KING’S PRIZE MATCH BEING FIRED TO-DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7103, 11 March 1933, Page 7

KING’S PRIZE MATCH BEING FIRED TO-DAY

The Forty Finalists Found

TRENTHAM MARKSMEN IN GOOD FORM

Per Press Association TRENTHAM, Last Night,

Ex-champions filled tho first lorn places in the contest for the King’s Prize as tho result of to-day’s shooting at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Trcntham. The forty highest aggregate scores in the series of championship matches decided during the past three days will fire in the final King’s Prize match of ten rounds at 900 yards to-morrow afternoon, tho belt going to tho marksman with tho highest grand aggregate in all matches.

H. Simmonds (Auckland) and 11. V. Croxton. (Karori) arc at tho head of the King’s forty, each with a score of 523, out of a possible of 555. W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) is in third place With 521, and E. S. King (Wanganui) occupies fourth position with a score of 51S. Simmonds won the belt in .1 Croxton in 1920, Masegcld in 19.14 and 1929, and King in 1928. No fault could be found with conditions in the early morning and when the first squads were firing the 900 yards of the Auckland match there was hardly a breath of wind, with good visibility. Possibles were registered at this range by J. 11. Kearney (Napier), H. W. Feast (Greytown), T. H. R. Boon (Karori), L. H. Warburton (Petone), V. Donald (Opaki), R. J. King (Opaki), G. Burford (Wanganui), F. Clark (Ashburton) and i>\ ! . Green (Okawa). Back at the 900 yards of the Auckland match much more 'caution had to be exorcised to cope with mirage and a breeze that commenced to blow, and here there were two possibles only, F. Bowes (Auckland) and B. B. Jones (Nelson) placing all their shots in the bull. Bowes, who had 98 for tho two ranges, won the match. J. Bryden (Kaiapoi) and Warburton also finished with 98’s, but on tho count-back had to be content with second and third places respectively. Nix Wins Otago Match. In spite of the tricky conditions in the afternoon the standard of marksmanship was high and two matches were decided, the Otago match and the Witcombe and Coldwell match, each consisting of ten rounds at 900 yards. Some fine shooting resulted. C. J. Nix (Fcatherston) won tho Otago with a possible and the next nine places in the prize list wero filled by competitors who had dropped one point only. R. G. Hills (Greytown) was tho winner in the B grade in the Witcombe and Coldwell match. R. C. Barklo (Petone) and L. G. Benton (Featherston) registered possibles and a shootoff was necessary to decide the winner, as a result of which Benton collected the first prize of £7. E. M. Wrigiey (Opaki) and F. N. Monk (Ngatiawa) tied for third place, each with 59. For tho highest scores in the various combinations of individual matches a number of aggregate prize lists were awarded, and with the completion of to-day’s shooting the compilation of most of these was possible. Australian Aggregate to Bowes. The Australian aggregate for the highest aggregate scores in tho Canterbury match, Wellington match uuu Auckland match, was won by F. Bowes (Auckland) with 241 out of a possible of 250. Two points behind him was J. Sim (Okawa) in second place, and J. E. Farley (Wanganui) was third with 235. In the Bisley aggregate, awarded for the highest aggregate scores in tho four long range belt matches, T. W. Warburton (Petone) and W. Kenning (Nelson) each finished with 239 or equal value. They will shoot off to-morrow morning to decide first and second place.

The B grade aggregate for all belt matches was won by M. F. Wakefield (Auckland) with 315 out of a possible of 555. The King’s Forty.

The marksmen to obtain places in the King’s forty are as follow: H. Bimmonds (Auckland) 523 H. V. Croxton (Karori) 523 W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) .. .. 521 Jfl. S. King (Wanganui) 510 C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) .. .. 517 F. H. James (Napier) 517 G. J. Nix (Featherston) 517 H. M. Wriglcy (Opaki) 510 T. W. Warburton (Petonc) .. .. 515 It. F. Wakefield (Mt. Albert Grammar School) 515 1). F. Keir (Ashburton) .... .. 514 F. J. Jeune (Gisborne) 512 ft. G, Barkle (Petone) .. 512 W. Oakley (Ghristchurek) ~ .. 512 11. H. Harries (Christchurch) ~ 511 H. King (Opaki) 511 F. H. Sharland (Nelson) 511 G. H. Gower (Wanganui) 511 It. H. Nicholl (Petone) 511 L. G. Benton (Featherston) .. ... 511 J. G. Feast (Grcytown) 510 F. Bolton (Opaki) 510 H. Cromie (Ashburton) 510 B. B. Jones (Nelson) 510 W. H. Ballinger (Petone) 510 H. L. Mason (Christchurch) .. .. 510 LJ. Nicholls (North Bank) .. .. 510 H. Fraukland (Karori) .. .. .. 509 W. J. Green (Okawa) .. .. .. .. 509 A. M. McDonnell (Petonc) .. .. 609 J. C. Carter (Petone) 508 F. Clark (Ashburton) 508 W. West (Blenheim) .. .. .. .. 508 it. Nicholson (Napier) 508 P. C. Hamilton (Wanganui) .. .. 508 F. Bowes (Auckland) 508 G. M. Pickering (Opaki) .. ... .. 507 F. Ching (Karori) .. .. 507 A. V. Swanson (Karori) 508 W. Kenning (Nelson) 607 The last four competitors will fire off to-morrow morning to determine the last two places in the King’s forty.