RIFLE SHOOTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18801, 2 March 1923, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING

THE TRENTHAM MEETING. BATTLE FOR KING’S PRIZE. (Pkb Ukited Pbess Association.) TRENTHAM, March 1. After missing one year, the riflemen have again taken possession of Trentham for a week to battle for the title of the King s Prizeman. The attendance is just below 300, compared with 419 at the 1921 meeting. , The falling off is not attributable to lack of interest, but to the increased expense of the sport and other circumstances traceable to the difficult times through wliich the country is passing. The weather, which was wet and squally during the night, cleared in the morning, though a bloak southerly which was blowing down the range made the conditions quite wintry until the sun broke through the clouds and warmed the valley. The shooting began with the Anzac Match, for tyros, two stages, of which the 300 and 500 yards were completed. Tho third stage will bo fired later. Two matches of tho individual service series were also gone through. In the course of Colonel Collins’s address to the competitors lie referred to the formation of the new Army Rifle Association, which will hold its first meeting at Trentham, beginning on March 30. Ho said the inauguration of the Army Association did not 'mean that it was in any way in conflict with the National Rifle Association. Indeed, it should act as a feeder for it by encouraging youths to excel and gain confidence so that they would try their skill against the older bands. The meeting is under tho control of Colonel R. Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, wlio lias with him most of the old executive and range officers who have been identified with the championship rifle meeting for many years past. The camp arrangements have found high favour with the competitors. Riflemen can usually be depended upon to find something to grumble about, but so far the voice of the “groucher” has not been raised in the camp, and the secretary '(Mr W. G. Fellinghamj, of the Wellington Suburbs Club, and Quartermaster-captain T. Davis already feel that they have advanced perceptibly on the road to' the land of tho blest. The marking, which is frequently a source of dissatisfaction, is good. Indeed, the contingent of Maori markers from Grey town are voted “out on their own,” which is high praise from the men who often feel inclined to place the blame for a bad score on the markers.

To-morrow the individual service series will bo completed, and a start will be made with the championship bolt series, one match of which —the Canterbury Match, ten shots at 6CO yards—will be fired. The prize-takers in the following matches arc;

Anzac No. 1. Tetrshots at 300 yards (possible 50). —£2, D. B. Wilton (Maurice ville), 47; £l, Major G. S. Taylor (Karori), 47; £l, President; E. J. Lintfer (Frankton), 45. Smaller prizes were won by Goldfinch (Wellington), 45; Mitchell (Petone), 44; Webber (Cambridge), Trotman (Greytown), Green (Okawa), Connor (Okawa), and F. Whiteman (Upper I-lutt), 43; Robertson (Christchurch), Osbom (Karori), and Jones (Timaru), 42. Ton were counted out. Service Series. Classification Practice Match, No, 1. Five shots prone, five kneeling (each 20 seconds), and 10 shots rapid (in 50 seconds). All at 200 yards (possible 100). —£3," A. C. Crossan (Linton), 93; £2, F. H. James (Napier), 92. The following take £1 each: J. G. Ritchie (Hawera) and J. Bryden (Kaiapoi), each 91; H. T. Boon (Karori) and H. R. Hunt (Wellington Suburbs), 89; E. VennoU (Tewharau), Captain H. Simmonds (Wanganui), O. Whiteman (Wellington Suburbs), and T. Sharland (2nd Canterbury Battalion). 86; E. J. Boston (Alcarana), 85; J. F. Atkinson (Akarana), F. Needham (Linton), H. Barrett (Frankton), (84). Smaller prizes were won by Hester (Wellington Suburbs) and P. Jack (Christchurch), 84; T, J. Edwards (Linton), W, El Jones (Tiinaru). P. C. Hamilton (Wanganui), Lieutenant W. Duncan (Westport), G. S. Campbell (OkawaL and R. Snedden (We'liugton), 83; E. R. Moss (Greymouth) and F. W. Ohing (Karori), 82. Four were counted out. Classification Practice Match, No. 2, five rounds snapshooting at figure target prone at 200yds, 6seo per shot, and five rounds application at 500yds (possible 40). —£3, B. Caughley (Karori), 38; £2, F. Needham (Linton). 57. The following take £IH. C. Jones (Okawa), R. E. Hester (Wellington Subuihs), Captain A. Neilson (Napier), and W. K. Williams (Ohura), 36; A. J. Green (Westport), W. J. Waysland (Napier), H. V. Croxton. Karori). Lieutenant W. Duncan (Westport), H. H. Mawley (Opaki), Lieutenant J. A. Munro (Wyndham). Captain F. Bolton (Opaki), and A. C. Crossan (Linton), 35; C. - J. Page (Linton), 34. Smaller prizes were won by President Palmer (Patea), D. J. Guiney (Petone), A. Jtl. Guy (Kaponga). W. J. Feast (Opaki), and C. Dunstan (Waihi). 54; R. Gillick (Kiwi, Dunedin), P. C. Hamilton (Wanganui), President H. T. (Marshall (Karori), D. M'Cahnont (Opaki), and G. T. Gardiner (Tuamarina), all 34 NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION. A BRIEF HISTORY. (Pas United Press Association.) TRENTHAM, March 1. A brief history of the meeting held in collection with the New Zealand rifle championships furnished by Colonel Collins should bo interesting in view of the foot that this is the initial meeting of the newlyconstituted National Rifle Assocatiou. From 1851 to 1877 the Government conducted the annual rifle championship meeting. During the first four years of this period the com" petiters fired for the champion belt and money prizes in their own districts. In 1866 the colonial rifle meeting was hold at Wellington, and subsequently at various centres in the colony. Those meetings were carried on at considerable cost to the State, which defrayed the expenses of the competitors, who were put to no charge whatever. A staff of officers from the different districts was provided to run the meetings, and their travelling expenses and allowances come out of the public funds. In 1877 the Government of the day, in a fit of economy or indifference, decided to discontinue the annual rifle meeting, and no competition was held that year The outcome of the position thus created was that the volunteers decided to run an on their own account, and in 1879 the New Zealand Rifle Association was established, and it held its first meeting at Nelson. The only assistance given by the Government was a grant of ammunition, which the association sold to the competitors to augment the prizemoney. The cost of preparing the ranges and providing target accommodation was cast upon the association. The New Zealand Rifle Association carried on until 1901, when its - executive decided it could not carry on without financial assistance from the Government. This was accorded, and the name of the association was changed to the New Zealand Defence Forces Rifle Association. which carried on under the auspices of the Government, the control being in the hands of the old executive. In 1911 the designation of the association was changed to the Dominion Rifle Association, which continued its annual meetings at Treutham (except during the war period) until 1921. It was always the aim of the association to develop its work upon the most practical lines. It endeavoured to move with the times, and its programmes included many military matches. The association always contrived to combine, as far as possible, the requirements of military shooting and the promotion of national sport, thus qualifying men for the defence of Now Zealand in the event of snoh a necessity arising. These are the objects and aims of the New Zealand National Riflo Association.