SERVICE RIFLE TESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18347, 13 March 1923, Page 8

SERVICE RIFLE TESTS.

__—.—♦ INAUGURAL MEETING TO-DAY. BUSY SCENE AT TRENTHAM. KING'S MEDAL COMPETITION [BY TELEGBAPH. —PBESB ASSOCIATION.] TRENTHAM. Monday. Trentham to-day is assuming an air of activity reminiscent of the war period. The men and youth of t)he country aro concentrating in camp with all the accoutrement of war, but their purpose is merely to pit each one's skill in marksmanship against the ether's To-morrow will seo the opening of the inaugural meeting of the New Zealand Army Rifle Association's championship meeting, at which the pick of the different districts will engage in a series of service Bhooting matches, for which the principal award is the King's Medal, a newly-instituted •prize, to be fired for in all of the Empire. Not only is a keen eye needed for thi* test, but the men's stamina will also count in a large degree, as the practices to be carried out will be conducted under conditions approximating with those on tin© battlefield. The entries at present number about 450, of which 90 are cadets, 24 reserve forces and riflemen, and the balance territorials from all parts of the Dominion., Lieutenant-Colonel W. H. L. Burgess is the chief executive officer, and the secretary's duties are carried out by Captain A. E. Conway, of headquarters, Wellington. It is anticipated that as the entries are so satisfactory, being considerably more than anticipated, some additions to the prize-list will be mode. The weather this evening was dull and threatening. COMPETITORS FROM HAMILTON. [BY TEXEGBATH.r-OWN COBBESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Monday. A number of territorials and cadets left Hamilton last evening for Trentham to take part in the Army Rifle Association's competitions. <