NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VXII, Issue 7155, 21 March 1901, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

OPENING DAY.

(per press association.)

Wanganui, March 21.

There was lovely weather for the opening of the New Zealand Rifle Association meeting at eleven o'clock this morning. The number of competitors exceeds the estimate of Colonel Sommerville, and the success of the meetitfg is assured.

The Mayor addressed the competitors, welcoming them to Wanganui, and then the shooting began without the Udeleae formality of a gun being laid for a lady.

The handicapping of the rifles will cause discontonti particularly to those using Martinis. The council decided on the following handicaps and standards : — Seven shots at range 500 yds, a bandi. cap of 1, standard 35; 600 yds,, 1,\83^ 700 yds, 2, 32. Ten shots range: 500 yds, handicap 1, standard 50; 600 yds, 2. 48; 700 yds, 8, 45. Even with this handicap the '308 weapons have the best of it, as the ammunition for this gun is of English manufacture.

Among the competitors are the present champion (King, of Oamaru), and ex-champions W. Ballinger (Wellington), Okey (Taranaki), Remington (Wanganui), Williams (Wellington), Kruse (Wanganui), A. Ballinger (Weilington), Smith (Dunedin),) and Wakelin (Christchurch).

Should either of the Ballingers or King win the belt this year the trophy becomes his own property.

Wellington is regarded as having a strong team, and, on his performances at Woodville, W.Ballinger is thought to have a great chance for the belt, but there be did not meet several excellent shots from the north. ' \ Later, There wbb only a light drift wind across the range this morning. The first range of the Nelson- match was concluded at lunch time. Churtbn, who won the belt in Auckland in 1884, made 84, just missing the possible. Lister (Taranaki), A. Ballinger (Wellington), and Oakley (Nelson), were a point behind ; the others close up. Churton is using a '303 rifle.