SHOOTING.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9714, 26 March 1910, Page 4

SHOOTING.

NORTH RANGITIKEI RIFLE ASSOCIATION.

SANDON-OHAKEA WINS THE CHALLENGE SHIELD.

On Thursday afternoon citizens in the towns and villages on the southern 'part of the Main Trank Line were concerned at the appearance of small detachments of armed men who were hurrying towards the various railway stations. Anxious persons may have concluded .that the were being moboiised to repel " the invasion of a foreign army. The determined faces of the men in khaki certainly inspired the belief that they were proceeding on an important mission. Under cover c£ darkness the units were gathered at Marton, where transport arrangements had been made to take them to a distant part c-f the Interior. Owing to the short notice that bad been given the railway facilities were insufficient for their accommodation, but the feitnation was realised by calling Into requisition a few trooka that happened to be in the station yard. A largo gathering of civilians collected on the platform, and amidst the hearty hand shakes of friends aud relations the train pulled out three-quarters of an hour late. Nothing of consequence happened for the first two or three hoars, except that when a stoppage was made to oil the engine, or some other‘-important work. Those who were being subjected to tbo open-air treatment complained that the system adopted was rather too drastic. However, they had no alternative but to shako the icicles cat of their whiskers and reconcile themselves by the thought that what is worth having should be worth a little self-denial. On reaching Maugaweka the troops were disembarked and conveyed to barracks In the township for the night. It Ss'reassorlDg to learn from our special . war correspondent that our hearths and homes are still secare, and that the mobilising of the forces is in the interests of peace, The visit to Mangaweka has been arranged to allow marksmen to prove thelrPskili with the rifle and incidentally to provide an enjoyable oatlag Shooting commenced on the Pouwhakarna range yesterday morning under favourable weather conditions. The entries showed an increase of tweatv In comparison with last year. This is a sure indication that the past efforts of the committee have met with the approval of riflemen. The visitors included representatives from the leading oluba in the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay provinces. Those responsible for the management of the meeting were heartily congratulated on tbs perfection of the appointments. Thetsbooting was exceptionally good. Four possibles were registered, fourteen marksmen made thirty-four, while thirty-throes were quite common. At live hundred, yards nine thirty-threes off the rifle were counted out. At the conclusion of the first three ranges only nine handicap men got into the prize lists.

The teams match for the Opaki shield was the most exciting contest of the day, seven teams of five men took part. This shield was won ootrighfc by the Opaki team last year, with a soora’of 448. Tho winners returned It to the Association as a challenge shield for affiliated clubs. At the conclusion of the two hundred yards Sandon-Ohskea had a lead from Dannevirke of two points, Taradale, Maugaweka and Kimbolton having a deficit of seven points each. At five hundred yards Danneviike were leading by three points from Sandon-Ohakee, while the other Olubs had not altered their positions. At six hundred yards the contest ebbed and flowed, SandoaOhakea eventually winning by the narrow margin of two points from Dannevirke with the respectable average of 94.3 a man. The 700 yards match wss completed, bat the prize list was not available for publication Id this issue.

The trophy value £lO 10s, presented by J. O. for the highest aggregate off the rifle in the first three matches was won by Rifleman N. F. Willoughby, Gladstone R. 0., with a score of 101. The competition is being continued to-day, and on Monday the Mangaweba Rifle Club will hold its halfyearly open matches for trophies. The following are the results to hand

PUKEOKAHU MATOH, 200 yards. Eyles, Dannevirbe, £3 .. 34 A. Hurat, £1 10a • • 34 R. J. King, Opabi, £1 10a .. 34 H. Pearce, Sandon-Ohabea. 16s 34 Gaps. Barltrop, Manchester R., 15s 34 A. E. Perry, Sandon-Ohabea, 10s 34 R. Johnston, Mangaweba, 10s 33 Oliver, King Ooantry R. 0., 10s 33 Dr. Turnboll, Mangaweba, 10s 38 W. Randal, Linton, 10s .. 33 D. MoLeahy, Opabi, 7s fid .. 33 H. Marshall, Karori, 7s 6d .. 33 W. E. Pearce,Sandon-Ohabea,7s 6d 33 J. D. Rivers, Taradale, 7s fid 33 O. H. Humphrey, Mangaweba, 5s 33 W. Oldfield, Rangitibei, 5s ..33 Jarvis and Bafcfc counted out. WAIRAKI MATOH, 500 yards. W. R. Kells, Palmerston R, £3 10s 35 R. L. Beauchamp, Ofcaki, £3 10s 35 R. J. King, Opabi, 15s .. 34 N. F. Willoughby, Wairatapa, 15s 34 R, Belb, Manchester Rifles, 15s 84 O. Batfc, Mangaweba, 15s .. 34 A. jNeilson, Dannevirbe, 10s .. 34 B. O. Batt, Mangaweba, 10s .. 34 W. E. Pearce, Sandon-Ohabea, 10a 34 MoMurray, Taradale, 10a .. 34 Dnley, Dannevirbe, 7s fid .. 83 Pergnsaon, Hnnterville, 7s fid .. 33 Gap. Barltrop, Manchester R. ,7s fid 83 Weston, Mangaweba, 7« fid .. 38 Franklin, < Dannevirbe, 5a .. 33 A. Wing, Marton, os .. 33 The following 33’s off rifle were counted out:—W. S. Penny, Humphrey, Spink, Hyde, R*-idal, O. Penny, H. Pearce, Staobnause, and Oldfield.

