RIFLE SHOOTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15861, 26 February 1912, Page 4

RIFLE SHOOTING.

THE SOUTH ISLAND RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

The eighth annual meeting of the South Island Rifle Association was com- , mence-1 at tho Rcdcliffs Range on Saturday. The light was dull, and a cold southerly wind which blew strongly in the marksmen's faces, was somewhat disconcerting. The figure targets were used for the first time at 200yds, and under the circumstances excelle.it ( results were attained. Tho entries number eighty-five, which is considered very satisfactory in view of the depleced ranks of shooting experts this year, brought about by the changes in ll.e military system. An excellent programme has been presented to competitors and the prize-list has been :iicreased as compared with last year's meeting. This is largely due to the liberality 'of a number of citizens of Christchureh and the district wno hv* interested in the promotion and wolta. o of riflo shooting. The fifing is under the control of Major J. Murphy, of the local Infantry Battaliun, and ho is being assisted by Captain li. -ARow and Lieutenants A. Sti"- 1 is ai.d D. Smith. Sergeant-Major F-nders.-n, of the Territorial Staff, is m-ring as squadding officer, and the secretary of the meeting is Mr J. limbr-11. Varxus parts of the South Island ar-.* represented, the marksmen coming from as far north as Nelson and _so far south as Orepuki, while the western boundary is marked by a squad from Greymouth. The outside support is not so strong numerically this year, but the attendance of Canterbury marksmen is very satisfactory, the number totalling seventyfour. ■ Only two ex-champions of the Association are shooting, namely, Captain W. S. King, who won in 1905, and Lieutenant Evans, last year's winner. Two members of the team that represented New Zealand at tho last Bisley meeting—Captain King and SergeantMajor Frank—are also competing. During the morning a visit was paid to the range by tho officer commanding the Canterbury military district, Colonel Burnett-Stuart, who was accompanied by Captain A. Onslow. The Canterbury Match, ton shots at 200 and 600yds, was the first'to be decided. At 200yds four scores of 48 wero recorded. The best of these was made by Lieutenant Evans (Engineers), whose hits | were—4555545555. Corporal Bradshaw (Ashburton) and Riflemen Reynolds and Hartigan (Christchureh Rifle Club), were the other marksmen to register that fine score. President Sandford and Rifleman Woods (Christchureh), and Rifleman- J. Cameron (Scargill) made 47 each, and scores of 46 were recorded by Riflemen Liddlo (Lincoln Club), Logan and Duthie (Christchureh Club). Sapper lies (Engineers) and Captain King (Christchureh). Soon after firing was commenced at 600yds the wind increased in force considerably, and rain fell. Rifleman Duthie, who was first down, scored 44, and set a good standard for the match with 90 points. Riflenmn Hogg, of Glenavy, who was on the next target to Duthie, registered 46, and lay one point behind Duthie. Sharland, of Nelson, also scored 46. Later, Reynolds, of the local club, mado 44, and with a total of 92 ran into the lead for the match. The conditions became difficult and the scores wcro broken considerably. Man after man went down to the firing-point with excellent prospects and bright hopes, only to find that the making of 40 or thereabouts took considerable managing. Chief honours in the match wont to Rifleman Roynolds, a wellknown and .popular member of tho Christchureh Defence Rifle Club. Evan 9 (Engineers) added another 34 at 600yds to his score of 34 at 500 in tho Otago match and. with the brilliant total of 68 out of 70, won the match. Ray, of Bunnockburn, just missed scoring the possible at 600 and with 33 and 34 was second. R.ichardson, Greymouth, was third with a like total and Captain King, Eiby (Christchureh) and Nicholls (Milton) wero next with 66 each. Evans's hits were:—sooyds—--5555545—34; 600yd5—555455534. Owing to tho lateness of the hour it was decided to postpone the Westland match, ten shots at 500yds, until Monday. The following is the prize-list of the CANTERBURY MATCH, ten shots at 209 and 600yds. Ono prize of £5, donated by the Hon C. Louisson, M.L.C.; one of £2 10s, two of £1 10s, four of £l, ten of 10s, and six tyro prizes of 10s.

Tyro prizes.—Rifleman S. Frew (Amberley) 85, Rifleman Hartigan (Christchurch) 85, Private Menzies (Waimatc) 84. Sapper lies (Engineers) 84, Sapper Sail (Engineers) 82, Gunner M'Minn (Lyttelton) 81. OTAGO MATCH, seven shots at 500 and 600yd3. Ono prize- of £l, one of £2 10s, two of £1 10s, four of £l, ton of 10s, and six tyro prizes of 10s.

nui) and Rifleman Sandford {Christchurch). Leading aggregates—Reynolds 155, Nicholls 155, Jordan, Evans, Hay and King 153, Eiby 152, Hosben 152. M'Connell 150, and Sandford, Hogg, Moss and Duthie 149.

200 GOO yds. yds. Tl. Rifleman Reynolds, ChriBlchurch 48 41—92 Rifleman Duthie, Christchurch . 46 44—ao Rifleman Hogg, Waihao . , 43 46—80 Sergeant Sharland, Nelson . •*. 43 44 42 46—89 45—80 46—88 Sergt.-Major Graharrif Lyttelton Sergoant Hogbon, Greymouth 45 43—88 Rifleman Harm, Christohurch . 45 43—88 Rifleman Hunro, Wyndham 45 43—88 Rifleman Wood, Christchurch . 47 41—88 ltifleman Ronnie, Christchurch . 45 42—87 Sergeant Nixon, Lyttelton . • 45 42—87 Rifleman Logan, ChriBtchureh . 46 41—87 Captain King-, Linwood Rifles , 46 41—87 Corporal Bradshaw, Ashburton . 48 39—87 Rifleman Sandford, Christchurch 47 40—87 Rifleman Bartot. Waihao 44 42—86 ! Rifleman White. Christchurch 44 42—86

500 600 yds. yds. Tl. Lioutenant Eraais, Engineers . 34 34—68 Kifloman Ray, Bannockbum 33 34—67 Private Richardson, Greymotith . 34 33—67 Captain King, Linwood 34 32—66 Rifleman Eiby, Christchurch . 34 82—6G Sergeant Nicholls, Milton. . • 35 31—6G Bugler Moss, Greymouth 32 33—65 Rifleman M'Connell, Christchurch 33 32—65 Sergeant Jordan. Engineers , 31 33—64 Captain Wain, Waimate . . 32 32—64 Sergeant Hogben, Greymouth . 33 31—64 Private Menzios, "Waimato . 33 . 31—61 Rifleman Miekelson, Waihao 34 30—€4 Bombardier Halmshaw, Lyttelton 35 29—64 Kifleman Rennie, Christchurch . 30 33—63 Kiflema-n Wilson, Christchurch . 32 31—63 Rifleman Reynolds, Christchurch 33 30—63 Rifleman Jones, Lincoln 30 32—62 Counted out—Rifleman T. Rob inson (Wai-