Southland Boys’ High School Represent N.Z. In I.C.S. Cadet Shoot

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 February 1948, Page 2

Southland Boys’ High School Represent N.Z. In I.C.S. Cadet Shoot

<PA.) Wellington, Feb. 3. New Zealand cadets have shown a very high standard indeed in their rifle shooting, and are perhaps the equal of any marksmen among the many cadet schools throughout the Empire, said, the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) when announcing New Zealand results in the Imperial Challenge Shield competitions to-day. These competitions, continued Mr. Jones, are for miniature rifle shooting, and have been conducted annually since. 1910 by the National Rifle Association of Great Britain with the object o£ encouraging every boy of British birth between the ages of 12 and 19 to learn how to use a rifle. During all these years, more than 350,000 boys through, the Empire have participated in friendly rivalry in one of the greatest phases of national defence. In 1947 11,281 New Zealand cadets, representing 504 teams, competed for six trophies, five of which were also contested by cadet units in other parts of the Empire. The sixth, the Governor-GeneraYs trophy, is presented to the New Zealand team returning the highest score. The honour of winning the last named trophy has gone to a company of the Southland Boys’ High School who made the excellent score of 97.367 per cent., compared with the previous year's winning score of 96.924 per cent., made by No. 1 Company of the same schoolin three of the remaining .’.impetitions, the Senior Shield, Earl Jellicoe Sword, and the Lord Milner Trophy, a company of the Southland Boys’ High School will be New Zealand's representatives, and with their score of 97.376 per cent., there is a strong possibility of their winning these trophies. In the Junior Shield and Earl Haig Sword, Helensville District High School has been nominated to represent New Zealand with their score of 93.156 per cent., which compares more than favourably with the score of 89.201 per cent,, made by the 1946 winners. St. Peter’s School, Seaford. One pleasing feature of the competition was the improved standard of rifle shooting in New Zealand, particularly in the North Island, where last year 15 of the best 50 teams were located, as against only one in the previous year. Further, in 1947, 56 medals were awarded for individual scores, as compared with 24 in 1946. This, concluded the Minister, is an excellent showing and reflects credit on both the cadets and their instructors, and I feel sure that while waiting for the final results to come to hand from Great Britain, Canada, Australia, India, and South Africa, of the Southland Boys’ High School and Helensville District High School may justifiably feel quietly confident of success.