RIFLE & RANGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17220, 11 December 1923, Page 3

RIFLE & RANGE.

- WITH THE .307—8 Y “TRIGGER.*

January I and 2—Canterbury Championship at Redcliffs. December 27 and 28 -North Island Championship at Putiki. AYanga-

Fobruary 23, 24 and 20- Wairarapa Championship nt Papawai. March 18 and following days—New Zealand championship at Trcntham. April 19 and following days—South Island Championships at Blenheim. REGISTRATION OF FIREARMS. AN ith regard to a paragraph which appeared in this column last week referring to a case heard recently at tho Martinborough Magistrate’s Court, in which that well-known Dominion rifleman, Joseph To AYkaiti. who, after getting a permit to purchase a rifle and a barrel, failed to register them, an Ashburton correspondent points out that it is not necessary now to either obtain a permit or register a barrel only. That is so, but in To AVhaiti’s case he also purchased a body, which must bo registered according to General Orders issued on August 1. 1923. They read as follows:—(1) Barrels, and any other part of a rifle, with the exception of bodies, may be supplied and (or) fitted without a permit. (2) Bodies, whether supplied with or without barrels, may not be issued without a permit.’’ This is quite plain, and should clear up any misunderstanding on tho subject. After a permit has been obtained the firearm must be registered within six days following.

CANTERBURY CHAMPIONSHIPS. The coming championship meeting to be held at Redcliffs ou January 1 and 2 is causing a lot of interest among both local and outside riflemen. Since issuing the programmes the executive have been successful in getting a free grant of ammunition for the meeting, and this alone is a big inducement to riflemen to compete. Tlie procuring of a Challenge Shield for the champion teams match is well in hand, and the shield will be a magnificent addition to the growing list of tho association’s trophies. Intending competitors are reminded that entries close on Saturday, December 22. AUSTRALIA’S BTSLEY TEAM. According to a Sydney cablegram, tho New South Wales team for Bisley are C. Williamson, E. Chan non and J. Shearim. The last-named finished seventeenth in the King’s Match nt the recent big New South Wales meeting (a match in which A. Xeilson, of Napier, finished in fifth placo from over 450 competitors). At this meeting Channon finished in eighth place in the Prince of Wales match.

The Victorian representatives will be chosen this week. The preliminary tests for the three representatives from Victoria have already been held. There were 51 nominations, and 47 faced the barrier. The day on which tho test was held was not very favourable to tho contestants, opening at 300 yards with a light breeze, which was changing in both direction and strength. Later in the morning the wind strengthened, and was accompanied by heavy showers of rain. In the afternoon the wind increased to a gale, and the shooting had to be delayed at 800 yards, owing to the targets being blown out of the frames. The 900 yards range had to ho cancelled until the. next day. At the conclusion of the 300, 500, 600 and SOO yards the leading seven were:— D. M’Naughton (Werribee), 46, 48, 45, 45—184; C. Hepworth (Bendigo), 47. 46, 45, 45—183; L. Armstrong (M.0.C.), 47. 45, 44, 41—177; D. A. M'Gill (M.C.C.), 40. 48, 38, 50—176: G. Cartlcdge (S. Melb.), 44, 44, 40, 47 45, 46, 41, 43-175; G. Robinson (ColI lingwood), 46, -44, 43, 42—175. j Commencing the second day with a rear fishtail, still accompanied by light showers of rain, every man was placed on his mettle, and some fine scores were recorded under very difficult conditions. The most unfortunate incident occurred to S. N. AVatson, of Portland, who received a severe blow from tho recoil of his rifle at 800 yards. The blow broke his nose, but in spite of'this he continued. The AYR.A. have decided that the final test for tlie Bisley team must be fired as near as pos3iblo to Bisley conditions. In addition to tho single arm sling, the blade forosight will bo used, and its dimensions will be not broader than l-16th of an inch and not less than one-eighth of an inch in height.

CLUB NOTES. The Christchurch Defence Club fired its fifth competition at the Tai Tapu range last Saturday under most trying conditions. The wind, which was gusty, varied every two or three minutes from two to ten degrees, mak ing misses plentiful and keeping the telephone busy with challenges which, needless to say, in 99 per cent were fruitless. There were only four competitors out of a total of twenty-six at 800 yards who did not have a miss counting in their respective scores, while at 900 yards, the second range, R. Rundle, the ultimate winner of the competition, was the only member who put all his shots on the target. He notched a brilliant 28 (4. 4,4, 5,3, 4. 4.) under the ruling conditions. J. Bills, a new member, was next with 24, his score reading at 900 yards. 5, 0. 0. 5,5, 5, 1. With the exception of G. Evans and AY. J. Henry all tjic scratch men finished well down the list. The general verdict of the “ crack ” shots was that Trentham is child’s play alongside Tai Tapu under Saturday's conditions. On one occasion Rifleman .1. Clark, when tiring at his own target, put a bull on that of one his fellow* competitors which went to show how the wind was varying at times- At 800 yards the opening range. Rifleman W . J. 1 lenry wnx ton scorer, also with 28, his score.

