RIFLE SHOOTING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 62, 8 March 1912, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING.

LOVEDAY, THE WINNER OF THE BELT. BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. (Per Press Association!) Trentham, March 7. To-day was the final day of the championship meeting, two championships being decided, viz., the Service and the Ballinger Challenger Belt. The Service Championship, in which the highest fifty in the aggregate took port, occupied all the morning. The afternoon was devoted to the King’s Prize. When shooting started in the morning it was raining heavily and blowing a gale, truly .service conditions, but .several of the men put up good scores, notably the winner, Mer■rilees (Tauranga) and Duthie (Christchurch), During the interval between the two championships the Rifle Chib delegates hold a conference with General God ley, in which several matters pertaining to rifle clubs, as well as to future meetings of the Dominion Rifle Association, were discussed.

At 3 o’clock the King’s Match, ten shots at 1000yds, by the highest fifty aggregates in the championship series was commenced. The match was fired in a heavy storm, rain pouring down at times, while the wind blew from the rear in great gusts. As a result the scoring was very poor. The championship, was won by the youthful Woodvillo rifle shot, Leslie Loveday, who is only 21 years of age ■and the youngest man who has ever won the New Zealand championship. Loveday’,s score was only 26 out of a possible 50, hut as all the leaders suffered badly by the gale, his’ low score did not harm his chance of victory. Tho second place went to that brilliant young Christchurch shot, Norman Wood, who piled on 34, which was the highest individual score made, and also secured him the Rifle Cup. The championship weather was the most boisterous ever experienced at Trentham, and is only equalled in New Zealand shooting history by that at Oamaru in 1898. Following are the principal prize winners:— SERVICE CHAMPIONSHIP. Merrilees (6th Regt.), £lO ... 277 Duthie (Christchurch), £8 ... 266 Russell (Petone), £5 ... ... 265 Mayhew (Feilding), £4 ... 264 Law (Dannevirke), £3 .... 256 King (Opaki), £2 ... ... 256 Speck (Stratford), £2 ... 252 Guy (Kaponga), £2 ... ... 252 Belk (Feilding), £2 . .... : 249, Rds4' (Bluff), £2 ... ... 248 Merrilees, in winning this match, wins the Kynock Cup. f . THE KING’S PRIZE, 1000yds; 10 shots. Loveday (9th Regt.), Ballinger Champion Belt, gold medal, tho badge of the Dominion Rifle Association and £35 459-26-485 N. Wood (Christchurch), silver star, D.R.A. ‘-badge " ‘and £2O ••• 444-34-478 A. W. Oawood (Apiti), silver star, D.R.A. badge and £ls 448-27-475 A. Nelson (9tlh Regt.)* silyer - star, D.R.A. . badge and £l2 ... 449-25-474 Caldwell (Rarer i), £5 and D.R.A. badge ... 440-33-473 Masefield (Sounds), £5 and badge ... ... 453-20-473 Roots (Kaponga), £5 and badge ... ... 448-24-472 Milroy (Nelson), £5 and badge 448-23-471 Banks (Kimbolton), £5 and badge ' ... ... -451-18-469 Hyde (Opaki), £5 and badge 440-29-469 Maingay (4th Regt.), £5 and badge ... ... 436-32-468 Willoughby (Karori), £5 and badge ... ... 473-31-468 The following each secured £2 and badge:— Atkinson (Auckland) ... 450-18-468 G. Clark (Rangitikei) ... 439-27-466 W. F. Sandford (Christohurch) ... 440-24-464 W. A. Kenning (Nelson) 444-19-463 T. 11. Carter (12th Regt.) 460 W. West (Blenheim) ... 460 A. Henderson (Sounds) ... 460 O. Williams (Ohura) ... 459 F. James (Okawa) ... 459 J. lA.. Mimro (Murihiku) 459 G. Wool ley (Auckland) ... 458 F. Hartnell (Taranaki) 457 F. Needham (Lincoln) ... 457

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. Trentham, March 7. At tho presentation of prizes at Trentham, Colonel Collins said the meeting, considering it was tho first under the new conditions, had been very successful. Lovoday, in compiling 459 before starting on the final shoot, had broken tho record for these meetings, the previous best being 451. Root’s possible at 1000yds was the first scored at that range. The trouble with the rifle clubs had been happily settled at the conference that morning between General Godley and the presidents of tho clubs. Sir Joseph Ward congratulated the officials and competitors on the success of the meeting. Ho especially mentioned Colonel Collins, who had now l>een connected with rifle shooting for 45 years, and had been for nine years in control of the Trentham meeting. Tho Government was helping tho meeting as far as passible, and this year provided equipment, transport, markers, and £750 cash. Ho Imped his successor would increase the amount to £IOOO. This money was not being wasted, and .shortly the Dominion would be able to boast of a body of men as well trained for defence of the country as any in the world. He heartily congratulated Loveday and the other prize-winners on their success, and praised the efforts of the less successful*

Lady Ward presented the prizes, and also, on behalf of tho whole of tho competitors, presented a handsome gold watch to Lieutenant Roach, ser retary of tho Dominion Rifle Assoc:’ tion.