RIFLE SHOOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22579, 18 November 1936, Page 20

RIFLE SHOOTING

MILITARY TOURNEY ANNUAL MEETING OPENED HIGH STANDARD REVEALED The first half of the Auckland military rifle shooting championships was completed at Penrose last Saturday under reasonably good conditions, the cadet competitors, who fired at 25yds. in the morning, suffering little from ruin which affected the rifle clubs at the long ranges in the afternoon. The popularity of the fixture is apparent from the continued increase in the number of entries, which were such ill the cadet matches as to permit of a substantial increase in the length of the prize list. A feature of the matches was the high standard set by the competitors, in spite of the fact that a shortage of ammunition has curtailed regular practice to a considerable extent. Successes in the series of matches completed were well distributed among the units, the Auckland Grammar School securing the greatest number of placings, but only in proportion to number of competitors entered. Tho Mount Albert Grammar representatives had to be content with minor placings at the previous meeting, but on Saturday the school was Ave 11 in the limelight, winning the aggregate event and the cadet championship. Metcalfe was the outstanding performer, and, although his shooting could not be termed brilliant, he won very easily by seven points. Among the machine-gunners the honours were well distributed, the results being very different to those of last year, when the Auckland Regiment won all four matches. In the run-down Lewis gun competition the Auckland Grammar team secured a well-earned victory with every plate down. The first men to fire did their work well and left the final gunner a fairly easy task in cutting down the last few plates, although these were well scattered along the frontage. The second Lewis gun match went to the Army Service Corps team with a score slightly below that of the winners last year. Both Vickers gun matches were closely contested, the Auckland Regiment retaining its titles iri these events. Territorial, ojien rifle and teams matches will be fired on Saturdav and excellent entries are expected. Bevan will be defending the territorial championship, which appears very open. Boulton, a former champion, appears to have as good a chance as any. Wallingford will not defend his open title, but Spry, Wakefield and Clark, all former champions, will compete. Vear, of the Air Force, is reported to be in good form, but the best of the rifle club competitors should win. The City Club has held the champion teams match for the last four years, but the issue appears more open than usual this time. Among the riflemen who shot over the long ranges last Saturday, R. Wakefield was responsible for a phenomenal score under the conditions which prevailed in scoring 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5 —49, and 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4 —46. Other excellent scores were made by C. Harris and E. J. C. Reston. All are Akarana members.