TRENTHAM CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13410, 6 March 1914, Page 4

TRENTHAM CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

MASEFIKLI) WINS THE BELT.

, MILROY IN FOURTH POSITION

iOHrrwj Pesos Association.]

Wellington, March 5. The King's Prize, ten shots "at lOOtf ; yards-,--as'.the final match for the chamifraorish^belt 'i* termed, was fired this* 3.o'clock. A fairly strong north-westerly roar -wind was blowing, and clouds obscured the sun. It was' confidently expected that Masefield, the president of the Sounds* R.C., who had a commanding lead, would win, and this expectation was borne out.- Opening with two for his-.-sighteiy Masefiold started with, a bulPs eye, and ■ ? his ; full soore was 4-4* which brought hist grand total up- to 625, or "sixteen points ahead of the sec-ond-man, Ifieutenaiit Simnionds,.of thpr ,Railway Corps, Blenheim, who scorect 40, giving him a total of 609. Rifleman* H. Loveaay;. of Ohura, filled the third place. He' addco! 34 points to his original score of 570, and took third position with 604. Rifleman Milroy, of. Nelson, finished up with a total of GD3,. having added to his score by 39. Oliver (Ohura)' was in fine shooting, form, and wound up with a good score of 45, bringing bis total to 598, and! Given," of the Suburbs Club, finished on the same mark. Loveday (Woodville) made the highest score in tko match (46), and the individual sec res dwindle down to 28.

; Owing to the weather conditions, the shooting in many cases was of an indifferent character, and there was nothing approaching any" excitement on the mounds. There was ; enly a fair attendance of the public. The visitors included the Hon. 'ft. EL Rhodes, General Godley, Colonels Heard, Johnstone, Cochrane, Robin; Lieut-Colonel ■jSlealeV Colonel and Mrs Baiilie; ana WF Luke (Mayor of-Wellington). At the conclusion of the firing th« competitors grouped round- the platform for the presentation of prizes.; Colonel Collins, chairman of tho executive, speaking from the dias, thanked the public for their presence and encouragement. He thanked the Government for the liberal treatment of the association, pointing out that its assistance amounted to a grant of £750, ammunition valued at £.500, free railway, passes estimated at £250, equipment, and the services of twenty-live members of the permanent force. H<> also mentioned the fact that as tho services of the permanent artillerymen had not been available as markers the executive had been compelled to 6eek_ the services of civilians, and this extra cost, amounting to £250, had also been borne by the Government. He advocated a niore liberal supply of ammunition ttt the younger branch of the service. The Hon. R. H. Rhodes said he was there to convey 'to all concerned tho congratulations-of the Ministry upon the success of the mooting. There had ieen a shght decrease in the entries, but he felt confident that time would remedy that. It would take some years for the territorial system to develop, and then th> process of drafting men from that branch of the service to riflo clubs would commence, iti return for what assistance the Government gave the association, they expected the riflemen to enter heartily,, into the spirit of the service matches. There was no desire to abolish the. bull's eye practice, but they must know that thj were in a stage of transition. A change wa.s taking place at Bisley, and it must come here. lie congratulated Rifleman Masefield, and Marlborough, on his win. Lieatenant-Colonc! Baiilie then epoko a few words, and tho crowd broke into loud cheering as the champion Ma .sofie'd, bowed hr> acknowledgment. . Tho prizes were then presented t<j the winners by Mrs R. 3..Collins, wiie of Colonel Collins, and amidst another round of applause for Rifleman Maseiield, whose win was a very popular one, the championship meeting ot iy)4 cam* to an end. The following are the loading pm,e> i winners :• — , . , .. , I Rflm. Masefiold (Sounds., beit,&n<l ■128 625; Lieut. Simmonds, £1U wy; Rflni. H.'Loveday (Ohuwj) £12 60o; ■Rflra. Milroy (Nelson) £9, 603; Rflm, Oliver (Ohura.), ,£4, 598; Rflm Giyon (Suburbs), £4, 598; Rflm. Mclver (Te Awamutu), £4, 595: Rflm. Eyles (D«inevirko), £4, 591 ; Rflm. Henderson (Sounds), £4, 591 ; Rflm. Bent (Div, Si"- Corps), £4, 591; Rflm. Soper (Tuam?rina) £4, 590; Rflm. Mclntosh f Opaki),' £4, 589. • Colonial Ammunition company a prizes, for teams with the highest aggregate over lorn ranges: Suburbs v Wellington), £2. 12*^ .1231 ;, bounds £] '12s 6d, H4O; Opaki, ><o. i, £1 .Is, 1131. , i • v Champion teams match: Opaki i\o. 1 £8 and shield,' 467; Christchurch, £6, "458; Ohura, £4, 449; Suburbs, £3;' 448 • Tuamarina, £3, 448; Auckland, £2,' 446. - _ ■Sergeant-Major Montgomery (T»imeclin) takes the Kynoch cup for tho highest aggregate score in the service championship.