NATIONAL RIFLE SHOOTING

Evening Star, Issue 21667, 12 March 1934, Page 14

NATIONAL RIFLE SHOOTING

THE KING'S PRIZE WON BY R. H. NIGKOLI [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 11. The" Ballinger rifle champion belt, gold medal, and the gold badge of the National 11 i lie Association and the King’s prize of £3O were won at Trentham on Saturday by 11. H. Nicoll, of the Petono Rifle Club. Rarely has a King’s been won by a competitor with such consistently good shooting, for there was no falling away at one range and retrieving tho lost ground at another. Winning tho championship for the second time wit.hin two years, Nicholl inis set tho seal on his reputation as a marksman. With his final ten .rounds at 900yds he made 44, bringing his aggregate up to 471 out of a possible of 500. He finished with a lead of seven points over the rumier-up, W. N. Masefield, of Blenheim. The final ten rounds of the King's Prize match is reserved for the forty marksmen with the highest aggregate scores in the championship belt matches fired earlier in the meeting. The usual practice was followed, and the King’s forty fired in two batches, the last twenty firing first and the first twenty shooting last. Conditions were not by any means easy in front of the targets. There was :t fairly heavy mirage, which varied in its run from left to right, while an occasional left breeze added to the difficulties of the marksmen. When the King's forty went down at tho mounds Nicholl had an aggregate of 427, and next came Masefield with 420. In third position was last year’s King’s prizeman, Tl. V. Croxton (Karori), with 418. These three drew the targets in the middle of the range, and after tho final ten rounds their relative positions were unchanged. Nicholl was the first of the leading men for the King’s to finish, and after his success and tho usual trigger test ho was “ chaired ” and carried by his club mates shoulder high to tho Y.M.C.A. hall, where the prizes and trophies were presented by Commander. P. B. U. W. William-Powlett. R.N., of H.M.S. Duned in. Nicholl is exceptionally fast on the mounds, and the rapidity with which he gets his shots away is the admiration of his fellow-marksmen. No one knows more than he does about the technique of rifle shooting. Tie is 35 years of age, and modestly gives tho credit for his success with the rit'e to -the sound ■•caching he received when at Wellington College from Major Mathoson, formerly a master there, but now of I'anranga. Nicholl’s first experience of I'reiitham was in 1911, when he was a ..ember of the New Zealand team which fired for the Earl Roberts Imperial Trophy for service shooting by cadets, in 1924 Nicholl went Home to llisley, and out of 900 odd competitors be shot into tho second stage for the 'Cing’s Prize, and missed a place in he King’s hundred by two points. He ilso competed in tho British miniature liainpinnship, and lost second place by nitting a shot on the wrong target. He was the first New Zealander to obtain a place in the final of this chanilionship With his win on Saturday Nicholl has won thirty-two champion'd) ips in miniature ami ~‘503 rifle shooing. The service championship was fired <m Saturday morning. This called for ten rounds application at COOycls. The winner was E. Farley, of the Wanganui Rifle Club, ho receives the Ross Carbine belt, the gold medal of tho National Rifle Association, and £5. His score in the- championship was 191 out of a possible 244). R„ L. Jordan (Westport) and A. G Devore (Akarana) each finished with 184, but the subsequent shoot-off resulted in second tilncc being taken by the former marksman.

Considerable interest was taken in tlvo champion teams’ match,, in which twenty-seven teams competed, compared with twenty-four last year. The teams consisted of four men, who each had to lire seven rounds at 300yds, 500yds, and 600yds. The Wanganui No. 1 team was the winner with 393 out of a possible of 120. The member's of this team wore: F. J. Soicr, E. Farley, J, Paterson, and E S. King. They take the District Challenge Shield and miniature cups for the members of the team uid £l2. Greytown was second with 3.93, and Petono No. 2 was third with 390. For the highest individual score in the King’s Prize match a rifle chal'enge cup is awarded. F. H. James (Napier). H. A Cromie (Ashburton) and P. 13. Goldfinch (Karori) all made a 47, and after the match the recognised tie shoot was fired to determine the winner. This resulted in a win for Cromie, The scores made in the final match c or the King's Prize, together' with the aggregate scores for all matches in the championship series, are as follows; Ballinger rifle belt, gold medal, and gold badge of National Rifle Association, and £3O.—R. H. Nicholl (Petonc) 1. 44. 471 National Rifle Association’s silver star 1 and badge and £ls.—W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 44, 464. National Rifle Association’s silver star and badge and £lo. H. V. Croxton (Karori) 43, 4(31. National Rifle Association’s silver star and badge and £B.—L. Fellingbam (Suburbs) 45. 459. £5 —F. H. James (Napier) '47, 454. £3 13s each. —H. A. Cromie (Aslvhurton) 47, 453; 1). Roots (Patca) 40, 453; E. T. Haldane (Waipukurau) 37, 453. £2 each.—P. B. Goldfinch (Karori) 47, 452; i.l. G. Feast (Groymonth) 45. 452: T Goodall (Suburbs) 44, 452; E. A. Ballinger (Pctone) 44, 450. £1 each.—T. Warbnrton (Pctonc) 43, 149; H R Hunt (Suburbs) 40, 449; C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) 41. 448: J. H. Kearney (Napier ) 41. 448; R. C- Barkle (Petone) 41, 447; R. Ellis (Takapan) 45, 445; C J. M. Clark (Auckland City), 45, 444; H. W. Epast (Greytown) 44, 443; ,1. Jeunc (Gisborne) 40, 443; K. In wood (Nelson) 39, 442; F. N. M'Vrcar (Waipukurau) 42. 441; J. 1. King (Karori) 35, 441: L. G. Benton (Featherston) 35. 441; W. J. Burton (Okawa) 41. 349; E. M. Wrigley (Opnki) 41, 438; 13. Water-land (Patea) 38, 438; R. Congreve (Old Navals) 39. 437;, R. F. Wakefield (Akarana) 39, 437; F. S. Hood (Eenfherstnn) 41, 436; H C Percy (Alfrcdton) 33. 436; S. A. S. Elliott (Akarana) 38, 435: P. Berry (Tivarua) 28. 435; I). Brunton (Patea) 37, 431: W. H. West (Blenheim) 37, 431; E. J. C. Boston (Akarana) 36. 434 : E. C. Hogg (New Plymouth) 36 , 434 ; J. Austin (Nrdraka) 35, 432; H K. Smith (Opnki) 34, 431.