RIFLE SHOOTING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXII, Issue 9565, 30 December 1909, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING.

NORTH ISLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

MEETING

CHAMPION BELT AND CHALLENGE SHIELD.

ANNEXED BY OPAKI

The members of the Opaki Rifle Club who have been competing at the North Island Championship Rifle Meeting at Wanganui returned to Mastertou yesterday afternoon, having added somewhat further to their accomplishments and won fresh laurels. On the whole, they had a fairly good trip, and enjoyed themselves too. They were not, however, favourably impressed with the train arrangements, having to leave Masterton on Christmas Eve in order to get to Wanganui in time to compete in Monday's matohes. Being rather doubtful as to whether they would oe able to procure accommodatiou at Palmerston North on account of the races there, they only went as far as Woodville by the evening train, and there spent the night in peace and quiet, proceeding to Palmerston next moruiug. There was no reason why. because they were travelling, they should not enjoy a Christmas dinner, and so they ordered it at Palmerston and duly ate it. Having thus observed the timehonoured custom, they proceeded once more on their journey, arriving in Wanganui in due course, where they put up at Forster's. During the night and ou Suuday morning they were shown quite convinciugly that it could blow in Wanganui as well as in Wellington. A gale from the south shrieked aud howled with unabated violeuce, aud played sad havoc with orchards and gardens. Mouday moruiug, however, broke bright and fine, and they set out for the butts, intent on business, and determined to shoot all they knew how. Arrived at their destination, they were accorded a most cordial welcome by Colouel Webb, who expressed his pleasnro at seeing so mauy visitors present, aud aunounced that the entries this year constituted a record. THE MATCHES. The Mauawatu Match, with seveu shots each at 500 aud 600 yds, came first aud was won by Riflemau Wiuslade with (56 points, Riflemau Bairstow comiug second also with 66 points. Riflemau Kiug, Heury and Mclutosh each scored 63 poiuts. Last year this match was wou by Ritlemau Henry with exactly the same number of poiuts (66). The shooting iv tbis match was good, two possibles beiug registered at 500 yards.

Next in order came tho Tarauaki Mitch, with fifteen shots at 700 yards, which was won by Rifleman Guy, of Kapouga, with 61 points, Private Deihl, of Dauuevirke, takiug second palce with 59, aud Riflemau Mclutosh third, also with 59. Meautime a right head wind had risen aud was becoming rather trying. Last year the match was wou by Rifleman Franklin (Weber) with 66 poiuts.

The Wellington Match, seveu shots each at 600 au 800 yards, was won by Riflemau King with 68 point 3, Riflemau Henry auuexiug secoud place with 66 points, aud Lieut. Butler (Hutt) third with 65 poiuts, Rifleman Mclutosh following next, also with 65. The 800 yards rauge in this match was fired after 6 p.m. in a failing light, but the wind had dropped considerably, making shootiug fairly easy. Some excelleut shooting was put up at the latter rauge, King, Mclutosh and McCalmont each scoring 34.

This coucluded the first day's shootiug aud ou the scores Mcintosh, with a total of 187, led for the Aggregate Match, Kiug coming next with 185, aud Henry third with 183. Winslade was leading for a time but cracked up at the 600 yards rauge iv the Welliugtou Match. SECOND DAY. The second day's shooting opeued with the Wanganui Match, teu shots each at 700 aud 800 yards. Weather conditions were much more difficult thau ou the previous day, a 13 degree wiud obtaiuiug, which meant that shootists had to allow some 7ft. The wind increased during the match aud at the 800 yards rauge, the wiud was at 25 degrees, about 17ft having to be allowed in consequence. Riflemau Speck, of Stratford, carried off the houours with a total score of 85, King comiug fourth with 82, Mclutosh seventh with 81 aud Cameron fifteenth with 78. The latter was absent on tho first day aud hence was not included in the Grand Aggregate Match, which has now advanced auother stage. Riflemau Kiug having gained a point at the 700 yards range. The scores for the latter match now stood, Mclutosh 268, King 267. The Waugauui Match last year was won by Riflemau Heury with 92 poiuts.

An innovation had been introduced in the Teams' Match. On other occasious the ranges have been 300. 500 aud 600 yards, but this time they were 500, 600 aud 800 yards, seven shots being allowed at each. Opaki No. 1 team, comprising Riflemen Wiuslade, King, Heury, Cameron and Mclutosh, secured first place with a total of 427 poiuts, made up of 161, 141 and 125 at the respective ranges. The'wiud was blowiug with increasing strength throughout the match, twenty feet (thirty degrees) having to be allowed at the last range. Wiuslade, with 94, was the highest individual scorer in the match, and was awarded a special prize, the performauce uudor the adverse weather conditions being an extremely creditable one. King was the next highest scorer, with a total of 90. Nine teams competed altogether, Opaki No. 3 taking sixth place. The Grand Aggregate Match, ten shots at 800 yards, open to the twenty highest scorers in matches 1, 2, 3 and 4, was won by Riflemau Kiug with a total of 313, a remarkably good score when it is taken into consideration that a thirty-degree wind was blowing. Last year the match was won by Riflemau henry with 318 points. R. J. KING TAKES THE BELT. Rifleman King therefore has the honour of annexing tbe Championship Belt, this being the third year in which the belt has been won by a member of the Opaki Rifle Club. Last year it was won by Riflemau Efenry and the previous year by Rifleman McLeay. It is interestiug to note that the Licensed Victuallers' and Trade Association's Challenge Shield, which was won.by Opaki No 1. team, has been wou by them for four years in succession, truly a performance to be proud of. Some idea of the strength of the wind may be gathered from the fact that at various stages the targets were blown down and broken and the match had to be delayed until the damage could be repaired. Amoug those competiug at the meeting was James, the veteran, who put up such a splendid record in Australia recently. He did not shoot so well at the opening stages of the meeting, but showed up better towards the end and* came sixth in the Grand Aggregate with a total of 297. An interesting feature in connection with the meeting was the fact that the B.S.A. aperture sight was used there for the first time, those who used it speaking highly of its possibilities.