NEW ZEALAND BISLEY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8365, 27 February 1913, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND BISLEY

ALL READY FOR TO-DAY’S MATCHES.

Everything augurs well for a very successful opening of the Dominion Rifle Association’s meeting at Trentham to-day. AIL day yesterday competitors were arriving in camp, and up till a late hour over 350 entries had been received. This is about fifty more than last year, and it is expected that the total will reach 380. Most of the entrants are rifle club men, though a fair number of Territorial uniforms are to be. seen. Many of the Territorials had not been armed with, rifles until comparatively recently, and it was only natural to assume that entries from the military quarter would not be large. All arrangement* for the opening are complete, therefore a clean start will be made this morning. It is always gratifying to see tyros at a rifle meeting, for it shows that interest in the sport of shooting is increasing. About eighty tyros have entered for the New Zealand Bisley. Colonel R. J. Collins, chief executive officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, who as formerly will control the meeting, arrived at Trertham last night along with other officers who are to assist. At 8.30 this morning the competitors will fall in at the squadding posts, when rifles will be examined and triggers tested. Colonel Collins will then address the men. Shooting is to commence at 9 o’clock with Match No. 3 in the B series (Loophole Cover Match, 600 yards) and Match No. 4 (rapid shooting, 500 yards). Match No. 5 (snap shooting, 300 yards) will be fired at 11 a.m. and match No. 2 (vanishing target, 200 yards) at 1.20 p.m. This will comprise a very fair programme for the day. To-day, to-morrow, and Saturday will be occupied in Service and team matches, and all being favourable the Belt series will be entered upon on Monday. The Service series are op l tional to men of over thirty years of age. Last year, when they were compulsory to all, competitors did not take kindly to them. However, a pleasing and perhaps whimsical feature this year is that a very large percentage of the entrants have decided to fire right through the Service matches. Last night the weather conditions augured well for a practically perfect day to-day. The sky was almost perfectly clear and there was scarcely ;a breath of wind, but of all ranges Trentham is the trickiest, and anyone who attempted to prophesy with accuracy what the wind was going to be like for so brief a period as five minutes in the future would assuredly have no honour among riflemen.