The Ashburton Club has now* a fairly strong membership and with the large number of miniature clubs in the country it should be stronger still next season. The club already has fired several competitions, the last two being won bv H. Cromie and H. Nickalls respectively. Both are prominent miniature shots, the former representing Rakaia and the latter Ealing. Cromie shot well in both competitions. The following were the scores:— No. 1, ten eliots at 500 aud 600yds:—

JOTTINGS. L. C. Pimm, last year’s Canterbury champion, will be on hand again to defend his title, at Redcliffs on New Year's Day. AY. Mills, of the Kiwi Club, Dunedin, winner of Colonel Smith's trophy at the last South Island meeting, informs the writer that he will be present at the coming Canterbury meeting. He is shooting well at present. On a recent Saturday he notched 49 out of 50 in his club competition of 500 yards, in the face of a tricky wind and hazy conditions, his score reading 5,5, 5,5, 5,5, 5,4, 5, 5.

At Trentham last Saturday some five clubs held their competitions under trying wind conditions which varied from 13 degrees right to six left. The Petone Club’s competition was won by A. AVeir, wdio put on 39 at 800 yards aud a clever 46 at 1000 yards. T. AA rarburton. 44-39, and D. J. Guiney 41-41, scored well, finishing in second and third place respectively from scratch, with AY. H. Ballinger 39-41 in fourth place. The ICarori Club's fifth competition at Trentham last Saturday was won by A. V. Swanson, with 46 at each range of SOO and 1000 yards. A Christchurch Defence Club team will journey to Ashburton next Saturday to fire the annual match with the local club. It should be an interesting shoot, as the country team have been doing some fair scoring. There is every promise of a good entry tor the champion teams’ match at the coming championship at Redcliffs. It is expected that nine to ten teams will compete.

Ol'Jl TEN DEREST SPOTS. Tt is said that drawing a tooth is the extreme of human pain. Tho rupture of tho branching dental nerve causes such agony as no human being could stand for more than two seconds at a time. It is a curious fact that while a deep and dangerous wound often causes nothing but a. dull ache, a slight surface injury is often intensely painful. A splinter driven into the quick of the nail causes tho most intense agony. The tips of the fingers and the tip of the tongue are the most sensitive portions oi tho human frame. Tito cornei- of the eye is also extremely sensitive. Most of us know the misery

caused by getting a spook of cinder or something hard unoer the eyelid. A burn on the hand is much more painful than orio on the ba<-k. The hand is a ma>sS of nerves, and a man shot through the palm of the hand "ill usually collapse as completely as if shot through the

reading 4, 5, 5, 4. 5, 3 2. The following were the scores: — 800 900 yds. yds. ll.cp. Tl. 17. Rimdle if) 29 H Hunt . 21 47 i> Harries ‘27 14 J. Hi lit* 12 IT. M’Elroy 18 G. Evans . 24 19 48 A. Beer H . J. Henry 26 U Vv Barret t 14 19 . Cockro ft. 10 9 •10 If. Harries 20 scr H. Judkins, ju 33 16 6 35 17. H. Neill U U TN . Ross 18 4 3u S. Nelson 0 A. Qalmshaw 33 J. Chapman 27 4 83 . S. 14 harton 16 30 31 17. Piper . 17 12 Bcr °f« S. O. Hay 4 IT Reynolds 20 24 h. (y. Pimm 14 9 23 P. H. Powell J. Clark . 9 8 37 N. Wood . is 13 J. Davison 4 — 9 13

500 GOO yds*, yds. Hep Tl. H. Cromie ' * a .41 42 4 00 T. M’Kay . . . 37 37 12 S6 F. Clark . . . .43 39 ecr 82 D. Keir . .... 37 45 6cr 82 F. Porter . . . 37 36 G 79 D. Clements ... 41 33 2 76 H. Nickalls . . . 33 30 12 75 G. Cromio ... 39 28 3 70 J. Yeandle . . . 28 25 16 69 No. 2, ten Eliots at 300 and 600yds:— 3CO 600 yds. yds. Hep. Tl. H. Nickalls . s .46 36 12 94 1>. » loments . . . 46 41 3 90 A Alilliobamp . .32 4 4 2 88 F. Clark . , . .44 4 2 scr 86 II. Cromio • . . 43 41 2 86 F. Porter . . . 37 39 6 84 G. Cromie . . . 37 41 4 8*2 D. Keir . . . . 4*2 36 scr 76 J. Clayton . . . 43 27 7 77 L. Watson . . .31 13 14 58