THE SHOOTING AS A WHOLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 12

THE SHOOTING AS A WHOLE.

GIANTS LAID LOW BY ZEPHYRS. It wag rather a bad day for the shooting men. In the. first place, the conditions m the \ olunteer and Rifle Club matches were much more difficult than those • imposed for theso events last year. ; Instead of bull's-eye targets at each- range, as before,' service targets (nguro on a brown and green ground} .•were substitutd at 500 and 600 yards and, when the riflemen, after. a i'airlv respectable show at -the bullWe targets J? 11 ' 5 distance, opened 'fire on the figure targets at 500 and COO yards disastere were painful and frequent. Added to, that was ,tho circumstance that Trentham was in one of its fickle moods. Very.; rarely has such a breeze been experienced, as that which prevailed during tho opening match. It blew vcry i gently but fitfully,; and there appeared to bo zones *.of wind. ' Looking -at the Tange flags, one saw. that they, were fluttering in various directions. In ono quarter they hung limp; in another, they fluttered .gaily, to the north; again, some flew due west, and so on. Calculations for windage consequently became operations of great nicety, and disasters overtook .many, of the 'big guns.", Ai Cutler, tho colossus of the Australians, collapsed, at GOO yards, making '22 only out of a possible 35. His brother shared u somewhat similar fate. with 20.. Sergt. M'Calley, Sha . prominent Australian, shot, .with 23 at GOO. yards, presented the spectac'o of a. giant laid . low by- a zephyr. King, of Onaki, made 2-1 at 600 yards, Irvino 25, and so on. Then Capt, Dormer;;'of'Auckland, a bearded Crimean veteran, aged 72, who had done no shooting worth speaking, of for the last ten years, sauntered along with an' aggregate score of 95 at tho three' ranges, making 33 at:. GOO . yards. . In the eud the honours in ,tho Rifle Club match fell to ItiHeriian 1?. C. Franklin, of the Weboi Club, who .took up. 101, while Capt. W. S. King,' of Xinwood, won the Volunteer watch with an aggregate score of 99. The details/ of tho scores iu the prize lists are as follow:—

