AUCKLAND MATCH.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 50, 28 February 1907, Page 7

AUCKLAND MATCH.

Tiie Auckland Match, 200, 500, 60U yds, seven shots at each, the first of th'a series counting for the championship aggregate, was begun shortly after 9.30 o'clock, and the firing at the first rangct (200 yds) was completed within the remarkably quick time of ninety minutes. At the start of the shooting the lighft was uot good, but it improved early. The wind had much of the familiar Trenthani elements, drifts, puffs, and puzzles. Still, it was expected that ( "' possibles " would be plentiful, jand ail-but possibles as thick as blackberries. As it was, only two 35's were scored, tho coveted_ extra 10s being secured by exChampion Milroy and Lieut. Barnett,, both being Nelson men. 200 yds. 200 yds. Rflmn. Milroy. Lieut. Barnett.

Halliday and Lewor, two Karpri nien, each put on 34, and several of their clubmates broke into tho 30/s. The quality of the general shooting Would have beenbetter but for disinclination of tho marksmen to make for the drift th© great allowance that was really necessary. There is an impression that better shooting can be made on the Collins Flange than on the Sommerville, and weight is lent to this theory by the fact that the possibles " recotded this morning were made on the Collins. Just beforo 11 a.m. a beginning was made with the second range of the match. At this stage there, was a freshening wind, but the sun was breaking through the clouds and giving promise of much better and more ropular light, c Builer, of the D Battery, Wellington, was one of tho list of twenty marksmen who secured 34. Pvt. A. Maret was anotner who got the ail-but, and there n?r S T romci(le n«> of father and son (W. M. Jackson, senr. and iunr., of the City Rifles, Wellington) scoring 34 each, and .a third member of the same family (A. J. Jackson) scored 29. "Tarn" trazer, tho only representative this year of the famed Kaitongata team, also tret witlnn one of tho possible. There were innumerable 33's scored at this range and much poor shooting. ' THE 500 YDS RANGE. »«T S fi ! 'f V f r ' ° f the HifiWand Bines, was tha first to put on the possiblo at tho second ranee of the Auckland Match 500 yds), whiclx was not as prolific of big scores as this range usually is Shooting had been proceeding" C fome' time before the first round of applatVso announced that something out oi the usual had happened It was tho young marksman who i,ad covered his bull's%Z* Yn *• - s seven bu sinoss shots. Ihe following is a reproduction of his target : — 500yds— Pvt. M'lver.

M'lver found thero was a steady rear wind Mowing, so ho plugged his shots

right in, whilst the marksmen to right and left of him wero feeling their way, and looking for the usual Trenthamtrick of the wind. Kenning, of Nelson, and W._ Lovedaj, of Woodville, were down with the young Wellington representative, and when the shooting of the trio was finished the board showed these scores :—: — • Kenning— 3.3555435— 26 \V. L0veday— 3.4545553— 31. M'1ver— 3.5555555-35. M'lver is a recruit of last year. The veterans of the mounds were represented by a similar achievement, Pvt. Sontag, of the Dunedin Guards, did even better shooting than the youngster, putting the whole of his eight shots "on the spot." Hero is a picture of his target,: —

fiOOyds— Pvt. Sontag.