RANQITIKEI MATCH, 600 yards. Oliiver, King Country, £3 10s .. 35 N. Willonghby, Gladstone, £2 10a 35 A. Neilsen, Dannevirke, £1 ..33 H. Marshall, Karori, 15s .. SB W. R. Kells. P.N. Rifles, 15a 33 W.|Banks, Kimbolton, 10s .. 33 A. O. Perry, Sandon-Ohakea, 10s 33 D. McLeahy, Opaki, 10a .. 32 W. S. Penny, Sandon-Obakea, 10s 33 W. Morton, Kimbolton, 10s h’p 1—33 J. E. Thnrston, Te Kapoa 7s 6d I—B3 J “D. Rivers, Taradale, 7s 6d 1—33 A. Thompson, Te Horo, 7e 6d 2 —83 Balfour, Taradala, 7a 6d 2—83 E. O. Batt, Te Kapua, 5s 3—82 H. Bowker, Mangaweka, 5s 2—33 “■"OPAKI CHALLENGE TEAMS’* MATCH. SANDON-OHAKEA. 200 SCO 600 Tl. A. O. Perry 34 32 32 98 W. Pearce 33 34 30 97 H. Pearce 34 33 29 96

W. S. Penny 30 33 33 95; W. A. Lumsden 31 37 38 86 Total .. 5 472 DANNEVIRKE RIFLES. Neilsen 82 34, 33 99 Eyles 34 33 30 96 Franklin 33 33 28 93 Daley 80 33 29 93 Gebbie 33 33 26 90 Total .. 470 "Taradale 458. Kimbolton 455, Man. geweka 440, Eanglfclaei 439, SandonOhakea No. 3 team 412, ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the above was held in the Oddfellow’s Hall, Mangaweka, on Friday evening. Mr M. Tansey, President, occupied the chair. The President congratulated the Association on the success of the present competition. The marksmanship had been of a very high order and showed an all-round improve, meat on that of former years. The finances were in » sound condition, and it was expected that at the close of the year there would bo a surplus of £2O. He hoped that the Association would continue to flourish and that it would eventually becomes the leading Association in the province. The election of officers for the ensuing year is as follows:—Patron, A, Dalziell, Esq. ; president, M. Tansey, Esq. ; vice-presidents, Messrs R, W. Smith. M.P., D. H. Guthrie, M P,, R. T. Barley, F. F. Hcckly, W. A. Officer, G. F, Bomior, D. Munro, A. Dalziell, jna. ; commit, tee, Messrs Oolllns, Small, Green, side, Munro, Johnston, and Oollia; secretary and treasurer, Dr. Tarnbull; auditors, Messrs Munro and btewart. la reply to a question the President stated that it was the intention of the Committee to increase the nnmher of targets and the work’would be dona as far as possible fay a working committee to save expanse. It was decided to thank Oolcnel Sommerville for nls past services to the Association, and to express regret that he was unable to take part In the present gathering. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to those gentlemen who have so materially assisted the Association by donating trophies.

SANDON BLOCK RIFLE CLUB. ; The Scndon Block Defence Rifle Club held their usual half yearly competition lap* Wednesday. It was a splendid day for shooting and there was a very good attendance of members. The Club’s Belt, 300, 500, and 600 yards, was won by Rifleman B, Johnston with a total of 98. Riflemen Humphrey, OolHs and Fergusson were close up wih 97, 96 and 95 respectively. The Marshall Onp, 200 and 500 yards, was also won by Rifleman Johnston with a total of 66. The following are the scores of the chief prize winners :

300 500 600 bp Tl. R, Johnston 33 83 30 3 98 Humphrey 33 30 35 — 9? Oollis 28 33 31 4 : 96 W. Fergusson 30 39 33 — 95 Hurley 24 26 28 13 01 W. J. Fergusson 30 31 24 3 88 Weston 29 31 27 — 87 0. Meads 30 35 20 8 83