THE BISLEY TEAM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 27, 1 August 1911, Page 3

THE BISLEY TEAM.

WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS SOME STRENUOUS WORK. [from our special correspondent. J BISLEY, 21st June. Most of the teams spent the day off in the village of Krtaphill, simply resting and taking things eaey. A few, however, ran up to Ascot and saw the Gold Cup run. They greatly enjoyed their experience, and were lucky in seeing both King George and Queen Mary. Next day the team put in a very strenuous day. In the morning ten shots each, at 800, 900, and 1000 yards, were fired, while in the afternoon the programme was seven shots each, at 200, 500, and 600 yards. On the long range, "the Stickledown butts," the wind was very trkky and changeable. This was again rather a fortunate thing for the team, as we want to eec Bisley in its bad moods in practising, not only in iia best. In Itfew &eaJanu, in most parts at least, we judge wind principally from flags, etc., there being usually insufficient "mirage" to give the desired indication. On Bisley, however, we picked up the "mirage" with the glasses, and worked on it all day. It was a good experience for the team. On one occasion the flags were showing about five degrees left windage, but the "mirage" was running from the right. A shot fired dead in under these conditions at 1000 yards proved to be correct, the firer registering an irtner at- 12 o'clock, At 800 yards Henderson put on the fine score of 49 out of SO. finishing with nine "bulls." Captain King topped the list at 900 yards with 47. At 1000 yards Frank headed the scores with 42. Some doubt an to the quality of the ammunition waa felt here, quite a number of the shot* dropping short of the target, and that with, at timee, a strong rear wind. Captain King, Halliday, and Marshall each lost two shots in front of the target. The scores for the long ranges were :—-Cuthbcrtson 124, King 123, Henderson 122, j Loveday 122, Marenzi 121, Cox 120, Needham 116, Frank 115, Root* 114, Marshall 112, Ching 111, Halliday 110, James 105. Wakely, of Featherston, j put on 113. In the afternoon the light was i grey and very dull. The 200 yards' figure target, with the invisible- " bull's-eye," again bothered the team considerably! Marenai was top with 32, no lesa than eight of the team making under 30. At 500 yards Marehzi Was again top with 34, getting a four for hie last shot. At 600 yards, James and Marshall led the way with 33 each. The totals for the Ml 200 500, 'and 600 yard* we-re:— James 97, Marenzi 94, Marshall 93, Cox 93, Henderson 92, Ching 91, King 90, Halliday 90, Roote 89, CuthbeTtson 89, Frank 89, Needhajn 87, Loyeday 87. On the full day's shoot Marenzi headed the list. OTHER MATCHES. Ais only one man can shoot in the match for the Prince of Wales Cup, the Colonel hae decided that the team will shoot for the- honour on -Monday and Wednesday. The winner of this New Zealand aggregate will secure a- silver medal from the N.R.A. Colonel Hughes has fixed the following distances : —Seven shots each, at 300, 600, and 600 yaj*d« ; ten shots each, at 800, 900, and 1000 yards ; ten shots at 300 yards ; fifteen ehot» at 600 yards; ten shots each, at 800, 900, < and 1000 yards. On Saturday the team spent the day in the city, as it, has been arranged to shoot every other day. On Monday the first matches for thia special aggregate were fired. The morning was dull and showery, with a strong left wind. At 300 i yards Hertdereon shot splendidly, putting on our first possible. He was closely followed by James with 34. The shooting here was very good, quite a number getting '33. At 600 yards Loveday, who is shooting in brilliant form already, put on 34. At 600 yards, Cox and Needham headed the list with 32 each. The totals for this match were : — Loveday 98, Henderson 98, James 97, Meedham 96, Cox 96, Marenzi 94, Ching 93, King 92, Halliday 92, Roots 89, Cuthbertson 89, Frank 87, Marshall 82. Several of the men, in the dull light ob* taining, were in trouble with the blade foresight. In the afternoon the long ranges wer© used. A very strong left [ wind was blowing, so strong, in fact, that some men fired op one target to hit the other. Ching put up