The King’s Forty Found

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 54, 6 March 1935, Page 7

The King’s Forty Found

National Rifle Meeting at Trentham

WILLS (INVERCARGILL) IN LEADING POSITION

Per Press Association. TRENTHAM, Last Night,

The championship scries of matches, from which is determined the 40 highest aggregate scorers to fire in the final, match for the King’s Brize, was completed at the national rifle meeting at Trentham to-day.

Leading position in the King’s Forty is occupied by A. R. Wills (Invercargill) with 421, out of a possible 450. Next highest score was 41S, made by F. Bowes (Auckland City). With his throe-point lead, 47 for his final ten rounds at 900 yards would make Wills sure of the Champion Belt, Third) fourth and fifth places in the forty are filled by L. G. Benton (Fcatherston), F. H. James (Napier), and A. H. O’Donnell (Petonc), each with 410. The championship shooting was resumed half-way through the morning, following the completion of an extra match, of seven rounds at SOO yards, for which, there were 41 prizes, totalling £ls. The first range of the Auckland Match, ten rounds at SOO and 900 yards, was fired before the luncheon adjournment, leaving the afternoon free for the second range of the Auckland Match and the Witcombe and Caldwell Match, which called for ten rounds at 900 yards. Tricky conditions were experienced by the first men to shoot in the Auckland Match and many competitors suffered severely in rapid wind changes from right to left. Little fault could be found with the light.

As the morning advanced, the weather improved, and although at timeo the wind was difficult to follow, there were occasional easy patches. Marksmen who were fortunate enough to be shooting in them had good scores. Throughout the early afternoon, conditions wore much the same, but towards the end of the day the breeze freshened from the south and more windage allowance was required than on any previous occasion during the meeting. The Australian Aggregate

Four marksmen had aggregates of 233, out of a possible 250, to gain leading places in the Australian Aggregate, which is awarded for the highest scores in tho Canterbury, Wellington and Auckland Matches. They were A. R. Wills (Invercargill), J. C. Carter (Petonc), K. Grigsby (Morrinsville), and F. H. James (Napier)._ The matches comprising tho Australian Aggregate involve one shoot at each of the shorthand long ranges over which the competitors fire in jhe championship series. | With his consistent shooting in the long-range belt matches! R. Congreve (Old Navals) won the vßisley Aggregate with 193, out of i] possible 200. His loss of seven points for the three matches comprising the Bisley was marksmanship of the highest older. The next highest scores were IS9, registered by Wills and Benton. The rifle club champion teams’ match, which is based on all scores in the belt matches exeejit the final ten shots, was won by tho Napier team, the members of which were F. H,. James, L. H. Proffitt, R. Nicholson and J. H. Kearney. Their aggregate scores totalled 1033. The team wins the Petone Rifle Club Champion Aggregate Shield and each member of the team receives a miniature silver cup. The Auckland City team had the second highest score with 1029 and the Petone No. 1 team finished third with 1610. The Colonial Ammunition Company’s Cup, for the highest team scores in all range belt matches except tho final ten shots, was won by the Napier team with 709. The Auckland City team was second with 709 and the Featherston team third with 70S. The Auckland Match was won by Congreve with 98. J. C. Feast (Greytown) was second with 95. The winner of the Witcombe and Caldwell Match was C. B. Benton (Okato), with IS. Tho prize-lists for these two matches had not been compiled when the telegraph office closed. 3 The final match for the King’s Prize to-morrow afternon will’ be broadcast. This will be the first occasion that this has been done.

The King’s Porty. The following marksmen will fire oil to-morrow for the King’s Prize: A. R. Wills (Invercargill) 421 F. Bowes (Auckland City) .... 418 L. G. Benton (Featherston) .... 416 F. H. James (Napier) 416 A. 11. O’Donnell (Petone) .... 416 W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) .... 415 E. Congreve (Old Navals) .. .. 41J. C. Carter (Petone) 412 F. J. Soler (Wanganui) 411 C. J. Nix (Featherston) 411 H. Simmonds (Auckland City) .. 411 K. Grigsby (Morrinsville) .... 411 R. Nicholson (Napier) 409 11. V. Croxton (Karori) ...... 408 F. H. Sharland (Nelson) 408 L. H. 'Proffitt (Napier) .. i. .. 408 C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) .. .. 408 F. Booking (Cheltenham) 407 D. Roots (Patea) 487 H. W. Feast (Greytown) 407 A. R. Elgar (Okato) 407 J. U. Feast (Greytown) 407 W. 11. Ballinger (Petone) .. .. 406 F. N. McVicar (Waipukurau) ~ 406 J. H. Thompson (Woodville) .... 406

M. King (Opaki) 405 W. Norris (Whangarei) .. .. «. 405 F. C-. Hogg (New Plymouth) .... 405 L. E. Braithwaitc (Okawa) .. •• 405 R. O. Anderson (Invercargill) .. 405 W. N. Kumrner (Opaki) 405 I. J. Spry (Auckland City) .. .. 404 H. C. Percy (Alfredton) 404 W. Johnson (Featherston) .. .. 404 D. McKenzie (Opaki) 404 B. B. Jones’ (Nelson) 404 E. Ballinger (Petone) 404 R. 11. Nichoil (Petone) .. .. -. 404 J. McKelvie (Karori) * •-. 404 E. Donald (Featherston) .. .. 400

P. W. Congreve (Old Navals) ~ 403

H. E. Hunt (Suburbs) .. .. .. .. 403 R. E. Stuart (Cheltenham) .. .. 403

C. Pickering (Opaki) .. .. .. •• 408 The last five competitors will fire off: one compulsory sighter and .three.-shots at 900 yards to-morrow morning to determine the last place in the King’s Forty. Results to-day were: — « Australian Aggregate. * (For highest scores in Canterbury) Match, Wellington M.atch and Auckland Match.) White Horse Challenge Cup and miniaturc and £7: A. R. Wills (Invercargill-)) 235. £5: J. C. Carter (Petone) 235. £4: K. Grigsby (Morrinsville) 235. £3 each: F. H. James (Napier) 235, L. H. Proffitt (Napier) 232. £2 each: F. C. Hogg (New Plymouth)) 232, L. G. Benton (Featherston) 252, H. W. Feast (Greytown) 2 32, F. J, Soler (Wanganui) 232. Twenty-five others received £1 each. Bisley Aggregate. (For highest aggregate scores in Tara* naki Match, Auckland Match and Witcombe and Caldwell Match.) Croxton Cup and £5: R. Congreve (Old'Navals) 193. £4: A. R. Wills (Invercargill) 189. £3: L. G. Benton (Featherston) 259. £2 each: J. O. Feast (Greytown) 188, W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 180. Ten received £1 each aud ten 10s each; Grand Aggregate. (For highest aggregate scores in all matches except' the final ten shots.) Collins Challenge Cup and N.R.A. Gold Medal: W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) 671. N.R.A. Silver Medal: E. H: Nichoil (Petone) 657. N.R.A. Bronze Medal: F. J. Soler (Wanganui) 654. Imperial Aggregate. (For highest scores iu Otago, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Witcombe and Caldwell Matches.)

Club Coffee Cup: R. Nicholson (Napier) 189.

B Grade Aggregate.

(For all scores in Belt Matches except final ten shots.)

Barton Challenge Shield, gold medal and £5: L. M, Proffitt (Napier) 408. £3: F. Booking (Cheltenham)’4o7. £2 each: W. Norris (Whangarei) 4lm, R. C. Anderson (Invercargill) 405. Thirteen received £1 each.