DEFENCE FORCE RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 29

DEFENCE FORCE RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL PRIZE FIRING. TRENTHAM, March 5.

I The first day's shooting at the Trentham [ meeting was highly sucessful from every point of view. The entries were a record since the great exhibition meeting at Wingatui, Otago, and in the matter of Tyros tho finest the association has ever had, proving j the increasing interest in shooting throughout the colony. Out of 348 entries, the.c are 95 from rifle cluba. It will therefore be seen that notwithstanding the disadvantages which they are placed in in regard to the programme as a whole, they were determined to fight hard to retain the belt. Shooting in the opening match was clearly a record for New Zealand, and probably for the Australasian colonies. That two men should make 100 out of a possible 105 in the preliminary canter of a big meeting proves that the much-talked-of want of praotice has done no harm. The men shot better in tho opening match this meeting than ever they did in their lives. Looking at the two highest scores (Hyde and Lester), they may be called marvellous. True, the light up to the last minute of shooting was all that could be wished for big scoring, but when the lightness of the .303 bullet is considered, and the effect that even- -the slightest wind "lias on it, and also that there was at times a smart breeze athwart theline of fire which tended to puzzle the marksmen, every credit mu't be given to Lester and Hyde, who tackled the work with such success. Turner (of Wellington) was but little behind the leading men, putting up 99 : while Speck and Ching each came very close tip with 98. In ordinary yeais, either of these scores would ha\e secured the first prizes. At the opening range, 200 yards, veteran F. W. Williams (Napier) gave an idea of the strong direction of the shooting when he planked on the "possible," which wae shortly afterwards equalled by Howard (Napier). There was a goodly number of ZVs, and 33's were quite common. At the 500 yards' range there were four "possibles" — Ching (Nelson), Corporal Jack (Linwood), Whitley (Kaiapoi), and Davidson (Wairoa). At 600 yards the fine quality of the shooting was maintained, and for a time it looked as though the century would be considerably overstepped by the highest ecorer. Soon word passed down the line that Hyde, who was reported to be in poor form, had scored 100, putting on 34 at the j last range. Ching finished directly after- | wards with 93, and much interest was takon : in Cox{ Auckland), who, coming back \".*i 68 to his credit, looked to have every chance j of beating Hyde. Meantime Lester (Christ- j church) was pulling up his score, and when he had reached 97 it looked any odds on his beating- Hyde. But he was only able to get 3 with his final shot, which placed ■ him with 100 to his credit, with but j second place on the prize list. After such splendid shooting, 97's and under \ looked small indeed, and outside spectators, ! of whom there were several, hardly noticed ! them. Tho ex-champions competing arr 1 : — Parslow (Auckland), Hyde (Opaki), W. and A. Ballinger (Petone), King (Oamaru), Cliurton (Wangaeuii), Major Okey (Taranaki), Rose (Napier), NeUon (Blenheim). ; The Picton competitors arrived too late for tho first two ranges owing to the delay of the steamer, but were allowed to fire those distances at the close of the final range shootiing. The opening shot of the meeting wae fired by Okey. The following is the prize list: — AUCKLAND MATCH.-200. 500, and GOO yards; seven shots at each. Hyde (Opaki), £6 200 Lestet (Canterbury Engineers), £5 .. .. 