RIFLE SHOOTING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 29, 29 October 1907, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING.

EMPIRE MATCH. : AUSTRALIA LEADING. BRITAIN AND NEW ZEALAND EQUAL FOR SECOND'PLACE. _ BT TELEOEAM-- rMSS AESOCIATION- : -COI , YMGnT. (Rec. Oct. 28, 9.53 p.m.) : *'/" ■ Sytlr.ey, October 28: The weather was fine for the Empirb Match at-the Rifle Association's meeting,-and'thero was a goodlight—in fact, conditions were better for shooting than on any day of the meeting. '-~.', .. The mombers of the New Zealand team fired very consistently. .The Britishers lost, considerably through' putting twelve shots on the wrong target—nine at 500; yards and three at GOO yards. , . '~-.'■■ The scores at the three shorter' range 3 wore as follow:— ' : '.'•..''' EMPIRE MATCH. Conditions.—Open to teams consisting of eight men from the Naval and Military Forces' (including rifle clubs established by a Government) of : tho United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, India, New: Zealand; '.Australia \ and other units of the British Empire, and accredited by tho. Council of : tho Mifle Association or Associations 6'f such . units respectively. Riflos.r-To bo service rifles of -.303 boro as issued by the variCus Govertimbnts respectively, or of a similar pattern,- .bearing the Government Viewer's. Mark. Ammunition.—To*bo tho samp for all teams, as issued for service rifles on ■ tile Bifle Kaugo' wbero the match -s fired. .' : .■ .■.-.••., Distances—2oo,..soo, 600 v 800,. 9DO, and lbop yards. : Nuiiibor' of Shots'— Teir rounds at every' : distalißo. r '■ . V" "''■"'' . Conditions, whore hot otherwise pro-' . ' vided; tojbo-Bisley, 3907, cpnditibns.- . :

The individual scores of the New Zealandefs atsCach of the ranges were:—., ~ . V . ! 200 bOO 6b6 totals

Totals : 363 363 351 1077 ;■. Tlio ; romainiiig ■ ranges—Booyd., 300 yd., And lOnOyd.— will be fired to-inorrow. OPINIONS BEFORE' THiE 'EVENT; '•■■- ' • v ' Sydney, October , ( The "Daily Telegraph,", commenting .on the' prospects of the Empifo'' Mntcli' bbforo the shooting, said: "The Now \Zpalandcrs ■liii've v not shown at the meeting in a style suggesting that they will win, but their practice scores were entirely satisfactory: They are the outsiders of tho trio cngagod." . '

■The "Sydrioy Morning Herald," commenting similarly, said: !'The New Zbalaiiders' bavo not shot to advantage; but they have been well coached." , .

A COMPLAINT. . , ..-. .-, •; ■ ; UNEVEN AMMUNITION::'!.- :; '-' r '■ Gydney* October.£B. /Many Complaints :have ' been niado as to thb unevbnness of tho ammunition supplied to competitors at.i tho Empire Riflo Meeting. As many as three' distinct sizes ofbu)let3 wore detbeted in n single packet. Accurate shooting under such'conditions is a manifest impossibility. : • THE BiIITISH SCORE. ',:-, .', (Rcc. Oct. 20, 0.13 a.m.). ' ; , ! : :Syeinoyy.October'2k' Tho lost 12 points through hitting tho ■ wrong targets—not 12 shots' , in .wrong tarrots; us at first reported. ' . Colonel Barlow (Britain), mado. ton bulls at 50($d£''" ; -'I'':VVf.i- ./.;' '' ' ..->, : ■••','■ 1 '■ Tlie complaint an lo the quality of ammunition is not new. At the meeting in Canada, \vhere the United* Sthtcs'tpnin beat Ch'uadaj Australia, and B.ritain.it for the "Piilriia ! JTronliy,. Major Marshalli 'icaptaiii 'of 'the ' Aiistralian' tbam, iß.ilmmod up America's.victory by saying that ,the men,'.rifles, ujiil sights ..were • lijtHo better, but their ammunition was a good (leal .bbtter, than that of (he other teams. The Governments of Britain, Canada, .'and' Australia, he paid,' should place riflchteh'.. on e(jual ( Terms with...the best team in the world; but they did not. . . / , '-.i

. , ,, • 200 500 600 Totals yd.' , yd. yd. Australia ; ... 368 380' 362 ' 1103 Britain... ... 363- 369 V 340 1077 N'ow Zealand ... 363. 363 351 107?

, /yd. yd. yd. ... Sgt. Mills (Dunedin) 40' '48 45 '139 Ptc: Ayson (Wyndbani) 40 47 43 130. iaif. A. Ballinger (Wn.) ■ 40 44 45 ' 135 Capt. Crihv (Clioiitoii) - 48 43 , 44. .135 Capfc. Maseiield (Sounds)'' ' 44 4S; <ii3 : '135 Ftp. Piirnoll (Wanganui) ■ 40 40 43 134 llif. Cameron (Opaki) • 44 .'45 "44;' 183 'llif. Wilkie (Hutt) • 44 -42 44 130