KING'S PRIZEMAN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 60, 12 March 1934, Page 14

KING'S PRIZEMAN

R. -NICHOLL, PETONE

RIFLE CHAMPION BELT

HIS SECOND WIN

A score 01. .. out of a possible 50 in the final match of the National Rifle Association's meeting at Trentham on Saturday afternoon was sufficient to give Rifleman OR. H. Nicholl (Petone) his second New Zealand championship and King's Prize'in two years. Although the seven qualifying matches had put him substantially ahead of those nearest to him in the King's Forty—Captain \V. N. Masefield (Blenheim) and Rifleman H. V. Croxton (Karori), eacli of whom had previously Won' the championship twice —interest in the match was very keen, and a largo crowd watched from behind the mounds as the three leaders settled down to. shoot at the targets 000 yards away3. DIFFICULT SHOOTING. The bright .sunshine .produced a heavy mirage which was intensified during the occasional lulls iv the light breeze from the .north-west."' Under such conditions accurate shooting was difficult, and it was not surprising that the match was won with ;a" score of 47. Nicholl, Captain Masefield,'and Croxtofi shot on adjoining targets, and were among the second section to go down on to the mounds, the usual procedure being "followed'", of sending the last twenty down first. "" :A11; three .opened their scoring with a fcirace; of bulls and then dropped a point each >witb "inners." Nicholl, shooting ivith;his habitual rapidity, went on to score 44, finishing up with a "magpie" 3 and another."inner." A round of applause followed - the signalling of his last shot, which -clinched his hold; on the championship. Even if .Nicholl had scored only. 43 .Captain Masefield would have required n possible to tie with him, and the Blenheim crack had already dropped sufficient points to put the issue beyond doubt. Croxton also lost points, with several "inners", and a "magpie," and his chance of displacing Captain Masefield from second position . vanished. His score of 43 Was good enough, however, to give him third prize. 'L. Fellingham (Suburbs) scored a sound 45, which brought him from fifth to fourth on the final list. SCENES OF ENTHUSIASM. There were the usual scenes of enthusiasm as Nicholl was, chaired from the range,'and they were repeated later when ' be was presented with the Ballinger-Rifle Champion Belt and the N.R.A. gold medal and gold badge. The prize-giving function took place in the camp theatre. Colonel ■T. B. , Cresswell, V.D., of Christchurch, president of the association, was' in the chair, and Commander P. B. R. W. Wil- ' liam-Powletti of H.M.S. Dunedin, Officer Commanding ; the Naval Unit in camp, presented the prizes, Mrs. William-Powlett assisting. Major W. G. Stevens represented Major-General Sir W. L. H. Sin-clair-Burgess, General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces.^ In a brief address Commanclfr "William-Powlett ■*. congratulated the sircessful riflemen and complimented the officials of the association on the smooth running of the meeting. He also stressed the value of rifle Ghooting in regard to national defence, and its influence in developing sportsmanship among its followers, 32 CHAMPIONSHIPS. Nicholl learnt to use a rifle when a student at Wellington College. Uulike ' many Other-champion shots, he is at home in any kind of weather, and the psycho-logical-effect of a crash at a range uever worries him. He has been a member of the Petone'Rifle Club since the Great War. It was in 1920 that he attended liis first national meeting at Trentham, and since then ha has obtained a prominent position in the .Belt series on numerous occasions. On two or three occasions lie shot into the first fen of the King's Forty." "■':■' In 1024 Nicholl