DOMINION RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3495, 8 March 1921, Page 21

DOMINION RIFLE ASSOCIATION

CHAMPION MEETING AT TRENTHAM. TRENTHAM, March 3. For the fifty-third occasion in Now Zealand’s defence history riflemen have gathered to try conclusions for the honour of being stylec. the champion marksman of the year. It is also the sixteenth occasion on which the competition has been carried out under the control of the Dominion Rifle Association. The entries totalled over 450, and 444 men lined up for the opening today, of whom 360 were rifle club members, 46 Territorials, 10 Permanent Force, and 18 Cadets. The gusty afternoon yesterday and the drizzling evening did not promise well for to-day. When the morning broke the wind had gone, leaving a thick drizzle and an oppressive atmosphere in its train. Sweltering heat prevailed all day, with occasional drizzling showers, the sun making several ineffectual attempts to dispel the cloud banks. The day was devoted to individual service matches, and good progress was made. Addressing the men when they assembled at the squadding posts to start shooting, Colonel Collins briefly referred to his long association with rifle shooting and to the fact that for the past 18 years he had been chief executive officer. Tha time had now arrived when he felt he ought to retire, and after this meeting the control would pass to other hqy.ds. This announcement evoked warm expressions of appreciation and regret at the colonel’s decision. Colonel Collins said he felt the wrench, but he was glad to be able to leave the association’s affairs in sound order. Following are the winners of over £1 in the matches fired to-day:

March 4. Dull, damp conditions made Trentham all day a place of ghostly silhouettes, which, when near at hand, frequently resolved themselves into complaining riflemen with tales to tell of good scores spoiled by sudden atmospheric changes. An interested visitor on the range to-day was Major S. Bleechmore, seoretary of the South Australian Rifle Association, who inquired closely into the working of the meeting. Major-general Chaytor, Commandant of the Dominion Forces, was also present. An invitation was sent to H.M.B. Chatham’s company to be present at the meeting, but a reply was received that owing' to lack of opportunity for practice the men could not avail themselves of the Dominion Rifle Association’s hospitality, though it is hoped that next year they will be able to make a good showing against the New Zealanders. Twenty five entries have been received for the Champion Teams’ Match. The following are the principal prizewinners : OPENING MATCH (not counting for the

To-day the weather was i ally good for shooting, a light breeze from the rear having just enough kick to keep marksmen thinking and watching the tell-tale flags. The Westland match was completed by mid-day, and after lunch the service teams’ matches wherein 22 teams of five men entered, with the Cadet series, and an extra match in which there was a running man, kept the men busy.

In the Casualty Competition, six shots at 200yds, the Te Kuiti Rifle Club team won, taking the Islington Cup and £7, the 'ie Kuiti Senior Cadets came second, and Karori No. 1 third. The superiority of fire, eight shots at 300 yards, was won by the Post and 'telegraph Engineers (Wellington) with a score of 71, taking £7 and the club coffee cup : G.11.Q. School, Trentham, wa& second with 69, and the Karori Club third with 66. The Machine Gun Rescue, 300 yards, was won by Post and Telegraph (Wellington) A team, thus taking the Dawson Shield and £7 ; Petone Rifle Club was second, and Christchurch No. 1 third. 'lire Sir John Logan Campbell Shield, awarded for the best aggregate score in the three service matches just mentioned fell to the Post and Telegraph (Wellington) A, with Te Kuiti runners-up. The individual service aggregate, which concludes with a running-man event, cannot be officially announced till Monday, as some of the men hisve not shot. yet. The following leading half-dozen, however, are not likely to be displaced :—D. M'l.eav (Te Kuiti) 197. R. J. King (Opalci) 195, R. E. Hester (Wellington) 192, It. L. Frank (Timaru) 186, J. C. Nicholls (Bruce) 186, A. J. Henderson (Sounds) 186. Following are the leading prize-winners in the WESTLAND MATCH; 300, 500, yards; seven shots each; possible 105.

