TRENTHAM SERVICE MATCHES SHOT OFF.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 761, 9 March 1910, Page 8

TRENTHAM SERVICE MATCHES SHOT OFF.

SOME OF THEIR HUMOURS. NGATIAWA MAN WINS THE KYNQCH CUP. C ' RANGE NOTES AND GOSSIP. "

/.Yesterday;-waj'generally regarded, as ah off 'day at Trentham, .f'ervicerili'atche's only, bemg'.. taken". > Eiflemeh-- in- New Zealand huyjj'.-npt .yet come'' '-toV^regardv/service nlatches;. as; a- thing to; be taken' seriously, b'iitvali: competitors "in -the:- cliampionship series' of'matches are (required,'-by-\tlie r'eguUtiohs! governing the conduct : pf<;the meeting.'.to; eiiter'for sevvice-matehef,' otHerwise. the .entry list .would be' ; a-'pobi one:' ; ;' The, f act,tliaV they' are. :Compelled ; tq' : include "the;-.sery'ice -in ,their expl6its"-at, the;;' championship; - meetiiig'may, in time,-.engender in''riflemen a more 'serious regard for the supreme importance of'.Biving systematic attentionto. this.-branch.<of •musketry. ■ At present, however,' most of; the old; shots . regard theni 'as a;'necessary ..nuisance, to 'be got lid of more'or less perfunctorily. The Executive Council of the Eifle Association is paying due regard to inodern : musketry in "insisting,'upon these .service matches, but,it- might go. further,towards educating the riflemen for : whom, as a controlling Bpor.tsVbody,. it; caters . most - admirably/ .All' the service -.'matches-: were -got through by tea r time.' The.;Kynoch 'Cup, awarded/to the- competitor compiling the best'aggregate; : ih';the snap-shooting; and cover service- matches, has been, won by Kiflcman'ii. E.-'H. Field,.of the,-Ngatiawa Club." Last year the • trophy was'won , by'Eifleman W'.'Hv Moselemi of the Kaep Club. It is;curious-that,rifle club menj who practically do' no service,shooting on their..home; : ranges,'do xell in;the service competitions at; Trentham.,': .-:;■>; Daring the afternoon, those of the competitors who-had-:finished'theiT service matches" went, for-: a' seven-shot practice match at 1000 yds.' The shooting generally was poor, but two -scored, These being registered by .Nv Masefield. Sounds, and Eifleman • McCarthy, -of Kapdnga. ' ■ ; ■' F .;-.'.'..■..' To-day the "events set down for decision biolude -the'' remaining - teams; ; service matches,''which-; are;, to be. put -through taring the ; forenoon, and the- uncompleted Btages of :the Auckland match. (200 yds.) »nd the Canterbury match- (1000 yds:). In the evening -the.-.statistical staff' -will-ipenil-'spme Btrennous hours in' the compilation .of the aggregates, of the .'%]°SS fifty,"- siiid the ,-Union Cup compention. From the first- 25 ■'of - - the v 50 r,'wiU; : :be. eelected'-the New,i Zealand representative teani to: shoot in the' Empire match-to-morrow" afternoon/ Captain W.' S. King,, of Linwood;'whowon the'Unidh-Cup twovears" ago,, is again 'in the- lead' for that .trophy,I,',1 ,', with, an"; 'chance-V ov \rimiing it;'-; ; ~'-/.';>: : :v!'V.V-^'V;