 '?.*. — m 1C 37 37 In SO 25 39 35 42 So SO 23 S3 O »-p 28 17 12 •28 2-9 20 21 h> 18 20 23 21