100 Turner (Wellington), £4 99 Cox (Auckland), £i 99 Speck (Stratford), £3 98 Ching (Wahnea), £3 98 Wilson (Petone) 97, Webster (Akarana) 97, Heet'ey (Hastings) 96, Rait (Kaitangata) 96, Davidson (Wairoa) 96, Wilhama (Taradale) 96, King (Opaki) 96, Sandford (Christchurch) 95, Ayson (East Taieri) 95, Milroy (Nelson) 95, Purnell (Patea) 95, Sniaill (Kaitangata) 95, Hardy (Blenheim) 95, Turnbull (Opalci) 94, Kemp (Christchurch) 94, Barraclough (Wanganui) 94, Lieutenant Okey (Taranaki) 94, Howard (Xapier) 9-1, Burns (Karori) 94, Searle (Caversbam) 94, Irvine (Waimea) 94, Ballinger (Petone) 94, Henry (Opaki) 94, Brown (Hauraki) 94 — each £2. Counted o\it : — M'Hattie (Opaki), O'Kee (Piako), Corns (Ohinemuri). TYROS.— The following are winners of Tyio prizes : —Williamson (Manchester Rifles) 94, Gillander 93, Morrison (Ohinemuri) 93, Hopkins (Waipawa) 93, Franklin (Ruahine) 92, Bishop (Hastings) 92. March 6. The weather was overcast this morning, and a puffy light breeze blew in the early part of the morning, increasing in force later on, and seriously interfering with the shooting. The Wellington Match (500 and 600 yards, ten shots at each range) was taken, 38 prizes, aggregating £62 in value, j being offered. No possibles were made- at cither range, M'Kee (Piako), Speck (Stratford), and Caushey (Thames) topping the score at the first range with 49. while Bryce IKaitangata) put on 48 at 600 yards. W. Ballinger mado 45 at each distance, while Howe put on 46 and 44. WELLINGTON MATCH. 500 and 600 yards; ten shots. W. Ballinger (Petom>), £6 , 90 Howe (Wellington), £5 90 Maingay (Piako), £4 89 Necdh'am (Palmerston North), £4 .. „. 89 Bishop (Hastings), £Z 89 Shaw (Ohinemuri), £3 88 Cooper (Linwood) 88, Wilson (Waimate) 87, Hubbard (Ohineuuri) 86, Smithies (Wanganui) 86, Carey (Patea) 86, £2 each. Head (Opaki) 86, Turnbull (Opaki), W. Loveday (Woodville), Lieutenant Okey (Taranalu), Feast (Wairarapa), Craw (Lmton), Pernn (Palmerston North), Winslade (Wanganui). Private Cox (Auckland), Irvine- (Wannea), 85 each ; Grossman (Napier), Pen-in (Palmerston North), Dr M'Knight (Oreti), 84 each; Whitley (Kaiapoi), Thomas (Petont), M'Kenzie (Oamaru), Lester (Christchurch), O'Neill (Wanganui), Alport (Stoke), Barraclough (Wanganui), 83, lake £1. Counted out:' Armitage (Napier). Tyros: B»rltroj> £Feild in X)i Beethum £P»hiatua),

Bryce (Kaitangata), each 82; Jones (Woodville), Higgins (Tiiiisu-u), Booth (Horowhenua), ' 81 each. j The Nelson Match (200, 500, and 700 yards, J seven shots, with prizes aggregating £64, • ranging from £6 to £1) was started at a j quarter to 3 o'clock in a shower of rain, j which increased in violence with a heavy j wind, and at 4.30, on the completion of the j 200 yards, shooting had to be stopped. The following competitors made »33 and upwards:—Hyde (Opaki), Shepherd (Auckland), Shanks (Gore), Captain Ross (New Zealand Militia), 35; Smail (Kaitangata), W. Ballinger (Petone), M'Kens (Wellington), Chaytor (Blenheim), White (Patea), Senior (Coromanclel), Raven (Wellington), Lewis (Karori), Gillan and King (Auckland), King (Opaki), 34; Frazer (Kaitangata), Maingay (Piako), Cole (Waimea), Mackaskill (Wellington), Pirie (Napier), Milroy (Nelson), Cox and Cooper (Linwood), Carlson (Auckland), Thomas (Petone), Smithies (Wanganui), Browne (Hauraki), Barraclough (Wanganui), Comes (Ohinenvjri), Winslade (Wanganui), i 1 Thurston (Wairoa), Haward (Napier), Hopkins (Waipukurau), Sergeant Hyde (Hawke's ■ Bay), Trevethick (Petone), Kyle (Petone), | Steward (Ashburton), Lieutenant - Okey (Taranaki), Head (Opaki), G. Loveday (Woodville), 