MARLBOROUGH MATCH

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 32, 9 February 1929, Page 10

MARLBOROUGH MATCH

SHOOTING AT TRENTHAM

WIN MR CEOXIW

(From Our Special Reporter.)

TBENTHAM, This Day.

There is every reason for the executive of the National Eifle Association being satisfied 'with the progress made 'with the first three days' shooting at the national meeting. A slightly smaller number of entries this year has enabled the squads to get through their practices without unduo .delay, and there is every prospect of the meeting proceeding strictly to schedule. Of course, the weather is the all-important factor in this respect. Up till the conclusion of yesterday's shooting the elements had behaved themselves admirably, but conditions this morning were not so promising. Heavy clouds hung low over Trentham, and there was a keen, stiff, westerly wind, which carried a suspicion of rain. When the competitors went to the mounds at 8.20 a.m. the weather was very threatening, but it improved as the morning pro-; grossed. In preparation for to-day's work, riflemen were provided with wet weather gear, heavy oilskins, etc., in striking contrast to the position yesterday afternoon, when glorious summer weather prevailed. FLAGS—AND FLAGS. Although yesterday's weather was ideal from the point of view of all those who were not actually shooting, conditions were not the very best for the marksmen. In the morning, the visibility was on the poor side, and the .vagaries of the wind were troublesome, ; the breeze chopping from right to left in quick succession. Sometimes the wind j travelled right, and the mirage left. | Provision has been made for marksmen by the erection of a larger number of flags on the range to denote the vagaries of the wind, and these should be a help. To the older shots who usually pay more attention to the flags than the younger ones do, the signals fluttering in the breeze occupy a position very much similar to that occupied by a compass to a mariner. It is not infrequent on the Trentham ranges, especially at the longer distances, to see the flags near the mounds blowing in one direction, at those: near the targets blowing another. Henco the exercising of careful judgment. "Windage," the term applied to tho number of degrees right or left made on the rifle to compensate for cross-winds, is an allimportant subject of conversation. Flags, however, are not favoured by all. One person, after surveying the display of colours waving in this morning's breeze, remarked that tho range had the appearance of a circus. GOOD PROGRESS. Not only has excellent progress been made with the matches,' but in all other respects the conduct of the meeting has been giving satisfaction. There has been little loss of time on the mounds, and the,marking generally has been satisfactory. One other important factor towards the making of a successful meeting is the health of the men in camp. This year there.has been nothing untoward. The catering is meeting with satisfaction on all sides. At the 1928 meeting the men were not so fortunate, and, in addition, the weather w,as bad and added to tho discomfort of competitors generally. - : y ' In tho two days' shooting which concluded last night, all the Service Matches, embracing four practices, were completed; ias were also the Opening Match, of three ranges, and the Dominion Match. The way is now clear for the Belt matches, and these are being proceeded with with dispatch, i Quite a good performance was that of ■Cadet H. F. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), 15 years of age, who scored a "possible" at the second practice (500 yards) in the Opening Match. At 300 yards he scored 27, and at 600 yards 29. His total was 91, out of a possible score of 105. TO-DAY'S MATCHES. To-day, the Belt matches were continued in earnest. The first "leg" of the first Belt match, the Marlborough (300 yards), was shot yesterday afternoon, and in this practice A. L. Andrews (Wanganui) made a very fine score, securing a "possible" of 50. The next highest men were in the 48's. The Marlborough Match is of ten shots at each 300 yards and 500 yards, and the highest scorer receives a gold medal presented by Mr. A. E. Barker, of Marlborough. The first "leg" of the Auckland Match (ten shots at each 300 yards ana 600 yards) was shot this morning. This match will bo concluded this afternoon, as will also be the Canterbury Match, a one-range match of ten shots at 600

yards. The Marlborough, Auckland, and Canterbury Matches count for the Belt.