RIFLE SHOOTING

Southland Times, Issue 23180, 22 April 1937, Page 7

RIFLE SHOOTING

(By

“Bullseye”)

There was no club shooting at Otatara last Saturday afternoon. The Ist battalion of the Southland Regiment was using the range with the newly formed motor cycle platoon, which was exercised in rifle practice. The members shaped well on their first visit to the range. On Saturday morning several enthusiasts were out trying the single arm sling, and four put up the big target and fired 10 shots each at 800 and 900 yards, with satisfactory results. The Invercargill Club has suffered a loss through the removal of R. C. Anderson, its late secretary, to Dunedin. Mr Anderson was an ideal secretary and was one of the best marksmen in the district He won the last district championship which was fired at Garston at New Year with the highest score which has yet been put up in this competition. His keen enthusiasm is a lesson to all young shots. It is doubtful if there is an book or work written about rifle shooting that he does not possess, and his theoretical knowledge was very much greater than is usual in a rifleman of his age. He is only in his very early 20’s. He should be a great acquisition to one of the Dunedin clubs. At Timaru last week the president, (Mr W. Duncan), who is well known to Southland riflemen, won the long range aggregate with a score of 184 for two shoots over 800 and 900 yards, 10 shots at each. It is reported that the Thombury Miniature Rifle Club is forming a .303 Defence Club, and is endeavouring to get a range between Thornbury and Riverton. If Thornbury should require any assistance in its efforts it can rely on either of the local clubs to give it every assistance possible. Although the Anzac range, Sydney, is equipped with 120 targets, it is reported that another 50 targets will be added before the big meeting next February to accommodate the anticipated entry of 12,500 competitors. This seems a stupendous number, unless a typographical error has been made and it should read 2500, which is a very large number, and twice as many as competed at any previous meeting. The meeting is 10 months away, but already a number of entries has been received, including one woman, Mrs Dobbyn, a Victorian. The National Rifle Association of

Great Britain conducts a boys rifle competition for cadets from all over the Empire and the results of last year’s competitions are to hand. The prize is given by the King and is called the King’s Trophy. Twenty-six thousand boys took part in the competition and it is to New Zealand’s credit that it had the second largest number of boys in the competition. The numbers were:—South Africa, 9565; New Zealand, 8936; Great Britain, 6170; Australia, 533; India, 180. The result was: South Africa 1, Great Britain 2, New Zealand 3. The Earl Jellicoe Trophy, which is also controlled by the National Rifle Association-of Great Britain and which is also competed for by cadets from volunteer companies colleges and so on, was won by The. Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders Cadet Battalion, Winnipeg, Canada. St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream, Wellington, New Zealand, was second. The Miniature Range The Invercargill Club had another big attendance at its weekly shoot last Wednesday, over 50 taking part. The best scores made were:—A. Pomeroy, 79; S. L. Wall, 79; A. Ford and R. G. Graham, 77 each. The City Guards also had a big attendance, the best scores being made by J. McLew (78), R. W. Henderson (78), R. Adams (77) and I. L. Petrie (77). The Gorge Road Club opened its first season very successfully last week, when 40 competitors took part. With the enthusiasm shown at the first shoot, a successful future for the new club is assured. W. Mayhew topped the list for the R.S.A. Club at its last shoot with the creditable score of 78. J. Mcllwraith and J. Luxton, with 77 each, also shot well. At the last shoot of the Ladies’ Club there was an increased attendance and an improvement in the scoring was shown.