G. HALLIDAY'S WIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7079, 17 March 1910, Page 5

G. HALLIDAY'S WIN

KING'S PRIZEMAN HONOURED. EX-WOODVILLE RESIDENTS' CONGRATULATIONS. A number of ex-residents of Wqodvillo assembled in the new Occidental Hotel last evening to congratulate Rifleman G. Halliday, this year's champion rifle shot of New Zealand, on his success at the recent Trentham rifle meeting. . _ Captain G. J. Hall, who presided, in proposing the health of their guest, said that Mr Halliday had won the most coveted honour in rifle-shooting circles in New Zealand. A great part of his early career had been spent in Woodville, and his recent victory reflected to a certain extent on that place. He had got a liking for the rifle there, and it was there that he did his first target practice. He (the speaker) had been an officer of the local volunteer corps, and Halliday was on the "limit " mark at the time; and from that position to champion shot of New Zealand was a very long step indeed. His success was the result of constant work and application to both theory and practice in the art of rifle-shooting. Since Halliday had been a member of the Karori Rifle Club he had, in conjunction with the club's president, Mr H. Marshall, instituted reforms,- and, amongst other things, had been responsible for an amalgamation scheme between the old Defence Rifle Clubs' Association and the defence forces for the purposes of an annual rifle meeting at Trentham. In addition, the present champion of New Zealand had always been willing to assist young shots both on and off the range. This was a trait which spoke very highly for their guest. The winning of the belt was an achievement which might only come to a man once in a lifetime. Only two or three men had won the honour on more than one occasion. These were the Ballinger Bros, and G. Hyde, in recent years, and in the earlier days of shooting Captain Wales and Lieutenant Poynter. If Halliday won' it again he would be on a level with these few brilliant marksmen. Woodville, where Halliday had first learned to shoot, was noted for its splendid marksmen: A Woodville team which contained such noted men as Chicken, Loveday, and Inkpen had put up a score at tho Hillsborough range, Oamaru, which had never yet been equalled .in New Zealand, and only once in the world—by a Natal team at Bisley. W. H. Nelson, of the Woodville Rifle Club, had won the belt in 1901, and J. G. Wilson, of the same place, was runner-up. The Woodville Rifles had won the Coleman Shield at Hawke's Bay, one of the finest trophies in New Zealand; and Woodville had perhaps the best cadet team in New Zealand, winning the " Weekly Press" Challenge Shield twice in succession, with a score on each occasion which was higher than tho previous record. Other speakers congratulated Halliday, and spoke of his high qualities as a fellow-citizen. It was mentioned that on the occasion of New Zealand winning the Kolaporo Cup at Bisley in 1904 there were four Woodville members in tho team, including G. Loveday., W. H. Nelson, and J. G. Wilson; and that Chicken had put up a world's record on one occasion by getting on a possible at 300 yards. Mr Halliday, in reply, thanked those present for their many flattering remarks. ,Success with the rifle had been gradual with him. , He had progressed from winning a club shoot to a club championship, and on to a provincial championship, and finally he hud won the New Zealand championship. The nervousness generally attributed to the winner of a championship had not been evident in his case. He accounted for this because he had not started to shoot-off for the belt with the highest aggregate of tho final fifty.' He was not many points behind, but the worry of being the leader was not a factor to be contended with. Holding the leading position was always a handicap. It was very hard for a man. at the top of the list to get through. He recounted his first exploits with the rifle at Woodville, when he was the " limit" man with a fifteen-points handicap. Although he started with the Woodville Rifles he had learnt practically all his shooting with the Karori Club, of which he was one of the oldest members. At the same time, he had picked up many valuable points at Woodville amongst the old marksmen there. Woodville had turned out some of the most solid and steady shots in the Dominion.