RIFLE SHOOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22259, 6 November 1935, Page 21

RIFLE SHOOTING

SERVICE PRACTICE HELD POOR STANDARD REVEALED The local rifle clubs were engaged in service shooting during the week-end, this being their first attempt at ..tho new programme which will be used for the New Zealand service championship at tho next National Association meeting. Taken all through, the results were disappointing, as fow of tho competitors wero anywhere near the standard expected of Aucklanders. Certainly the conditions were strange, but not sufficiently so to cause trouble to the experienced marksmen who took part in the shoot.

On the face of it, tho results appear disconcerting in view of tho forthcoming military meeting, but they were too bad to represent the truo worth of the men who will represent the clubs. F. Bowes provided the only good shoot 011 the day with 46 on the snapshooting disc at 300 yds., a score seldom reached by service marksmen. , Tho bulls-eve championships will bo continued nt tho middle distanco ranges 011 Saturday, Akarana not yet having staged a shoot nt the short ranges. Taking the best double range shoot at 500 yds. and 600 yds., and 800 yds. and OOO.vds. as a guide, .T. R. Praffin is leading with an aggregate of ISO from H. P. Wakefield, who has 187. Next comes W. Powell, the present champion, with 186, W. Colquhoun, with a point less, and E. J. C. Keston. N'ohody outside those named should have a chance in the championship. On present indications J. Cossnr has a fine chance of winning flic junior title, hut he should strike strong opposition from J. Mills, who showed brilliant form last season. At the recent championship meeting of the North Ancklnnd clubs, S. Clark created a mild surprise by winning by two points from his son, aged 15, the other competitors being well beaten. Clark had an average of 40.5 over the four ranges snot, which Nvould place him well up tho list in any company. It is interesting to note that neither father nor son was selected to represent the Whangarei A team. Nevertheless,, Whangarei had a strong club to draw from, and it won tho champion teams match fairly easily. A team is expected to visit the City Club in the near future.