RIFLE SHOOTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22208, 10 March 1934, Page 14

RIFLE SHOOTING

THE NATIONAL MEETING NICHOLLS IN STRONG POSITION (Pm United Press Association.) TRENTHAM, March t. With the final 10 rounds to firs at '§oo yards for the King’s Prize, R. H. Nicholl (Petone) has a seven-point lead for the championship belt as a result c£ to-day’s shooting' at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association at Trentham. His aggregate score for the four short-range and three long-range qualifying matches for the King’s Forty, was 427 out of 450. W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) has the next highest score with 420, and H. V. Croxton (Karori) is in third position with 418. The final match for the King’s Prize will be fired to-morrow afternoon, and with his present substantial lead Nicholls seems a certain winner, for he only needs a 44 to give hini his second King’s. He was King’s. Prizeman two years ago. Conditions on the range to-day were bleak and cheerless. For most of the day there was steady rain, and with the poor, visibility sighting • was difficult. From the commencement of the shooting in the morning it was evident that high scores would be difficult to get, but “crashes” by many experienced marksmen were not anticipated. If anything, conditions in the afternoon were worse, . for the rain became very thick, and the aiming marks on the targets were little more than'a blur. The fact that there was not one possible during the day will give some indication of the weather. In the better conditions experienced last year possibles were plentiful at the long ranges. - . By winning the Imperial Aggregate awarded for the highest aggregate score obtained in the, Otago, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, and Witcombe and Caldwell matches, Nicholl repeated his success of last year. His score was 189 out of a possible of,' 200. The Auckland Match, 10 rounds at 800 and 900 yards, was won hy Cfoxton with 97. He wa« also‘the winner of the Australian Aggregate awarded for the highest scores in the .Canterbury Match, Wellington Match, and Auckland Match, as well as the Bisley Aggregate for the highest aggregate scores in the Taranaki Match, Auckland Match, and Witcombe and Caldwell Match. Marksmen to obtain places in the King’s Forty are as follows: R. H. Nicholl (Petone) .. „. .. .. 427 W. N. Masefield (Blenheim). .. 420 H, V. Croxton (Karori).... .. .. 418 E. T. Haldane (Waipukurau) .. 416 Xi. Fellingham (Suburbs) .. .. .. 414 H. R. Hunt (Suburbs) 409

T. Goodall (Suburbs) 408 D. Roots (Patea) .. .. .. ..... .. 407 . C. Whitman (Upper Hutt) '.. .. 407 P. H. James (Napier) V 407 J, H; Keanrey (Napier) 407 P. Berry (Tafarua) 407 J. C. Feast (Greytowh) 407 . L.'G. Benton (Featherston) .. .. 406 J. I. King (Karori) 406 T. Warburton (Petone) .. .. .. .. 406 E. A. Ballinger (Petone) 406 IL A. Crorabie (Ashburton) .. .. 406 P. B. Goldfinch (Karori) .. .. 405 R. C. Barkle JPetone) .. ~ .. 405 F. J. Jeune (Gisborne) 403 H. C. Percy (Alfredton), .. .. 403 K. Inwood (Nelson) .. .. .. 403 B; Waterland (Patea) .. .. .. 400 R. Ellis (Takapan) .. ... .. 400 P. N. MWicar (Waipukurau) .. 399 C. H. : M. Clark (Auckland City) .. 399 H. W. Feast (Greytown) .. .. 399 R. F. Wakefield (Awarana) .. .. 398 E. J. O. Reston {Akarana) .. ... 398 R. Congreve (Old Navals) .. 398 F. C. Hogg (New Plymouth) .. .. 398 H. K. Smith (Opaki) 397 A. S. Elliott (Akarana) 397 J. Austin (Nuhaka) 397 - I. D. Brunton (Patea) 397 E, M. Wrigley (Opaki) .. .. ... 397 W. H. West (Blenheim) , .. .. 397 W. J. Burton (Okawa) .. 395 'F. S. Hood (Featherston) .. .. 390 D. F.Keir (Ashburton)..... 395 H. H. MTntosh (Blenheim) .. .. 395 The last four competitors will fire oil to-moprdw morning; three shots at 900 yards, with one compulsory sighter to determine the' last two places in the King's Prize match. The results of the belt matches are as follows: —

TARANAKI MATCH. Ten Rounds at 800 Yards. 17—H. H. R. Hunt (Suburbs), 49. Congreve (Old Navals) 49. ; £4—R. H. Nicholl (Petone) 48. £3 each —L. Fellingham (Suburbs) 48, I*. C. Hogg (New Plymouth) 48. £2 each—R. C. Barkle (Petone) 47, H. W. Feast (Greytown) 47, T. J. Chapman (Petone) 47,. E. L, Haldane (Waipukuran) 47- . , Thirty-four, collect £1 each.- The winner in the B. Grade section was T. Goodall (Suburbs) with 48. . WITCOMBE AND CALDWELL MATCH.

Ten rounds at 900'yardsi £7 —J. Austin (Nuhaka) 48. £5—D, J. Guiney (Petone) 47. > £4 —J. L. Giblin (Waipukurau) 46. £3 each —J. H. Kearney (Napier) 45, L. G, Benton (Featherston) 45, £2 each—E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) 45, F. H. Jeune (Gisborne) '45, T. Warburton (Petone) 45, L. Fellingham (Suburbs) 44. Thirty-four, with scores ranging from 44 to 40, received £1 each. The B Grade winner* was R. 0. Bull (Gisborne) with 45.