The Senior Cadet Match, seven shots at 200 . 500, and 600 yards, was won by J. R. Baird (Hamilton), with a score of 93; G. Allan (Auckland) was second with 84. Though it is early yet to speculate on the possible belt winner, it is interesting to note that with two matches completed R. Piper (Christchurch) leads with 196 out of a possible 205; Croxton (Karori) is next with 188. Two extra matches were fired this afternoon, the first, seven shots at 800 yards, was won by A. J. Dodd (Wellington Suburbs), who beat his clubmate, C. Whiteman. on a count back of the score. 34: W. H. West (Blenheim) followed with 33. Eight 32’» and four 31’s also got into the money. The second extra match, seven shots at 800 yards, fell to TTealev (Glmra), with 33. eleven 32* s followed. M'Nabb (Dannevirke) handing in the best card, and three 31’s formed the tail of the queue at the paybox. The successful competitors in the extra match divide the entrance fees, taking £1 each.

No. 1 CLASSIFICATION MATCH. Ten shots application, ten shots rap.d. AH at 200 yards. Possible, 100. £4 —Rifleman D. M'Leay (Te Kuiti) ... 94 £3—Rifleman Nicholl (Pet-one) 93 £3—Rifleman A. S. T. Butler (Karori) 92 £2 —Sergeant R. E. Hester (N.Z. Engineers) ... 90 £2---P’resident, B. J. Cooke (Blenheim) 89 No. 2 CLASSIFICATION MATCH. Snap shooting and application. Five rounds each at 200 yards. Possible, 50 points. £3 10s—Captain F. Bolton (Opaki) ... 40 £3 10a —Rifleman A. J. Whifcly (Kaiapoi) 40 £3—Rifleman Griffiths (Westport) 39 £2—Private H. H. M'Gill (N.Z.A.O.C., Wailaceville) 38 £2 —Deputy-president C. M Broughton (Rangitikei) 38 No. 3, RAPID SHOOTING, 500 yards, seven rounds; 45 seconds for each round. Possible 35 points. £3 7g—Rifleman E. J. C. Reston (Akarana) 32 £3 7s —President P. Palmer (Patea) ... 32 £3 7s—Deputy-president R. J. King (Opaki) 32 £2—Rifleman A. T. Taylor (Blenheim) 31 £2 —Rifleman S. Higgs (New Plymouth) 31 No. 4, SNAP SHOOTING, 300 yards. Five rounds. £4 —-Sergeant R. E. Hester (Railway Engineers) 24 £3—D. M'Leay (Te Kuiti) 23 £1 11s —E. F. Sandford (Christchurch) 22 £1 11s —W. H. L. Frank (N.Z.P.S., Timaruj 22 £1 11s—Captain F. Bolton (Opaki) 22 £1 11s —G. A. 0. Anderson (Napier) 22 £1 11s —Corporal J. A. Andrew (Napier i I S. Cadets) 22 £1 11s—L. A. Caldwell (Karori) 22 £1 11s—R. J. King (Opaki) 22

£5, Belt), 200, 500, and 600 yards. Seven shots at each. Possible 105. R. O. Barkie (Petone) 99 £4, V/ Golquhoun (flawera) 99 £4, R. Brennan (Gisborne) 99 £3, Sergeant R. E. Hester (Railway E ngineers, Wellington) 99 £3, H. Glynn (Glenavy) 98 Lieutenant A. J. Green (Westport) 98 £6, £2, W. J. Conibear (Old Navals) 98 £2, J. Reynolds (Christchurch) 97 £2, A. 11. Guy (Kaponga) 97 £2, (Jr. II. Taylor (Inglewood) 97 AUCKLAND MATCH, 300 and 500 yards. £5, Ten shots each. II. MTntosh (Blenheim) ... 97 £4, Captain F. Bolton (Opaki) 96 £4, W. Tate (Wanganui) 96 £3, O. M. Moss (Dunedin) 96 £3, W. H. West (Blenheim) 96 £3, J. O. Carter (Petone) 96 G. Armstrong (Tali oral 95 £2. £2, W. Moselon. (Kaeo) 95 £2, E. A. Ballinger (Petone) 95 £2, Captain A. Nielson (Napier) 95 March 5.

£5, P. Pipor (Christchurch) ICO £4. Captain Nielson (Napier) 97 £4, H. G. Day (Nelson) ... 97 £3, S. Elliott (Auckland) 97 £3, C. J. Nix (Featherston) 86 £3 Captain W. N. Masefield (Marlborough) 95 £2, H. Glynn (Glenavy) ... 9b £2, H. V. Croxton (Kavori) 95 £2. S. M'Nabb (Dannevirke) 95 £2, C. G. Engstrom (Opaki) 94