F. C. Franklin, Weber, Winner of. the Rifle Club Match.

VOLUNTEER MATCH. Ranges: 200, 500, and 600 yards; seven shots at each range. ■ First prize, J£s; second, .£1; third, ,£3; four prizes of .£2 each,- 20 prizes of JCI each, and 10 tyro prizes of SI each. ' . .;. - 200 500 600 yd. yd. yd. Tl. Capt. W. S. King, Linwood 34 34 31 99 Gunner Ching, Lyttelton 32 33 33 98 lrooper Mareuzi, Eketa- . huu » 35 30 33 98 Corp. Head, ilarton ...... 32 33 31 97 Pte. Price, Wellington ... 30 31 35 . 96 Sgt. Wakelin, Wellington 31 32 33 9G Corp. Kells, Palmerston ... 32 31 33 §6 Capt. Doinigan, Gore •' ... 32 31 33 . 96 Lt., Clarke, Waihi: 33 33 30 90 Corp. Smith, Hastings ... 28 32 35 95 Capt. Dormer, Akarana... 32 30 33 95 l'te. M'Kay, Wellington 31 32 32 95 hgt. Narbey, Eltham .;.... 31 32 32 95 |'te. Frorerick. Marlon... 33 30 32 95 Lt. Cahill, Cromwell ...... 31 29 32 95 Sgt. Eden, Waimea 32 32 31 95 Lt ll lntosh,- AVaitohi ... 33 31 31 95 4.-M.-b. bhaw, Auckland 32 34 29 95 ol Wellington ... 34 33 28 95 ?.8t • Iranli, Nelson 33 31 30 91 i'te. Crimp, Green Island 31 35 28 94 Lt. Upstick,. Bruco ...... 28 32 33 93 lte. J. Anderson,'■ Auck- -'-' tV''••"V-V 31" ; " 29 33 93 32'28 33 93 Col.-Sergt.'.Urindeil,. Nd-.;- ' pier Q9 oi qo Pte. Campbell,-Oreti ....... 30 ' 32 31 93 : r! u - 1 ? ' St ,V atter y 31 31 : 31 93 Lt. Henderson, .Wellington: 31 32 30 93 bgt.-Major ilaingay, Piako 33 SO, 30 93 '•w -.St.- -29 30 '93 . Willerton'33 31 29 93 wf' ft Vu lo S° n ' 33. '32'. 28 93 ste5 te- "ebb, lernuka ...... 33 32 28 93 I ojjt. (xasquohifi, Welling- m- • •si&wsitt si 11 Stterfef/t:!:: !:! S g Corp. Hanson, Nelson' ...; 31. 32 29 92 oergt.-Alajor. Drummoua. 32 31" 29 I* Sergt. : Nelson, .IChrist- . . v . church , -, , -■ qo on ■ on on "m" ongloy»"Q«een'sßifles'' 33 31 28 92 Pte f , :i Ho P we 1, Dltham 34 30 f 8 ■ H ogt.. IJoud, Wellington 32 ■ 33 27 o» Gunner,'Keenanj', G.A.V.'v 31 • 31 27 92 1 to. Jones, Dunedm- - 29 '27 35 ni Sgt. Jones, ■ Wellington ... 30-. 07 31 91 bgt:.Evan5,. v :..^......„.:...- : 28 . 31 32 91 lie. JJewar, Inglewood ... 29 - 30 32 91 Sgt.. Stedman, - Engineers 32 . 28 31 91 Pte. Gazeley, : Wellington: 3180" 30- 91 ■' » D - Ul \ 6c<l< ks, Hadfield, Hamir?T" 'll 3 ', 11 Kenzie, .Butler, Bollon, Mlvmght, hells. Tyro prize-winners: Pte. F: Wagner Popotunoa; St. M'Cresnoy, Dunedin'; i nuedy . ! ISa l >lcr ; Gunner Gibbs, Wellington; Sergt. Steenson, Queen's Rifles (each 91); Pte. Guthrie, Hastings; l'te Logue, , • Dannovirke; . Pte. Matthews, Feuding; . Col.-Sergt. , .Rogere, BlthamCorp. Potter, A ucldaiid,;. Sergt. Cresswell, ;Mar]borougli; >Corp;-Bugler Hav Napier (each '90); Pte 'S.. R..Smith, Ge'raldinc;. Pte:-".6.":A,.'Ryles,: Dannevirke; and Pte. H.. Allen, Wanganui (each 89). . Counted out: Reardon, Turner, Focke] Oowor, Brown, Teser. . Possibles at 200 yards'wore scored by Pte. :Farlc'y,..Tlct;oria'.',Uifles;., Sergt Ryder, Hastings; Trooper-itnrenzi, Eketaluma; Sergt. Steenson'"'Queen's Rifles; and Gunner Fbcke.'D Battery. Possibles at 500 yards were-scored by Pte. Smart, Wellington; Sergt. Brian, Waiuku; and Pte. G. Crimp, Green Island. Possibles

at GOO yards were made by Pte. Price, City Rifles; Corp. Smith, Hastings Rifles; and Pie. Jones, Dunedin. The winner of this match receives the rose bowl trophy, presented by' Messrs

