BISLEY MEETING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19283, 22 September 1924, Page 8

BISLEY MEETING.

THE KING’S PRIZEMAN. A CANADIAN OF 19 TEARS. REMARKABLE PERFORMANCE. (Feom Ode Own Correspondent.) LONDON, July 29. In the big rifle meeting this year the honours have gone to Canada, Private Desmond Burke, the 19-year-old member of the Canadian team, won the King’s prize at the sixty-first annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Bisley. For several reasons this year’s competition is unique. The reduced target scoring area, the classification of competitors, the influx of all the Empire’s greatest marksmen, the the replacement of the wooden Wimbledon pavilion by a structure in brick and stone, already had marked the meeting as something apart from its predecessors, but the tyro’s success, Tvhere nine Gold Medallists of mature years and experience had failed, gives to the meeting an entirely new set of values. In the first place, Burke was the first to win Bronze and Gold Medals at the same meeting. He is the first competitor who, in winning the greatest shooting prize of the Empire, won at the same time the only first prize he has ever won. In addition to this, he is the youngest member of the Canadian team; he was the youngest competitor in the King’s, and he is the youngest man who has ever won the King’s Prize. He won with 230 points out of a possible 250. Last year, on the larger scoring surface, Captain Robinson won with 232; in 1922, Lieuten-ant-colonel Marchment won with 230, and in 1921 Sergeant Cunningham won with 226. The comparison cannot be carried further, because the present shooting conditions instituted in Cunningham’s year; but, compared with the three scores already mentioned, and allowing for the diminished bull’s-eye at 500 and 600 yards, Burke’s score is as good as the best of them. The first four in the King’s Prize were: 2nd. 900. 1000 range, yds. yds. Total. 1. Private D. Burke, Canada (King’s Prize of £350 and N.R.A. Gold Medal and Gold Badge) 91 66 73 230 2. Sergeant A. G. Pulton, late Q. Westr. Rifles (N.B.A. Badge and £SO) 93 67 68 228 3. "Captain 11. Smith, S Africa (N.E.A. Badge and £2O) ... 90. 65 . 72 22V 4. Sapper A. Smith, late E.E. (N.E.A. Badge and £10) 91 68 68 22/ Another competitor scored 227, three competitors scored 226. one 225, one 224, three 223, and four 222. Eight Australians got into the King’s Hundred. THE PRINCE OF WALES. The Prince of Wales, as president of the association Tvas at Bisley on the closing day of the King’s Prize and presented the prizes. After he had distributed the cups and trophies and shaken hands with every individual prize-winner, and with every member of a winning team, his Royal Highness, in a speech punctuated by applause, said: “I am very proud indeed to have been asked to come down to present these prizes. Df all our many national festivals which draw our fel low-countrymen to England from all corners of the Empire, this meeting of the National Rifle Association is in i position quite by itself. We welcome all those who have come to compete from overseas, and we want particularly to congratulate Canada and Private Burke on having wan the King’s Prize. I bake this opportunity, too, to congratulate all the nrize-winners. As we all know, everything is more expensive nowadays thap it was before the war, and therefore it •osts the association more to run the meeting. There has been, too, a good deal of reconstruction necessary here at Bisley (•’or those reasons, the association’s finan •rial position is not any too good, and an appeal for belo will be launched this autumn. Well, I commend that appeal to tile whole of the British public very earnestly. This association, indeed, deserves the name of national, for it does a great national service. I hope this anneal will be generously supported. I wish ft every possible success, and I shall help •’t in every’ way I possibly can. I thank (he association for its kind hospitality to rue to-day and congratulate it upon a very successful meeting.” Quartermaster-sergeant Tt R. Nieholl (New ■ Zealand) distinguished himself in the Kinnaird Competition (instituted as a memorial to the late Lord Kinnaird, treasurer of the National Rifle Association). In this he scored the possible of 35 points, nd divided the prizes of £B, £6, and £5 with two others (Quartermaster sergeant G. W. Church, of the South African Infantry, and Quartermaster- sergeant F. O. Mason, of the 10th Royal Hussars). Eighteen other competitors each scored '4 points. Quartermaster-sergeant Nieholl was successful in arriving at the second stage of the King's Prize.