SOUTH AFRICAN IN LEAD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22340, 2 March 1938, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN IN LEAD

FIFTY QUALIFY FOR KING’S PRIZE NATIONAL RIFLE MEETING AT TRENTHAM CHAMPIONSHIP BELT SERIES 1 COMPLETED i 'press association telegram.) TRENTHAM, March 1. The Championship 'Belt matches, from which 50 marksmen qualify to fire in the final match for the King’s Prize to-mor-row, were completed at Trentham to-day. and by his consistent shooting in these, the commander of the South African team. Colonel R. Bodley, has a lead of two points for the .King's, with an aggregate score of 469 out of a possible 500. Although he had to sacrifice five points, in accordance with an executive decision to uphold a competitor’s protest against the time he took in one of his matches yesterday, D. Roots (Patea) is in second place with 467. Third place in the King's 50 is occupied by E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) with 465, and W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) is fourth with 463. The marksmen with the 50 highest aggregate scores in the championship matches already lived obtain a place in the King’s 50 to fire 10 rounds at 900 yards in the final match for the championship. The competitor with the highest grand aggregate score after to-morrow’s match becomes the winner of the King’s Prize. In addition to Colonel Bodley. seven of his fellow-countrymen have obtained places in the 50. Hie long-range matches of the Championship Beit series were fired to-day. The early morning was calm, and the first men down at the mounds shot under good conditions. After a few details had fired, a frontal south-easterly breeze began to blow, fish-tailing In and out down the range. This wind is regarded as one of the most difficult at Trentham. and many marksmen were unable to gauge its strength and direction. There was an unusually large number of misses, and even men with long experience of Trentham conditions could not negotiate the wind changes. For most of the afternoon the wind blew directly across the range. There was a slight mirage running, but conditions were easier than in the morning. Qualifying Marksmen The following marksmen will fire in the final match for the King’s Prize;—R. Bodley (South Africa) 469 points. D. Roots (Patea) 407, E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) 463, W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 463, F. N. McVicar (Waipukurau) 462, J. Bramley South Africa) 461, H. A. Lumsden (Hautcre) 460, F. Bowes (Auckland) 459, 1,. Serfonlein (South Africa) 459, A. R Simons (Okawa) 458, R. H. Nicholl (Petone) 457, R. Congreve (Old Navals) 457. H. J. Brehaut (Okawa) 456, P. R. Catley (Levin) 455, H. A. Cromie (Ashburton) 455, R. A. Jones (Ashhurst) 454, L. Braithwaite (Okawa) 454, L. Boxhall (South Africa) 454, C. H. Baxter (South Africa) 454, H. W. Feast (Greytown) 454, D. P. Donald (Opaki) 453, H. King (Masterton) 453, M. C. Ekstein (South Africa) 453, P. W. Congreve (Old Navals) 453, J. A. Munro (Mataura) 452, C. H. Whiteman (Old Navals) 452, P. S. Bapty (Indian Army) 452, F. J. Soler (Wanganui) 452, C. J. M. Clark (Auckland) 452. F. Whitehead (Cheltenham) 451, D. F. Kelr (Christchurch) 451, K. E. Griffiths (South Africa) 451, R. P. Wakefield (Ashhurst) 451, J. H., Kearney (Napier) 451, J. I. King (Karorl) 451, L. S. Hare (Karorl) 451, H. R. Hunt (Suburbs) 451, I. L. Ford (Wanganui) 450, S. A. Prunden (New Plymouth) 450, G. G. Kelly (Karorl) 450, A. A. Ford (Invercargill) 450, H. R. Feast (Greytown) 449, V. E. Donald (Opaki) 449, G. Te Whaltl (Greytown) 449. T. Goodall (Suburbs) 449, H. Harries (Christchurch) 449, P. H. James (Napier) 449, J. Bryden (Kaiapoi) 448, A. H. O’Donneli (Petone) 448, A. E. Spradbury (South Africa) 448, H. K. Smith (Opaki) 448, T. H. R. Boon (Karorl) 448. The last five competitors will fire one compulsory slghter and three rounds at 900 yards to determine the last four places in the King's 50. The Results Results; — TRENTHAM AGGREGATE (for highest scores in Canterbury match, Otago match, Hawke’s Bay match, and Wellington match). B.S.A. Challenge Cup and £5; L. Serfontein (South Africa), 284 points. £4: R. Bodley (South Africa) 282. £3; D. Roots (Patea) 282. £2 each: E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) 282, B. Taylor (Stratford) 281. . , £1 each: F. N. McVicar■ (Waipukurau) 281. A. R. Symons (Okawa) 281. W. Ekstein (South Africa) 279, F. H. James (Napier) 279, R. Congreve (Old Navals) 279, A. H. O'Donnell (Petone) 273, R. H. Nicholl (Petone) 277, H. A. Lumsden (Hautere) 277, P. R. Catley (Levin) 277, F. T. White (Taradale) 277. Thirty received 10s each. OTAGO MATCH (10 rounds at 300 yards). £5: E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) 50 points, £4; M. Jones (Wanganui) 49. £3 each: F. S. Hood (Featherston) 49, J. H. Kearney (Napier) 49. £2 each: A. V. Barrow (Cheltenham) 48, R. H. Nicholl (Petone) 48, A. R. Symons (Okawa) 48, G. G. Kelly (Karorl) 48. Thirty-four received £1 each and 24 10s each. „ L S. Hare (Karori) was the winner of the B grade with 48 points. AUCKLAND MATCH (10 rounds at 800 and 900 yards). £5: S. Clegg (Waikopiro) 98 points, R. A. Jones (Ashhurst) 97. £4 each; W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 95, R. Bramley (Sauth Africa) 95. £2 each: H. Harries (Christchhrch) 95, D. Roots (Patea) 94. H. R. Feast (Greytown) 93, C. H. Baxter (South Africa) 93. Thirty-four received £1 each and 24 10s each. J. Johnson (Featherston) won the B grade with 94 points. He takes a cash prize of £3.

