CROXTON’S KING’S PRIZE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1933, Page 10

CROXTON’S KING’S PRIZE

NATIONAL RIFLE MEETING H. SIMMONDS THE RUNNER-UP. FINAL SHOOTING AT TRENTHAM. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The rifle champion belt, gold medal and gold badge of the National Rifle Association and the King’s Prize of £3O were won at Trentham on Saturday by H. V. Croxton, Karori Rifle Club, with an aggregate score of 569 of a possible 605. Croxton received all the customary honours accorded to a King’s Prizeman. He was cheered, “chaired,” and carried from the range shoulder high by his club mates to receive for the second time in his life the coveted prize. His previous championship success was in 1920.

H. Simmonds, Auckland, was the run-ner-up with 568. The score which determines the winner of the King’s Prize is really the aggregate of a series of matches, the final ten rounds at 900 yards being reserved for the 40 marksmen with the highest scores over the preceding ranges. The King’s Forty shot in two batches, the last 20 first and the first 20 last. Top positions in the King’s Forty were occupied by Croxton and Simmonds, each with 523, with W. N. Masefield (Blenheim) standing third with 521. For the final stage these three marksmen all drew positions to the right of the range. A strong right wind blew across the range, the correction required ranging from 12 to 16 minutes of angle. It was because Croxton gauged that wind better than his rivals that he won. Croxton put on 46 and Simmonds 45 to finish with an aggregate of 568. C. J. Nix (Featherston), who occupied seven place in the King’s Forty, made his way to near the top, finishing third with 566 as the result of 49 for his final ten rounds. His score was by far the best at the final range, there being nothing else better than 47. Masefield, who made 44, was fourth with 565.

Croxton’s win was. very popular. He is a member of the clerical staff of the Education Department and is 47 years of age. He has attended 17 New Zealand national rifle meetings and on 13 occasions obtained a place in the final. His first appearance at a New Zealand meeting was in 1910, when he shot as a tyro. Ten years later he had his first important success, winning the Ballinger Belt in 1921. He Was then third in the King’s Prize. He was runner-up in 1923, fifth in 1931, and runnerup again last year. Croxton represented New ZealancJ at Bisley in 1920 and of 945 competitors at that meeting secured a place in the King’s Hundred, shooting into 16th place. He was also a member of the New Zealand team that went to Australia in 1920. The final match for the Service championship was fired on Saturday morning. This called for ten rounds application at 600 yards. The winner was F. Bolton (Opaki), who received £5, the Ross Carbine Belt and the gold medal of the National Rifle Association. The runner-up was F. J. Soler (Wanganui), who collected £3 and the silver medal of the association. Bolton and Soler both finished with 181, it being necessary to decide the first and second places with a shoot-off. The next highest scores were made by H. L. Mason (Christchurch) and S. F. Hood (Featherston), who finished, with 178 each. As the result of the shoot-off Hood was placed third, for which he received £2 and the bronze medal of the association. Mason took fourth place, for which he received £l.

Twenty-four teams competed in the champion teams’ match, which was also fired in the morning. The match was open to teams of four men who had to fire seven rounds at 300; 500 and 600 yards. First place was filled by Wanganui A with an aggregate score of 395 of a possible 420. The team consisted of F. J. Soler, J. E. Ferley, C. H. Gower and E. S. King. They received a cash prize of £l2, the district challenge shield and miniature silver cups for each member of the team. Second prize of £8 was won by Opaki No. 2, and Greytown No. 1, which was third, took £&. Featherston No. 1 in fourth place received £5, and Karori No. 1 in fifth position received £4. The gi-and aggregate for the highest aggregate scores in the Service and Belt matches, except the final ten shots, was won by Simmonds, who received the Collins Challenge Cup and the N.R.A. gold medal. E. M. Wrigley (Opaki) was second and H. L. Mason (Christchurch) third. They received the silver and bronze medals of the association respectively. T. W. Warburton (Petone) and W. Kenning (Nelson), who finished with the highest scores in the Bisley aggregate on Friday, fired off on Saturday to decide the first and second places. Kenning won and was awarded the Croxton Cup and £5 and Kenning collected the second prize of £4.

Scores made in the final match for the King’s Prize, together with the aggregate scores for all matches in the championship series, are:—

Ballinger rifle belt, gold medal and gold badge of the National Rifle Association and £3O: H. V. Croxton (Karori), 46- , £l5 and National Rifle Association silver star and badge: H. Simmonds (Auckland), 45—568. £lO and W.R.A. silver star and badge: C. J. Nix (Featherston), 49—566. £8 and silver star and badge: W. N. Masefield (Blenheim), 44—565. £5: F. H. James (Napier), 47-564. £5: E. S. King (Wanganui), 44—562. £3: D..F. Keir (Ashburton), 47—561. £3: E. M. Wrigley (Opaki), 45—561. £2 each: F. J. Jeune (Gisborne), 47— C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt), 42— L. G. Benton (Featherston), H. W. Feast (Greytown), 47—558. £1 each: W. Oakley (Christchurch), 46—558; R. F. Wakefield (Auckland), 43— R. H. Nicholl (Petone), 46-557; R. C. Barkle (Petone), 45-557; H. Harries (Christchurch), 45—557; W. H. Ballinger (Petone), 46—556; C. H. Gower (Wanganui), 45—556; H. King (Opaki), 44— F. H. Sharland (Nelson), 43—555; T. W. Warburton (Petone), 40—555; H. Cromie (Ashburton), 44—554; J. C. Feast (Greytown), 44—554; W. West (Blenheim), 45—553; H. W. O’Donnell (Petone), 44—553; C. M. Pickering (Opaki), 45—552; J. C. Carter (Petone), 44-552; P. C. Hamilton (Wanganui), 44—552; W. J. Green (Okawa), 43—552; I. J. Nicholls (North Bank), 42—552; F. Bolton (Opaki), 42-552; R. Nicholson (Napier), 43-551; H. Frankland (Karori), 42—551; B. B. Jones (Nelson), 40—550; A. V.- Swanson (Karori), 42—549; W. Kenning (Nelson), 42—549; F. Bowes (Auckland), 41—549; H. L. Mason (Christchurch), 39—549; F. Clark (Ashburton), 40—548.