33. I The following are the 11 highest aggregates in comoleted matches: — W. H. Bali linger, 184 ; Lester, 183 ; Hyde, 182 ; Bishop, i 181 ; Maingay, 181; Ching, 180; Lieutenant ! Cox, 179; J. G. Wilson, 179; Lieutenant ! Okey, 179; Irvine, 179; Turnbull, 179. j j The following entries have been received j j for the Teams Match : —Canterbury Engi- j neers, Karori Rifle Club, Victoria Rifles (Auckland), Petone Rifle Club (two teams), No. 3 Ohinemuri, Kaitangata Rifles, Wellington Guards, Opaki Rifle Club (two teams), Taranaki Rifles, Upper Hutt Rifle Club, Palmerston North Rifles. The Championship will be fired on -Tuesday. _ , j Tho markers were challenged 26 timeß in j the Wellington Match— five at 500 yards and 21 at 600 yards,— but only five are sustained. "~~~- March 7. The morning opened very fine, but with a bad shade across the targets, and a light wind from the left. While the second squad were shooting at the 500 yds range in the Nelson Match the wind veered round in puffs, disturbing most of the marksmen, and many shots went to the loft of 'the targets. ' M'Kenzie' (Oamaru) made the only possible at this range. Hyde, with a possible yesterday afternoon, only scored 32. The Nelson MaAch closed with Winslade still top scorer (91). Hyde headed the aggregates with 270 in the first three matches, and takes the Union Company's Cup. Scores: — NELSON MATCH, 200, 500, 700 yards. Winslade (Wanganui), £6 91 Jackson (Ohinemuri), £5 „ .. „ .. .. 90 M'Kenzie (Oama.ru), £4 .. •. 90 Sandford (Christchurch), £4 .. 89 M'Naught (Wanganui), £3 .. 89 Milroy CNelson), £3 .. .. « S3 King (Opaki) 89 Ching (Nelson), Barker (Lebona Bay), Captain Ross (Napier), G. Hyde (Opaki), 88, £2 each; Shepherd (Auckland), 88; Wiliame (Napier), Shanka (Gore), 87; Wanstead, Stoke, and Bunting (Christchurch), Smaill (Kaitan- ; gata), Lieutenant Okey (Taranaki). 86; Parslow (Ohinemuri), Private Cox (Auckland), Senior (Coromandel), Stevenson (Wellington), Maingay (Piako), Lewers (Karori), 85; Harpham (Taradale), Halliday (Karori), Irvine (Nelson), Clifton (Ahuriri), 84; Ayson (East Taieri), Smith (Christchurch), 83; Hubbard (Ohinemuri), Browne (Hauraki), White (Patea), 82; Ramsay (Hawke's Bay), 81. take £1. Counted out : Drummond (Dannevirke). Hewlett (Christchurch), Lester (Christchurch), Por-. ter and Field (Dunedin), Needham (Palmerston North), Gillan (Auckland), Smithies (Wanganui). The tyro prize-winners of £1 each are Cooper (Liuwood), La.wes (Tuamarina), Bryce (Kaitangata), 81 each; Wa-llis (Frankton), Willis (Amuri), Barltrop (Feilding), 80 each. The first range- of the Canterbury Match (600 and 700 yards, ten shots at each) was started. The Championship will be fired on Tuesday. The Team 3 Ma.tch (five competitors each) commenced in the afternoon, and the 200 and 500 yards ranges were completed. Opaki No. 1 is leading, with 318 points. It was calm during the firing, and good shooting was displayed. Lister (Christchurch) and Humphries (Taranaki Rifles) made possibles at 500 yds, and Head and Hyde (Opaki) at the 200yda ranges. The match will be completed on Monday, and will be followed by the 700 yds range of the Canterbury Match. March 8. The following 15 leading aggregates at the close of the first three matches and the first range of the Canterbury Match bring up the position at the close of the week's firing for the Belt competition: — G. Hyde (Opaki), 309; Ching (Nelson), 304; King (Opaki), 304 ; Winslade (Wanganui). 303 ; Sandford (Christchurch), 302; Lester (Christchurch). 301; Lieutenant Okey (Taranaki),. 301; M'Kenzie (Oamaru), 296; Barker (Christchurch), 296; Turnbull (Opaki). 