SHOOTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13846, 6 March 1909, Page 6

SHOOTING.

, MEETING AT TRENTHAM. Per Press Association. TRENTHAM, March 5. Another cold night was experienced "under canvas to be followed by a bright sunny day. Competitors were early at the squadding- posts and a start was made with firing before 8 o'clock. During the early part of the morning scarcely a breeze-was experienced, the weather being, practically perfect for shooting. Colonel Collins, with his long experience of the range, stated that he had never before experienced two such favourable mornings in succession for shooting. As the day wore on the breeze increased and was playful with the marksmen at the 800 yards range. The Nelson Match, was concluded and likewise part of the Auckland Match. 'The latter will be concluded on Tuesday next. NELSON MATCH, 500 and 800 yards; 10 shots. Boys (Newton Rifles) £5, 98 Duley (Da,nnevirke), £4 97 J. Mills (Dunedin), £4 97 Higgins (Timaru), £3 96 Soper (Taumarina), £3 96 Lee (Oreti Rifles), £3 96 A. Guy <Kaponga), £3 95 Frederick (Royal Rifles), £2 ......... 95 M. S. King (Linwood), £2 95 McLachlan (Petone), £2 • 95 Sixty take £1 each, while 12 were counted out.

Of the tyros the following take £1 each—Sutherland (Geraldine), Porteous (Caversham), Campbell (Oreti), Baker (City Rifles), McDonald (Permanent Artillery). There was a slight haze from the grass fires in the neighbourhood, but the men did not complain of any defective light. The 500 yards' range is the easiest of all ranges for marksmen under conditions such as prevailed today, for the bullseye is larger in proportion to the distance than at any shorter or longer range. Marshall (Waikare), Rowe (a tyro from Auckland), J. J. Preston (Auckland), Duthie (Christchurch), F. W. Ching (Christchurch), Bigg (Christchurch), Dobbs (Port Chalmers), Williams (Featherston), and Forbes (Napier) found the bull; all buts were registered by Lee (Oreti), Mills (Dunedin;, J. J. Moore (Timaru), Wakelyn (Nelson), Wing (Rangitikei), McKenzie (Opaki), Ongley (Otago), Merriiess (Johnsonville), Boys (tryo, Newton), Preston (Auckland), Nolan (Canterbury), Mellor (Petone), Needham (Palmerston . North), Drummond (Denniston), Standisli' (Tarata), Jarvis (Taradale), Pearson (Timaru), Soper (Taumarunui), Bolton (Paliiatua), Duncan (Millerton). There were about fifty-five, 48's. The 800 yards stage was fired under conditions not so good as that prevailing at the 500 yards' range for a brisk breeze sprang up. At one time it was a rear left and then a front right and again a direct rear. Some one on the racecourse adjacent had lighted a rubbish or grass fire and smoke from this stung the eyes of the marksmen and dimmed" the targets to some extent. As a consequence the excellent shooting up to this point markedly fell off, thoitgh there was on the whole fair scoring. Two possibles only were recorded, by Guy (Nelson) who with his sigliter put up eleven bullseyes and Wills (Southland); neither of them came on too in the match, for Guv had only put up 45 at the previous range and Wills had but 42 to his credit. Boys put up an all but at this range as he had done at the 500 yards stage and his 98 aggregate was never reached in the match. There were several 48's scored at the final range but the majority went far below that score. The 200 yards ranee of the Auckland Match commenced this afternoon, when Sliaw (Ohinemuri) and Milroy (Nelson) were the only two reaching possibles. Several all buts were recorded, while 48's were also much in evidence. SOUTH CANTERBURY SCORES. (Special—By Telegraph.) TRENTHAM. P. The shooting in the Nelson Match

10 sliots each at 500 and 800. yards, was very good. The weather was fect but at times the wind was tricky. The following are the South Canterbury scores': — 'Higgius 96 Dunnill • 90 Sutherland 90 . Lieut. Hold gate 90 Boys 89 Pearson * _ •, 89 ■ Moore * 89 Beckingliam ' 89 Campbell . 89 Saner, 89 Webb •••;•••• 86 Stevens —.... 86 Stevenson . 85 Foster. 85 "Wain- 85 McElrea "• .85 Baird 82 Wilson , 80 Collins 80 Martin ............... 80 Holdgate ............... 79 Hnsband 79 Collins —.. 79 Bennington 79 TVi-morrow nil the service matches wW tie put through. - Penrson and.Monre were n-monsr the 97. taking £1 pifh in the Volunteer Match fired on Thursday.