THE KING’S PRIZE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 8 May 1925, Page 3

THE KING’S PRIZE.

WON BY ANDERSON. SHOOTING AT TRENTHAM. Yesterday ' s proceed!ngs . (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATIONTRENTHAM, Maw 7. D. J. Anderson (Kuituna). with a score of 536, to-day won. the King s Prize match in connection with the National Ri'fle -Association s annual meeting. D. F. Keir (Ashburton) was- second with 527, and D. J. Guiney (Pctone) third with 526. The fight for the belt was shorn of excitement by the leader’s ten point advantage at the start-, and Nieho.ll, his nearest attendant, had difficulty m opening his account. His two “sighters” were misses, but lie began “business” with a couple of bulls', and then sampled all kinds of hits except outers. The weather was- really excellent, and was the best seen for years for the King’s Match. The wind was light from the right land easy to follow a.s a rule, but alternating bright sunlight and clouds caused elevation troubles. Meantime Keir (who was sixth in the aggregate) and Guiney (eleventh) had been' engaged in an interesting contest, each getting on 47 and coming up. to. .second and third places in the final. Their tie required ia shoot off. On- divided h.iiS score equally into bulls and i miens, climbing from thirteenth place to fifth. Hunt aind Carter fell badly for old stagers, and Hogg dropped to tenth place, but had the excuse that this ordeal was. a new thing for him. Re.ston kept .seventh place, while Frank moved up two to sixth. There, was a. good deal of shuffling among the. lower placed men. Oiling, H. Feast and McKenzie were fortunate enough to c-ompnle good hits of 40 each., but they were, so- far_ behind that it could not benefit, them greatly, so far as the bigger prizes were -concerned. As the shadows of the flag poles be gan to- lengthen eastward the conditions became even better than at the start-, the light being steadier, hut! several men seemed in trouble noverthelesis. Notable among these was the double ex-champion Roots, who only notched 22. He certainly had not far to- fall in the list, but he fell j the whole wnv. j, It is worthy of mention that the King’s Fifty included eight B grade men and six tyros. - KING’S PRIZE: MATCH.

Following are the details of the King’s Prize Match, ten shots at 800 yards: —- £SO, Ballinger Beit, gold medal and badge—D. J. Anderson. (Kaituna), range score 42,

total. 536 £25, silver .star and badge—D. F. Keir (Ashburton), 47 and 527 £ls. ..silver .star and badge—D. J. Guiney (Pet-one). 47 and 526 £lO, silver star and badge—-R. H. Nichol’l (Petome), 40 and: 524

The following £5 iaud -a badge each: —T. Orr (Greytown), 45,and 52-3; Sergenat-Ma.jor H. L. Frank (Permanent Stall), 43 a,ncl 523; El. J. Re«fcon (A.karaua), 41 and 521; H. Hunt (Wellington Suburbs), 37 and 519; \Y.

H. Ballinger (Retone), 44 and 518; F. C. Hogg (New Plymouth), 37 and 518. The following took £4 and a badge each : —L. O. Pimm (GhrLstch'u roll j, 43 and 517; A. G. Devore (Akarana), 43 and 516; H. Donald (Opaki), 42 and 516; R. Piper (Cliri.stcliurch), 43 and 515; Oapt. W. N. Masefield (Marlborough), 36 and 515. The following take 63 and a, badge each:—K. McKenzie (Featlverston), 46 and 514; S. Hja.y (Ohri-Hk-linrch Ria.ilway), 43 and 512; Cla.pt. H. Simmonds (Wanganui), 6 38 anVl 512; W. Sutherland ('Goodwood), 34 and 512; J. C. Carter. (Linton), 30 and 512. The following take £2 and a badge : F. W. Ching (Karori). 46 and 511; W. f. Green (Okawa), 3S and oil; W. fl. West (Benwick), 35 and 511: Lieut. F. j. Soler (Wanganui), 43 and 510; H. Maw ley (Opaki). 42 and 510. The following take £1 each: TV. J. Rryden (Kaiapoi), 37 and 510; G. P. Harrison (Hawera). 44 and 508 ; E. S. King (Wanganui), 30 and 508; H. TV. Feast (Greytown), 46 and 507; J. W. Milroy (Waimea). 43 and 507; H. T. Boon (Karori), 40 and 507; D. McKenzie (Opaki). 42 and 506; C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), 27 and 506; C. J. Nix (Featherston), 40 and 505; S. Mayhew (Linton). 38 and 505; Captain C. J. Hollard (Opotoki). 43 and 504; -J. E. Harris x (Linkwater), 38 and 502; A. Harris (Wellington Suburbs). 33 and 502: E. Bailey (Kimholton). 33 and 502; A. V. Swanson (Karori), 38’ and 501; M. J. Smart (Wellington Suburbs), 37 and 501 ; TV. S. Alills (Kiwi), 28. and 501: H. Trotinan (Greytown), 33 and 500: G. Cromic (Ashburton), 34 and 499; A. G. Graham (Dunedin), 16 and 497; F. TV-. Cox (Linton), 35 and" 497; TV. C. Welih (Karori). 34 and 194: L. A. Caldwell (Karori), 32 and 193; A. E. Ha bush a w (Christchurch), 27 and 489: D. Boots (Patea), 22 and 484.