293; W. Ballinge-r (Petone), 290; A. Ballinger (Petone), 290; Maingay (Piako), 290; Paterson (Hawera), 290 ; Shanks (Gore), 288. March 9. Shooting in the 700 yards range of the Canterbury Match opened in a haze and wet drift, with a strong right front wind, entirely upsetting the marksmen and the scoring all round the line, which as yet has been indifferent. The highest scores so far are: — Patteieon (Hawera) 80, Heatley (Hastj ings) and Shepherd (Eden Cadets) 76 each, King (Opaki) 74, Hyde (Opaki) 72. Ching, who was second on the list of aggregates at the close of the Nelson Match, only scored 57; Winslade and Maingay made 64, Sandford (Christchurch) 72, Cox (Auckland) 60, Shanks (Gore). 65, Smaill 58, .M'Kenzie (Oamaru) 68, Lewer 60. The Canterbury Match closed with Patterson (Hawera) still at the top of the score list with 80. The character of the shooting may be gauged from the fact that 69 comes into the prize list, with 67 for Tyros. The following is the prize list: — CANTERBURY MATCH. 600 and 700 yards, j Ten shota at £ach distance. Patterson, Hawera, £6 80 Shepherd, Auckland, £5 76 ■Heatley, £4 76 M'Keej Piako, £4 75 Searle, Caversham, £3 74 Carey, Patea., £3 74 Feast (Carterton) 73, Howe (Gore), Vpimell (Tewharau), King Opaki), Hyde (Opaki) 72— £2 each. Sandfoid fChristchurch) 72. Balfour (Napier). Devine (Horowhpmia), M'Connell (Imperial Rifles), Biowne (Hauraki), Anderson (Kaitangata), W. Balling (Petone). T. Frazer (Kaitangata) 71 each. Taylor (Taranaki), Tonkii (Dunedin), Smithies (Wanganui), Haggerty (Upper Hutt), Hurbert (Eketabuna) 70 each, Eumchries (Hustings). Connell (Linton), Halli-

day (Karori), White (Patea) Judd (Petone), Co* (Karori), Bryce (Kaitangata), Kyle (Petone) each 69— £1 each. ' Counted out: France (Karori), Jackson (Wei* lington). Tyro 3, £1 each.— Higgins (Timaru) 69, Collett- (Waipawa), Campbell 68, Bryce (Kaitangata), A. Jackson (Wellington), Smith (Palmerston North) 67. The first stage of the Otago Match (500, 600, and 700 yards; seven shots) was concluded at 2 p.m. There was a slight improvement in the shooting. King (Opaki) made the possible. There was considerable excitement over the last stage of the match, which was closely watched, especially the shooting of Hyde, who broke down at the 600 yards, getting two misses. He did not do much better at 700 yards, his score being 1 21 and his total for the match 69. This left him third place in the aggregates. Sandford had gradually crept up, first tying King (Opaki), and then with 29 and 26 afc the two last ranges ran into premier position, leaving King second and Hyde third in the aggregates. There wae practically no good scoring during the day. The following is the prize list for the OTAGO MATCH, 500, 600, and 700 yards. Seven shots at each. Purnell Patea, £6 ....,.., <„ „. 87 Carlson, Auckland, -£5 „ .. 87 Sandford, Christchurch. £4 86 A. Ballinger, Petone. £4 .. .. .. .. .. 81 G. Loveday, Woodville, £3 8i Shanks, Gore, £2 81 M'Kay, Hastings, £2 81 Bulfour, Napier, £2 81 Skinner (Auckland), Williams (Taradale), Irvine (Waimea), Allport (Stoke) Lieutenant Cox (Auckland), Burns (Karori), Bank 3 (Kimbolton), 81; Hea-tley (Hastings), Wickens (Wellington), Greenwood (Upper Hutt), M'Kee (Piako), Barstow (South Wairaxapa), Hobb3 (Wellington), Drummond CEketaluina), Franklin (Ruahine), Feast (Kalwaiwai). Turnbull (Opaki). 80; Ross (New Zealand Militia), Winslade (Wanganui), 79 ; Williams (Napier), Anderson (Waneanui). Sommerville (Wanganui), SlVepherd (Eden), 78; each £1. Counted ont: Trevethick (Petcne), Cr'o (Taradale) 78. Sandford wins the Hobson Cup as beet aggregate in the Canterbury t>nd Otag" Matches.