W. S. King, Linwood, Winner of Volunteor Match.

THE AUSTRALIANS' PERFORMANCES. "NOT TOO SATISFACTORY." . "Their best to-day is not the best they can do by a very .long way," said Lieutenant Dakin, discussing the performances of the visiting Australian men with 'a Dominion reporter. Lieutenant Dakin was not over-pleased with his men's showing, hut the tricky Trentham breezes accounted for a good deal. The whole of tho team agree that Trentham. is the most difficult rang© they have ever fired on. W. A. Porritt, who won the champion trophv at the last New South AVales meeting headed, the visitors' ocoro list with an aggregate of 95 for the three distances. He shot very consistently, and was within threo of the possible at both the 200 yds. and 500 yds. ranges. G. Fisher, with an aggregate of 91, was next in order. Ho is one of the selections for the Bisley team, and finished second in the recent tests. . A. Cutler, who is considered to be the best shot in the team, was somewhat off his form oh the 200 and GOOyds. ranges, in which he scored 29 and 22 respectively, but at the 500 yds. range ha shot well, and put on 33. . Not one of the team succeeded in reaching the possible at any range; but .W. H. Cutler and G. Fisher knocked at the door at the 200 yds. tango. At 500 yds. S. A. Kefford was in a similar position. The details of tho visitors' performances are:— -200 500 GOO . '■ yds. yds. yds, T*l. W. A. Porritt 32 32 31 05 G. Fisher 31 30 30 94 S. A. Kifford 31 34 28 93 M. H. Tessimond ...... 32 32 29 93 O. E. Boyd ....; '. 32 31 30 ; 93 F. G. Harrison ......... 32 30 29 91 W. A. Jacobs 32 ' 29 1 30 91 J. J. Mathison 31 32 27 90 (W. H. Cutler : 31 29 26 • 89 P. Ettinghauson 30 27 32 89 W. J. Piggott 31 29 28 S3 A. Cutler 29 33 22 : 8-1 J. Bilton v. ,23 27 25 SO THE CARBINE CUP. To the highest aggregate scorer in the volunteer or riflo olub match—Rifleman J, R. Franklin—was awarded tho Carbine Cup, won last year by Rifleman C. H. Speck, of Stratford, who scored 102 points, as against Franklin's aggregate of 101. Last year, however, the '• targets were of ; ■ tho bull's-eye typo at all three ranges. Under tho more severe conditions imposed this'year—figure targets at the 500 and GOOyds. ranges—Franklin's score is distinctly a brilliant one".• ■ 1 THE MAN WITH THE GUN. A GREAT GATHERING. AND A FEW REFLECTIONS. CBx Cii-tiDE L. Jewell.] This 'shooting is a very 6erions business; and one feels that some day someono will have to bo shot in order to justify the expenditure and ammunition. For, after all, cold scientists built rifles to pour bulkts into men—not targets. Host rifles lose their grooving long. before a man loses his life to one; and there are moie scrap-heaps and empty cartridge-cases and worn barrels than cemeteries necessary to cover the results. One doubts if the thought of slaughter is in the rnnid of any one of the 590 men now popping off ammunition on. the Trcntham rifle range, although you will agree that every rifle there was served out with the full intention, and permitting its user to account for the first armed foreigner appearing, on the skyline. . The Habitual. The habitual rifle-shot is a very earnest person; and, viewing him impartially, I take olf my hat to him. It really does not matter much that ho needs a bag and tools big enough to make a mule packload in order to bore a little hole through a 6inail black spot in a large white area; or that he ■ objects to the grass waving, or the wind blowing, or the spectator talking. _ The point is that, shorn of the accessories and put into a place where ho might loose triggor on an enemy of tho King—the King would get' good service. There would probably be quite a lot of dead .enemj in place of the perforated canvas that represents him now. Varieties of Men. These soldiers and riflemen are splendidly mixed. Every branch of the New Zealand Defenco. Service is represented; and all ranks go down together on the mounds. The resolute visaged farmer from the hills leaves his shoep, the merchant his merchandise, the cobbler his last, and the squatter his station. In every conceivable uniform, or piece of uniform; headgear that might have been bought, served out, or gathered up from a marine store, boots of all colours, from a brick yellow to a well-greased black, theso men apparently consider tho great rifle meeting the most serious relaxation of the year. When tho men mustered yestorday morning, preliminary to riddling a large number of targets, every man with a service rifle is a soldier—carried this weapon, as if it were a fretting infant who had to be s carefully nursed, Most of them had a yard of cleaning rod protruding, and as the Scotch mist fell the bolts of tho precious children were rcverontly covered with the skirt of a greatcoat, or tho corner of a water-proof sheet. It is very necessary to preserve an effective rillo, for one must suppose—if one is a soldier—that tho target will fire back. Tho writer does not know whether tho rifle-shot doo3 think of the target as a person with a gun, but he ought to. No Retreat. The ranges are carefully marked in Trcntham. The splendid paddock is adequately 'flagged, to show which way the wind blows; there is a nicc range, and dark hills behind the long line of targets, throwing them into bold relief. Kvcu though tho mist steals down from tho hills the targets .never retire; the mounds do not move, and 200 yards are always 000 feet. H has been shown by example and history that an enemy doe's not wear a white coot and a black waistcoat, that he does not ncccssarily stay in the ono spot, that he has never boon

