NATIONAL MEETING

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 52, 2 March 1934, Page 9

NATIONAL MEETING

RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

MANY 6oMPETITORS

The annual meeting of the National .Rifle Association of New Zealand will commence at the Trentham rango next Wednesday morning, and will continue for tho following three days. There are already 126 entries, and this number will doxibtless be increased before the meeting is under way. Wellington clubs will be well represented, and a contingent of 17 is coming from Opaki (Masterton). Quite a number of ex-champions willbo competing at the meeting. H. V. Croxton, who last year won the Ballinger Belt for the second time, will bo defending his title. Other former Belt winners taking part will be Colonel E. S. Smith, of Duncdin, who commenced shooting in 1868; F. James, Lieutenant W. Duncan, B. J. King; (winner in 1919), D. Roots (1911, 1922, and 1927); Captain H. Simmonds, of Wanganui (1924), E. S. King, of ,Wanganui (1928), Captain W. N. Masefield, of Blenheim (1929), and E. H. Nie.holl (1932). Tho New Zealand rifle championship has boon competed for since 1861. There was a break in tho war years (1915-1918). In 1907 tho belt was won outright by A. Ballinger, of Petone, and presented" again to the association for competition. The first match to be fired next Wednesday will be an A service series over 300 yards. It consists of three practices—seven shots application, ten shots rapid, and ten shots snapshooting. Match 2 is tho tile competition at 200 yards. The targets in the first practice shoot of this section aro five iron plates or tiles and the firor is provided with five cartridges and allowed 25 seconds to knock down tho targets. The second practice, which is also fired at 200 yards, is at a target moving across a space of about 30ft in quick time. The two service scries are compulsory to all competitors, but the results will not count in tho championship aggregate. The first prize in each of tho matches is £4, and a ..total of £64 will be distributed amongst the competitors. ■ ■ • In all 709 cash prizes are offered, to the value of £1031, together with nine silver miniature cups and eleven gold and silver medals. ■■-:■■ . The meeting will oi?co again bo in charge of Colonel R B. Creswcll, V.D. The Defence Department is giving every assistance'to mako the meeting a successful on 6. :