the best Score at 800 yards, getting on the fine total of 49 out of a possible 50, after starting with a four for his first counting shot. At 900 yards Loveday and Needham were top with 45 each. Halfway through ■ this range shooting was stopped for an hour owing to heavy rain. The last three men— Marshall, James, 1 and Roots —on resuming, had the luck to meet with another shower,, and fired through the drenching rain. Under the conditions they did well, Marshall 37, James and Roots 36. At 1000 yards the conditions were very bad, the whole team firing through rain, and the heavy wind requiring as much as 20 feet allowance at times. Roots and Halliday were top here with 39 each. The full score® for the long range match were i^Loveday 126, Halliday 125, Needham 123, Roots 120, Henderson 120, Marshall 119, Marenzi 119, Frank 118, Ching 118, James 117, King 110, Cox 109, Cuthberteon 76. As the result of their experience with the " Territorial " rifle with the narrow "blade" foresight, several of the team have decided to go back to the old Lee* Enfield rifle with the thick foresight. Halliday, Cuthbertson, Roots, Hendereon, and Marshall have done so, and others will probably follow. With the thin foresight, in any dull or changing light, the elevation seems hard to keep. A STIFF PROGRAMME. Wednesday the final matches for the aggregate were shot off. It proved a stift programme for the day, a-nd all hands were very tired at the finish. The long ranges were taken first. A strong left wind was blowing, the allowance needed being from eight feet to twenty feet. The shooting showed a good improvement all round. Cox, who ie doing very well, and the consistently brilliant joung Loveday, each put on 49 oi«- r,t 50 at 800 yards, Ching following with 48 At 900 yards, Cox again shot well, leading the way with 46. At 1000 yards James cam© with a great ruelt, making the very fine score of 47, finishing with seven bull* ; Loveday wa« next with 45. This left the position for the- medal : Loveday 357. Jamee 352, ISeedham 349, Ching afld Hehderson 34b, Cox 340. The rest weie some distance behind. After lunch the 300 yards match, ten shots, was fired. Henderson was top with 47, Marshall following with 46. Both these ueed the old pattern rifle an« thick foresight. At, 600 ya.rds, 15 ehote, the final distance for the medal, some very good shooting was put tip. Jamee, shooting brilliantly, got on the grand score of 70 out pf a possible | 75. The light here wa^. very dull, a-nd ft. strong left wind blowing, and the score was a really fine effort. 'Henderson shot well for 68, Lov<sd»y 67. Frank 66, Marshall and Marenzi 65. The winner of the- medal, and New, Zealand's only representative in the "Prince of Wales Cup," is therefore, young Loveday, who shot splendidly all through, and thoroughly deserved his win. He ie moreover a modest lad, and hi* win was very popular with hie comrades, James made a fine fight and splendid finish, se, the full figures will show. The complete aggregate* f or the medal are s Loveday 469, James 465, H&idereon 460,

Needham' 454- Cox 442, Ching 442, Frank 435, Marshall 434, Marenzi 430, Halliday 429, King 420, Roole 411, Cuthbertson 373. When it is considered thafc til* weather condition* h«ve not been easy, and that of the 106 shots fired no less than forty were fired at the long ranges, the average of the leaders i* decidedly high, and very creditable, running out at about 4£ per shot. Rifleman Hay, of the Karori Rifle Club, aitived on the range to-day s amd shot very well, putting up 41- at 1000 yards, and 45 at 300 yards. Regarding Bisley range itself, the changes^ in the wind are very quick, but the indications are much more reliable than at Trentham. It is decidedly an easier range than the lfetter. The members of the team have been made honorary members of the famous North London Rifle Club, and' a match has been arranged to take place with them shortly. Owing to the Coronation festivities, no further practice will take place until next week. The team was very delighted to see by to-da,y's paper, that Colonel ' R. J. Collins had been made a- C.M.G. Those of the team wishing to come back via Sydney are finding some difficulty in getting paesages, owing to tho rush.