SNOW SHIELD.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20084, 13 November 1930, Page 13

SNOW SHIELD.

THE ANNUAL CONTEST. CHRIST'S COLLEGE REGAIN TROPHY. Winning higher points on the inspection and for shooting, Christ's Collose regained the Snow Shield from the Christchurch Boys' High School in the annual contest, which was held yesterday. From a possible of 394 points, College gained 336 and School 310. Both teams were congratulated on their displays by Brigadier M. M. Gard'ner, D.5.0., Officer Commanding the Southern Command. In announcing . the umpires' decision, Major D. E. Bremner, M.C., said that School was given 20 points less than College on the inspection because of the poor condition of the team's rifles. Points were awarded as follows: Poss. College. B.H.S. Inspection ... 100 Iq March discipline 50 48 48 Tactics 100 73 /3 f Shooting ... 144 120 114 Totals ... 394, 336 310 The weather was excellent for the contest, and visibility on the firing ground was good. The umpires were Major Brpmnor, Captain W. Murphy, M.C., Captain J. I. Brooke, M.C., and Captain K. J. Walker, all members of the New Zealand Staff Corps. Conditions of the Attack. The platoons from the two schools, under the command of Platoon-Ser-geants J. B. Ferguson (Christ's College) and W. J. A. Brittenden (Boys High School), formed up in Cramner Square, where they were inspected by the umpires, by Brigadier Gardner, and by Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Smytlie, D.S 0., chief staff officer ot the Command. Carrying rifles, m " munition, and full equipment, they then left on their six-mile march to Mr Cracroft Wilson's estate at Hoon Hay, where the attack was carried j out. Each platoon-commander was in turn given orders to attack a certain position which was indicated by eight groups of six falling plates, each one loot square. The first range was 400 vards. and the others at approximately 300 and '2OO yards. With his Lewis gun and rifle sections at his command, each commander had to consider his platoon under attack from effective rifle fire from the time when the enemy position was first seen. For each plate down, three points were awarded; and if all the plates should be down, half a point was allowed for

each round returned. The rules provided that the whole attack must occupy not more than half an hour. Each school must enter a platoon or 32 men, comprising two rifle sections and two Lewis gun sections. Including "clock hour halts, the march from Cranmer square occupied one hour and 40 minutes. School, which won the toss, made the attack first, sending out a forward section. College, 011 the other hand, deplovod in square formation. In the actual shooting College hit 16 out of 24 plates with the rifles, and the full 24 with the machine-guns. School got 24 plates with rifles, but only 14 with machineguns. Both Teams Congratulated. When the results were announced,' ilajor Breinner briefly spoke to the teams on their tactics and general performance. School lost points, on the inspection, he said, because of their rifles. The- march discipline was good, although College marched rather too much In the parade style. Brigadier (itird'ner congratulated both teams on ttieir performances. A feature of the contest is that each platoon is trained and commanded by a schoolboy. College's win is all the more meritorious, since Platoon-Com-mander D. A. Buchanan, who carried out most of the preparatory work broke a leg a few days ago, and had at the last minute to relinquish command to Sergeant Ferguson. Lost year, when the contest was ror the first time conducted under revised rules, School won the Shield from College by 313 points to 300. i