PROTEST UPHELD

PATEA MAN DISPLACED FROM LEAD TIME LIMIT EXCEEDED ON THREE SHOTS CTMfIS ASSOCIATION T*L*OKAVt.) TRENTHAM, March 1. Interest in to-day’s shooting at the national rifle meeting at Trentham was almost completely overshadowed by the decision of the executive to uphold the protest against the time taken by D. Roots (Patea) with his shooting the previous afternoon in the Otago match of 10 rounds at 300 yards, in which he made a possible. Nothing that has happened at the annual meetings of the National Rifle

Association for many years has created a greater stir among riflemen, and throughout the day the whole circumstances of the Incident were the main topic of discussion behind the mounds. The position was further complicated when a counter-protest was subsequently lodged by Roots against the action of the executive in deducting five points from his score. His protest was based on the ground that he had received no warning from the range officer that he was exceeding the time limit. Non-observance of the time limit of one minute a shot has been discussed by many marksmen for years past, but hitherto no definite action has been taken to enforce it rigidly. The protest lodged yesterday by a New Zealand competitor against the time taken by Roots brought the matter to a head.' The fine record of Roots as a marksman—he won the championship belt in 1911, 1922, and 1927—the leading position he occupied In the contest for the King s Prize, and the presence of the visiting South Africans close behind him, added unusual interest to the incident. Five Points Lost The executive met this morning to consider the protest. Evidence was taken from the range staff, and it is understood that this showed that Roots had exceeded the stipulated time limit with his fourth, eighth, and ninth shots. At the conclusion of the meeting, which lasted about half an hour, it was officially announced that the value of Roots’s fourth shot was to be deducted from his score, thus reducing his total score for the match from 50 to 45 The meeting also decided that the time limit was to be strictly enforced in future, and reinforced its decision with an amended rule which was subsequently posted on the notice board. This stated that from now on the range officer, on seeing the time limit exceeded for one shot, should warn the firer, and If the time limit were exceeded again during the same practice, the value of any shot concerned would be disallowed. Through the executive’s decision. Roots lost his place as over-night leader for the King’s Prize. He also forfeited first place in the Trentham Aggregate, awarded for the highest scores in short-range and middle distance championship belt matches, and dropped on the prize list for the Otago match. After the announcement of the executive’s decision. Roots entered a protest against the action of the executive in deducting five points from his score. His protest was considered by the executive to-night. Counter-Protest Rejected Roots appeared before the executive and gave evidence. After a meeting lasting more than two hours, it was announced that the executive had rejected his protest, and that its decision was, to St Or? hearing of the decision. Roots informed the press that he had protested against the action of the executive in making the deduction from his score because he had received no warning that he was exceeding the limit, in accordance with the rules of the National Rifle Association. He also considered that he had been unfairly treated, because all the other competitors had not been clocked. It was Impossible for the few range offiriprs on duty to do tli&t» ~ . C< He also took exception to the fact that he had not been given an opportunity to appear before the executive at Its meeting in the morning to state his case.