SUCCESSFUL MARKSMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7019, 6 January 1910, Page 8

SUCCESSFUL MARKSMEN

RIFLE ASSOCIATION'S FUNCTION. defence questions. A large audience, a considerable portion of which was composed of ladies, assembled in the Buckle street Drill Hall last night to witness the presentation of trophies won. by volunteers, riflemen and cadets at the Wellington. Garrison Rifle Association’s first combined meeting at Trentham. Captain Davis presided. The task of presenting the trophies was delegated to Lieutenaut-Colomal Collins, V.D. Accompanying these officers on the platform wore Colonel Campbell, Major McDonald (public school cadets), and Captain Chesney (Assistant Adjutant-General). Private A. E. Turner (City Rifles), winner of the champion belt, received an ovation. It was remarked by Colonel Collins that the belt was one which it was a great honour to win, bearing, as it did, the names of many old shootists who had retired not only trom the shooting world,, hut from tho world iteelf. In presenting the Licensed I ictuallois Cup—handed over, under the amalgamation scheme, by. the Rifle Club Association to the Garrison Rifle Association to its winner, ho remarked that tho win was a most popular one. He did not think there was a man who had. done moro for rifle-shooting, not only in his own club, but amongst the volunteers, than Presidonlt Marshall, of,tho Kurort Rifle Club. (Applause.)

THE FIRST BOYS’ SISLEY.

Before presenting the trophies. Colonel Collins congratulated the association pa the success which had attended its nrst combined meeting. No fewer than 19b competitors had taken part, which meant that now the meeting ranked eecona only to tho big meeting at Trend.bam. (Applause.) The association hod gone further —dt hud created a boys’ Bisley, a meeting in which 200 cadets of the district took paid. This spoke well for tho boys of Wellington, and it was to them that they must look for their future soldiers. Under the new defence scheme these lads would gravitate into tho senior cadets and thence into the Territorials or general training section, and automatically into the Tesexves. The boys of to-day would bo the soldiers of the future. He congratulated the association, also, on th© step it had taken in amalgamating with the rifle clubs, because he considered that it was only right and proper that _ riflemen should be as intimately, associated with the defence forces as. the volunteers themselves., (Applause.) SERVICE VERSUS BULL’S EYE.

There were some, said Colonel Collins, who deprecated bull’s-eye shooting. As one who had had long experience of rifle shooting—it was nearly forty years since, in Taranaki, he first won a marksman’s prize—he could say that he knew what bull’s-oye shooting was, and what service shooting was, and ho knew, too, that they must go together. To put •down bull’a-eyo shocking would bo a great mistake. The reply he felt inclined to make to those who were so fond of decrying it was, “ Well, w© want a man out at Trentham for th© running man target; we may as well give you the job!” (Laughter.) VISIT FROM AUSTRALIANS.

The next Trentham meeting, continued the Colonel, would bo practically th© Dominion’s jubilee meeting, and for th© first time they were to have a visit from Australians, it having been decided to send a team over to contest the Empire match at Trentham in March next. (Applause.) New Zealand had sent a team over there, and' it had achieved the satisfactory result of putting the representative team of the Mother Country below it. This, not on their own territory, but under Australian conditions, he considered a very creditable performance. He could not conclude without bearing testimony to the great amount of work in connection with th© association’s meeting which had been put in by Captains Davis and Essen* and Lieutenants iioache and Hutchen. THE TROPHIES.

The trophies were then presented as follows:

No. I Match.—Lieut. Hollard and Corporal Davidson, tie. No. 2 Match.-—Seniors, President Marshall (Karori Rifle Club); juniors. Bugler Ballinger (Nelson College Cadets). No. 3 Match.—‘Seniors, Rifleman B. J. King (Opaki Rifle Club); juniors. Private H. D. Smith (P. and T. Rifles). No. 4 Match, Seniors, Rifleman F. Wilkie (Upper Hutt Rifle Club); junior®. Private E. Russell (Hutt Valley Rifles). No. 5 Match.—Seniors, Rifleman A. Guise (Karori Rifle Club); juniors. Private. MacMoiran. (P. amd T. Rifles). No. 6 Match.—Seniors. Rifleman Bairetow (Opaki Rifle Club); juniors. Rifleman A. W. Kemp (Karori Rifle Club). No. 7 Match. Seniors, 001.-Sergeant McDonald (W ellington Highlanders); juniors, Lieut. Hastings (Dominion Scouts). Championship: Rifleman R. J. • King (gold medal presented by Mr W. H. Field, M.P., and Rifle Club Association trophy),. 1; Pto. A. E. Turner (Messrs E. W. Mills and Co.’s trophy), 2; Rifleman F. Wilkie (Messrs Brisco© and Co.’s trophy), 3; President Marshall (Mr G. T. White’s trophy), 4.

Champion Teams*. Match (three leading teams to receive a cup): Opaki Rifle Club, No. 1 team, 1; Karori Rifle Club, No. 1 team, 2; City Rifle®, No. 1 team, 3.

Champion Volunteer Belt: Private A. E. Turner, City Eifles. Junior Championship Aggregate Prizes: Private Joplin, Civil Service Biflos (Messrs Stewart Dawson’s trophy), 1; Bifleman A. W. Kemp, Karori Bifle Club (Mr W. H. Tisdail’s trophy), 2; Private H. D. Smith, Post and Telegraph Bifles (Mr S.. G. Boss’s trophy), 3; Sergeant Armstrong, Wanganui Highlanders (Mr T. Pringle’s trophy), 4. Highest aggregate made by any competitor who has never won a prize at any Bifle Association meeting (trophy presented by President H. Marshall, Karori Bifle Club): Bifleman A. W. Kemp, Karori Bifle Club. Licensed Victuallers’ Cup for highest aggregate in matches Nos. 2,3, 4, and 5: President H. Marshall, Karori Bifle Club.

Long Eange Aggregate: Bifleman J. McLauohlan, Petono Itiflo Club (Kaiapoi Woollen Co.'s mg). School Cadets: No. 1 match. Private Babe (Maranui); No. 3. match. Private Ferris (Normal School); No. 3 match, Colour-Sergeant McCrao (Johneouville); No. i : match. Sergeant- McFarlane (Johnsouville). Championship, Sergeant MoVioar (Johnsonville). Defence Cadets: No. 1 match—A, Lieutenant W. B. Fitchett (Wellington College); B. Private P. N. H. Frecth (Wellington College). ■ Defence Cadets: No. 2 match—A, Private H. C. Poison (Wellington College); B, Private P. N. H. Freeth (Wellington clmmpionship: A, Lieutenant W. B. Fitchett; B, Private P. N. H. Freeth. During the evening items were contributed by Lieutenant Wilkinson, Messrs McFarlane, Marks, Mee, and Mcßeth, and the Garrison Band. An exhibition of physical exercise was given by a Squad of Zealandia Bifles, and of bayonet exercise by a squad of City Bifles.