known to signal his distance, and that he may not telephone to inontion that the timo is ripe ior his friend tho enemy to adjust his orthoptic, or paint his foresight, or wail out in protest at the passing of a dog. In the matter of kit the habitual rifle-shot is entitled to a motor-car, or at least .a one horse express. His oil-sheet is indispensable, bccauso np soldier must get wet while on servico; ho must have a vernier, an aperture sight, a series of paint pots, two yards of cleaning rod, . rear and foresight, protectors, some very special oil bottles, a pair of field-glasses, and probably a wire "rest" to lay his barrel in. It is excellent sport. So are euclid and algebra pure mathematics and geometry; c n {j y could be carried in the field, the enemy would have a bad time, supposing ho did not move, and tho distance was marked on his chest in yards. It would be necessary, however, for him to wait long enough to allow the person who was going to kill him to carefully note the sizo of his boots through a fieldglass and to protest if he signalled a hit through tho right lung when the left lobo was tho seat of injury. The Complicated Machinery. To the layman tho Trentham meeting is appalling in its complicated and scientific perfection. If the immense energy tho splendid organisation and remarkable shooting wero capable of application to achieve a definito result, it would be altogether admirable. Viewed merely as. a very healthy pastime, to excel at which a man must be bodily fit, abstemious, and keen, targot puncturing is splendid sport. Viewed as an instruction for potential man-slayers, it is a little less inspiring. Tho very best men tho Now Zealand Defence Force has are at Trentham at present, but it is a little doubtful whether they regard their sport as an Imperial duty or a pleasant pastime calling forth tho highest emulation. There is no doubt that shooting is alluring to tho man who shoots and tho man who watches him—and oven if target-shooting is doomed, and tho lajman scoffs at its inutility, tho layman is not willing to take his chance as a target.

ground, vainly endeavouring to burrow. Boots worn at the toes, through climbing after Bheep, perhaps; boots rubbed down on the outside of the heels, generally belonging to tho man who moves in great spaces; boob worn evenly along tho solo —tho property of the steady, mathematical city man: boots of all sizes, all colours, new, old, and repaired, or otherwise are leather-lunged in speaking of character.

Thero is the story of the letter-carrier who was awardod a holiday after long service. It was necessary to replace him temporarily. The letter-carrier spent his holiday accompanying his substitute on the round! Apropos, men who are keen yearly "knock oft work to carry bricks" at Trentham, and so you will find in the ranks of the duty and executive staffs many volunteers who are working harder for nothing than they are asked to do for wages. That, indeed, is why the meeting is such a success and runs so smoothly. The tabulation of results is a highlyskilled and complicated business; the feeding of many men who are generally very particular about their food; the maintenance of order and discipline, hygienic conditions and smooth working devolve on willing meii who every year "come to time" with a very real enthusiasm. The arrangements axe altogether admirable.

The handsomest trophy to be seen on tho ground is the splendid Challenge Shield presented by Mr. James Collins, of Homewood, Kaikorai. The base of the shield is of New Zealand wood, but the dominating feature is two crossed riflesperfect in every detail, and worked out in burnished coppcr and silver. The shield is surmounted by tho royal arms in brass; silver scrolls finish the corners gracefully, and there is n scries of other silver scrolls for the names of winning teams. Underneath the rifles, thero is a range, with hills and targets complete, beautifully carried out in beaten silver. In the foreground a rifleman in burnished brass is lying prone, shooting.' This remarkable work of art was supplied by Mr. 11. G. Mortimer, jeweller, of Hastings. In 1908 a team from tho Napier