RIFLE SHOOTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8871, 4 November 1907, Page 3

RIFLE SHOOTING.

THE FEDERAL MEETING.

For many years past New Zealand "has occupied a prominent position in the rifle shooting world and the .- achievements of the New Zealand team at present in Australia.have added considerably to the reputation the dominion has for producing good rifle shots. In most of the competitions in Sydney the New Zealanders found the heat very trying, while the light was also very bright, and the palpitating heat was of a character to which they were entire strangers, V and necessitated the wearing of sun glasses. There is sand all over the rifle range at Randwick, and being almost as white as snow the glare from it is blinding. These are conditions which our riflemen do not have to contend with in this country, and ■ consequently they were at a considerable disadvantage as compared with the Australian riflemen. Under the circumstances it must be admitted that our riflemen have done wonderfully well. In the Australia match, in which 28 teams competed, New Zealand secured fourth place, being only twelve points behi-id the winning team—Sydney Eastern suburbs. The New Zealanders gave a fair sample of their capabilites in the Emoire match, in which they shot into second place; and in this match the New Zealanders found the weather conditions that prevailed very baffling. At the conclusion of the first three stages of the event (10 shots at 200 yards, 500 yards and 600 yards) New Zealand tied for second place with Great Britain with 1,077. The Australian riflemen, -acclimatised to the glaring sun and heat, led with a score of 1,108. The final stages of the match pro- • duced some capital shooting, and there was every indication of a close finish. Our riflemen led their opponents at the 800 yards and 900 yards ranges, but "cracked up" at the 1,000 yards range, leaving Australia the victors by 48 points, Great Briti ain filling third place three points behind New Zealand. The men from ■ this dominion may well feel proud ot their achievement in this match, but b they crowned their efforts in the triangular match on Friday last, when they defeated the British and Bathurst rifle teams. The result was in doubt right up to the last : shot. When the last New ZealaudJS o.r, Sergeant Ayson, of Wyndham, was firing he had to make a magpie to tie, and an inner to beat the score of the British team, who led Bathurst by a point. He brought up the inner disc amidst great excitement, and gave New Zealand the victory. As Brigadier - General Gordon, State Commandant in New South Wales, ; said afterwards in congratulating the teams, the match will go down as a historic struggle. Though New Zealand has occupied a prominent position among rifle teams in the Australasian colonies for many years, it was mt till 1897, the Diamond Jubilee yaar of the late Queen Victoria,' that this dominion established a .reputation on the other side of the world. It was in this year that the rifleman from onr dominion shot into • second place in the Kolapore Cup at the National Rifle Association's Meeting, at Bisley, England. The -conditions attached to this match .are seven, shots at the 200, 500 and 600 yards ranges, and Victoria won with a score of 751, New Zealand being only three points behind. Great Britain filled the third position, while teams from Canada, Cape Colony, Guernsey, Natal, Jersey, Queensland and India also competed. -Seven years later another team from New Zealand vhi ted England, and this team obtained the proud distinction of winning the Kolapore <Cup by three points from Great .Britain. |The other teams who competed in this match were Canada, Guernsey and Natal. At the same meeting New Zealand secured third place in the Mackimion Challenge •Cup which was won by En gland. THE FAIRVIEW CLUB. The Fairview Rifle Club commenced the season's trophy shooting on Saturday afternoon. There was a "choppy" wind blowing. The ranges used were the 200 yards and 500 yards, and the top scorer was R. McGregor, who registered the creditable total of 66. At the 200 yards range he registered seven consecutive "buUs-eyes," end at the longer range lie put on 31 points. Mr McGregor's performance at the 200 yards range entitles him to a special trophy valued at £1 Is,, presented by Mr D. McGregor, snr. The shooting during the afternoon was on the whole very creditable.

EKETAHUNA MOUNTED . RIFLES. The Eketahuna Mounted Rifles opened the season on Thursday last, when a match between teams chosen by Captain Page and Lieutenant pre.ndeville was fired. The match was won by the latter's team by 26 points, the scores being:—Lieutenan Prendeville's team, 276 points; Captaia Page's team, 250. The following team will represent the Opaki Rifle Club, at the Manawatu Rifle Association's meeting at Palmer3ton North on November 7th and Bth:-Captain W. J. Welch, Riflemen G. Hyde, W. J. Winslade, J. Turribull, R. J. King, James McKenzie, John McKenzie, D. McCalmont, W. J. Henry, J. Sutherland, W. Mason, S. McNabb, and W. Feist. The team will leave Masterton by the 3.30 p.m. train on Wednesday next. Last year the Opaki team secured a number of prizes at the meeting, but this year the team have not been able to obtain any practice shooting, and this may prove detrimental to their success.