After the King’s Match Guiney and Keir had to life live shots to decide the ownership of the Rifle Challenge Cup. Keir made 3. 5,3, 5. 4. total 20. and Guiney 3. I. 0, 5. 5. total 17. CAREERS OF LFA DEBS.

Anderson, the belt, winner - , is a farmer at Ka.itmia, and is 23 years of age. This is his fifth season with the riHe. He is modest and imperturbable. Ilis win marks the first occasion a ,South Islander has captured the coveted honour since 1914. when Masefield won the belt.

The runneY-iip, Keir. shot fog three years (1906-8) with the Bangiora Rifles, winning the company championship in 1908. Fie shot no more for 12 years, and began again with the Wakanui Club in Ashburton in 1920. He joined the Ashburton Club last vear. He won the midfield aggregate at Greytown. This is his fourth trip to Trentluim and his first appearance in the King’s Fifty. lie has not lost his B grade status.

The third man, Guiney. is a wellknown figure on the rifle ranges. Beginning in 1911 with the Christchurch Rifle Club, he attended Trenthnm in 1912 and 1913. and in the latter year he was a member of the Christchurch Club team that won the Champion Teams Match. After war services he shot at Bisley in 1919, the year that Lovodav won the King’s Prize there. fTo Ims won the North Island championship at Wanganui, and the TVaira■■apa championship at. Greytown. He Tuished fourth for the belt in 1920. He had also represented New Zealand in Victoria and New South Wales, getling into both King’s Hundreds. Anderson’s victory was generally expected, but he was nevertheless warmly

applauded and “chaired” in the usual way by his club mates and was attended bv three very joyful sisters to the hall, where Lady Rhodes presented the prizes, after brief, speeches by the Minister for Defence (Sir R. H. li bodes) and General Melville, G.0.C., who, with several staff officers and a considerable number of the public, were interested spectators of the final shoot. The grand aggregate for the highest score in all matches of the A and B series (including the King’s Match) was won by Captain Simmonds with 7.18. The runner-up was it. If. Niclioll with 713, and H. L. Frank with 70S as third. UTHKIR MATCHES. 'The champion teams match resulted : —£2o and district challenge shield, .New Plymouth (489); £lO, Christchurch (487); £-5, Linkwater (484); £5, Opaki (480); £3 Ash burton (477); £2 each, Linton (476), Petone (476), Greytown (473). Other teams were : —Pa tea 474. Wellington Suburbs 474, Wanganui No. I 473, Napier 472, Karori No. 1 472, Wanganui No. 2, 472, Featherston 471. Upper Hutt 471, Akarana 463. Tlie North versus South Island match (twenty men aside, seven shots each-at 300, 500, and 600 yards) was won by the North by 1917 points to 1907. The outstanding scores were 102 by Halmshaw (Christchurch) and' 100 by W. H. Ballinger (Petone). Centuries were alsd recorded in the champion match by Taylor (New Plymouth). Marrett (New Plymouth), and W. Ballinger (Petone). while Column (Linkwater) put on 102. The Dominion Match (fifteen shots at 600 yards) resulted: —£15, F. Ching (Karori)). 74; £lO. A. J. Green (Westport), 71; £B, W. McTver (Pet-one), 71; £6. D. J. Anderson (Kaituna), 71; £5. J. C. Feast (Greytown), 71; £5, A. Swanson. (Karori), 7.1; £4, F. .James (Napier), 71; £4, If. Marsh (Taihape), 71;- £4, T. Orr (Greytown), 70. The following take £3 each; —A. Calcier (Paten) 70, M. Chapman (Wairoa) 70, j. Atkinson (Akarana) 70, G. Smith (H.awera) 70. The following take £2 each: —H. Wilson (Rangiora) 70, R. H. Niclioll (Petone) 70. D. Roots (Pntea) 70, K. McKenzie (Featherston.) 70, J. Parcele (Otago Regiment) 69, S. McLean (Wellington Suburbs) 69, S. Higgs (New Plymouth) 69, G. Peterson (Renwiek) 69. R. Vermeil (Tewharau) 69, S. McKay (Opaki) 69.