competed at the great British meeting at Bisley, and against many of the most famous marksmen in the Empire, reached the second stage in the classic contest ; for the King's Prize, missing the final stage by two points. While at Home on that occasion he also competed in the British miniature rifle championships,- -At that meeting he was in the final forty-and finished in thirteenth positiqn, losing second.place through an unfortunate error inputting a "bull's eye" on the wrong target.' Nicholl'won the New Zealand;miniature championship, in 1920, nnd he has won the Wellington miniature rifle championship seven times. One year lie. held four records at the . one time, wThese were the kew Zealand, "Wellington, and Wairarapa miniature «liampionships,vand the championship of tho Petone": Club for outdoor shooting. With,; .Saturday's win, ho has won 32 championships in miniature and openlange: shooting. - Nicholl was a.member of the Petone i earn.which competed at tlie New South Wales-meeting two years ago. During the war.he served with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. f , " THE FINAL PRIZE-LIST. Details of the scoring and the prizes won m the King's Prize match are as , iollows,' the 'figures in parentheses representing the sighting shots:— Ballinger Rifle' Belt, Gold Medal-, and Gold Badge of .the. National. Rifle Association and £30—X. H. Nicholl (Petone), 5545545434—44 , . jj, XR.A. Silver Star, and Badge "and' rZ.irf^- N- Masefield (Blenheim),, i 504d045443—44 . .yj! NiB.A. Silver Star and Badge and £10— ' '■• H. v: Croxton (Karori), 5544333441— < 43 ..' j XR.A. Silver Star arid Badge and £S—L Felllngham (Suburbs), (4) 5544335343 —45 ...;....' '...' iyj £5—F. H. James (Xapier), (3) 5353553313 —17 i - i £3 13s 4d—H. A. Cromie (Ashburton). : (44) 5444535555—47 453 £3 13s 4d—D. Boots (Patea),' (3) 5444554555—46 ; ,133 £3 13s 4d— _. T. Haldanc (Waipukurau)] (1) 4553253523—37 .- 453 £2—P.- "8.,- goldfinch. (Karori); (4) : - 5405455315—47 452 £2—J; .C. . Feast (Grcytown j, ' (3) 5434555554—45 43., £2—T. Goodall (Suburbs), (42) . 04544,255.55 —44 ....*....-....- 452 £2—E. Al: Ballihger (Petone), (21) 5534355534—44 m SI—T.. "Warb'urton (Petone), (1) .5554534144—13. 419 £I—H. 'R. Hunt (Suburbs), (2^j 4335445453—40 .j. I 0 £I—J. H. Kearney (Xapier), (1) 5443435355—41 44s £I—C. Whlteraan (Upper Hutt), (2) ■5323543345—41 4.(5 £I—lt. C. Barklo (Petone), (31) 5244355153—42 '~.. 447 £I—R.; Ellis (Takapau), (34) 5553433353 —45 4jj £1-^O. J. JI. Clark (Auckland City), (4) 5531454555—43 441 £I—H. W. Feast (Creytoivn), 5503441.'i"M — H 443 £I—F. J. Jeune (Gisborne), (2) 4235425544—40 443 £I—X. Inwood (Nelson), 5334443353-— 39 442 £I—F.N. McVlcar (Waipukurau), (33) 5245455525—42 .\ 441 £I—J. I. ping (Karori), (3) 5320454543 —35 ; 44! £I— _: G. Benton (Featherston). (34) 3355243343—33 ..'. -441 £I—W. J. Burtou (Okawa.), (4) 5554442555—44 , 439 £I—E, JL' Wrigley (Opaki), (3) ' 5543355335—41 438 £I—^B. Waterland -(Fatea), (4) 5443354442—38 43S £I—R. Congreve - (Old Xavals), • (54) 2255534355—39 437 £I—R.'F. Wakefield (Akarana), (52) 2550445554—39 437 £I—F. S. Hood (Featherston), 5444453534 —« 436 £I—H. C. Percy (Alfredton). (00) 0324433534—33 ...; 436 £I—S. A. S. Elliott (Akarana), (22) 5345433524—38. 433 £I—P. Berry (Tararua), (22) 3300343133 -?S '..- 433 £I—D. Brunton (Patea), (02) 5243323434 —37 • • 431 £I—W.1 —W.- H. West (Blenheim). (31) 3235332352«-37 434 £I—E. J. C. Reston (Akarana), (14) 3353443353—36 434 £I—F. C. Hogg (New riymouth), (23) 4353332355—36 : 4311 £I—J. Austin (Xuhaka), (41) 3231442333 —35 -.'..." 432 £I—H. K. Smith (Opaki),, (33) 3344432254—34 43! W. J. Burton (Okawa). F. _. Hood (Fe.-ilher-slon), X>. F. Kelr (Ashburton), and H. 11. -Mcintosh (Blenheim) shot off for the last two