Sontag' s " sighter " was high up. The 500 yds range of the Auckland Match proVided some interesting finishes, no fewer than four marksmen reaching the main for tho two- ranges, 67. These* ■were Mihroy (35 and 32), Yeo (33 and 34), W. M. Jackson, senr. (34 and 33), and Arthur Ballinger (33 and 34). Amm>ggt: W-eHington compctit OTS , the best two range scorers in tho Auckland Match -were made by Arthur Ballinger (67), W. M. Jackson, senr (67), Judd mfr Halliday (64), W. E. Jackson (64), Lewer (64). Last, year's champion shot (Irvine) made 62 (31 and 31), while ex-champion Cbing made one point better (31 and 32). Lieut, Sandford, of Christchurch, got 64. Sergt M'Calley, who at present ranks as champion of the United States, got only 29 and 27. He put one of his shots on his neighbour's target, and by so doing forfeited five points. Lieut. Barnett, who got a '-possible" at 200 yds, fell to 28 at" 500 yds. THE FINAL RANGE. At 2.30 o'clock, Judd, of Karori, had set the main with 99 (32, 34, 33), and •was looked upon as the winner. Perrin, of the Linton Club, had one point less vith 33. 32. 33. A. Ballinger and Milicy (with 30 each at 600 yds) tied, -with a total of 97, but Ballinger's were tW better figures. Craw, of ,L,inton, "put 30 on at 600 yds, and came out with a total of 96. * Corporal Munre. of the Murihiki Mounted Rifles, finished with 93, and W. Cox, Auckland, had the same total. Soper, Marlborough Mounted Rifles, nude 92. Whifley (Kaiapoi), A. Marrett (Taranaki), Watson (Auckland), T. Roberts (Scargill, Southland), Corporal Armitage (New Plymouth), Duncan (Den. niston) all scored 91. More than half the marksmen have yet to complete their shooting at the 600 yds range. • NOTES. Lieut. Domigan, one time of Gore, now of the Manchester Rifles (Feilding) is Officer of the Day, and Lieut. Reid, Queenstown Rifles, is the subaltern. G. Hawthorne, who shot last year for Karori, is now with tho Petone team. G. Howe, a veteran marksman, is today serving in the trenches as a marker. The Linton Rifle* Club, which has its range near Palmerston North, has sent a strong and interesting representation in its nine men. Captain Craw did well at the Exhibition meeting last week. Dr. M'Donald, who is an exAustralian shot of note, is well-known as "White Australia" M'Donald, and for his advocacy of the National Defence scheme. W. Randell and J. Kjle, both of whom shot with the Petone Club for many years, are also now members of the Linton Club. W. Judd, who shot for the Petone Club, is now representing Karori. He did well at Christchurch last week The customary "extras' 1 for amusement of marksmen who may have to wait for their firing turn are again in evidence. The running man is sprinting along his trench amidst a deadly, hail of bullets, and provision is being made for conducting a continuous match (sweepstakes) at a long range, stationary "target. There is a hairdresser's saloon on the ground, run by experts, but there are a few more or less kind enquiries made respecting a misplaced butcher, now missing, who posed as a tonsorial artist last year. Two tent shops for sale of riflemen's requisites are established on the range, and the usual canteen is being run. Sergeant M'Alley, of the New South Wales • Medical Corps, will be unable to fire through the meeting, as he is due to return to Sydney by next Saturday's steamer. Ho intends to leave Sydney for London on 16th March nest, to take part in the next Bisley meeting. It is with intention of competing to qualify for a place in the State team for Bisley that he is going back to Sydney. Sergeant M'Alley is the inventor of a rifle sight that has won encomiums from many marksmen, and has been adopted in the Commonwealth. It combines the principle of a vernier, wind gauge, and ordinary sight, with result that a marksman may allow for windage and yet be firing through the "V" of the sight. There was an incipient strike amongst the markers this morning, owing to a belief on their part that they were to be paid^ ten shillings per day plus meals, instead of being charged one shilling per meal. Six of them refused duty, but the remainder turned to, and a beginning was made with the ihooting at 9.45 a.m. The range officers are assiduous in attention to their duties. The list is as follows: — Lieut. -Colonel Drummond, Majors Cresswell and Hughes,' Captains Turner, Harper, Shepherd, Salmon, Bishop, Salter, Forster, W. G. Duthie, Lieutenants Sandle, "Mabin,' and Chapman. Private Yeo, who looked at one time like the possible South Island champion at tho Exhibition meeting last week, is an ex-Australian marksman with a good reputation. He is now a member of the Victoria Rifles, Auckland, a noted shooting corps. Lieutenant Timbrell, secretary of the South Island Rifle Association, is on the firing-line to-day. He won a big reputation with his rifle on Australian ranges, particularly m New South Wales. He settled in Christchurch some nine months ago, and is in the Linwood Rifles, which has sent another good shot, Private P. Jack. The record entry for the meeting is held by Karori Riflo Club, which has eighteen competitors. The previous best club or corps record -was held by Opaki and Karori Rifle Clubs, with entoes of seventeen men each in 1005. There is an excellent telephonic system installed on the range, communication being possible direct front' the councitroom to every firing point, and to the trenches of each three ranges. Sergt. Drummond, an ex-Bisleyite, was .first to finish at the first two ranges of the Auckland Match. He put on-two 33's, and as he has been shooting very consistently of late, at Dannevxrke, he may be regarded as certain to touch prize money in this match. An old-time champion in the person of Churton is once, more cementing ,f or |

the coveted belt. He is now a member of the Tnrakina Rifle Club. Another old competitor present at this meeting is Private Sontag, of the Dunedin City Gnards. He has been competing since 1881, in which year he won the Union Steam Ship Company's cud. His was the first name engraved upon it. That he is still useful after his twenty-six years' trying -was proved to-day, when he got a bull's eye with his sighter at 500 yards, and followed it with seven of the same qnality. He received a rousing round of applause as he completed his possible. There are 116 tyros taking pajt in the present meeting. A tyro is a member of the Defence Force who has not previously won over £1 at meetings of the association. This morning's shooting had one remarkable result. On the Sommerville range there were only two challenges, and both were sustained, and the financial reeult of the two distances on the Collins range was 2s 6d (the amount of one unsustained challenge). • Excellent work was done this morning, two of tho three ranges of the Auckland matches being completed by the time the bugler sounded ."Como to the cook-house door!" The final stage of the first match (600vds) was begun at 1.30 o'clock. The conclusion of this match will not bo available in time for this afternoon's Post. After tho Auckland Match is finished, tho 600 yds range of the second event, the Wellington Match (600 and TOOyds, 10 shots at each) will be got off. When shooting was resumed 'this afternoon, the weather was fine and cool, and the wind still 6teady. The camp OTders are as follows :—Reveille, 6 a.m. ; breakfast, _ 6.30; fall-in, 7.30 ; commence firing, 8 ; 'dinner, 12 ; fall-in, 1.15 p.m. ; firing, 1.30; tea, 5.30; first post, 9 30; last post, 10; lights out, 10.30.