RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 759, 7 March 1910, Page 5

RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

OTAGO MATCH

THE AUSTRALIANS,

SEMD DAY'S SHiOTSMG AT TRENTHAM. NELSON MAN WINS NELSON MATCH. THE AUSTRALIANS DENOUNCE THE RANGE. FIGURES AND PEN PICTURES.

Saturday was.a day of baffling winds, which mode sport of doughty reputations. Sergeant Prank, of Nelson, won the-Nel-BOn ro&tch , —one of -the championship series—with the very fine aggregate scare of 99, the runner-up, President W. N. Masefield, of \ the Sounds, being three points behind.' Firing in the Nelson match concluded at midday, and during the .afternoop. the initial stages of the ."Wellington"' and the "Otago"- were "' taken. •■ : ■ :■ The programme-of events for to-day will begin" at 8 a.m., when the partly conjplefed . matches—the 900 yds. stage of the Otago match,! and the 600 yds. of the Wellington ■: match-rwill be firod. It is Biticipated that these win be got through by noon, and after lunch the 900 yds. itage of the Canterbury match, and the EOOyds. stage" of the Auckland match will

Bergeant ; Frank ja/a. .member;- of , &&, Nelson'Eifles,.and ■.has- been a. competitor ./.at ;-• the,,';'meeting, .for.. ." eereral yeaxi past : 'last ■."■■year '• he finished twelfth in the King's. Prize match,, wiih a total score of 481.' He is said to have been ehooting lemarkably well in. Nelson this year,'- ; and was one "of fie team which ,, won j ■ the District Shield.. : ~

yards range, Sβ only managed to get 39. Hie target, with Us detailed score and windage allowances and corrections, is appendedr- . ■■

Score 3s 5 3 5 423 35 4 5-39 Windage' ;. 91 111 111 61619151819191101 . Correction 111 111 71617151818191101101 Elevation—Duncan's elevation was .sound 'till tho sixth and seventh shots, £. fllcn wont high in tie magpies' ring. Hβ had then to come down two degrees, taishing with a bull, an inner, and.. a How to Get a Possible. _ President-W;; H. Masefield, of the Sounds Club,.:was rather better favoured by. the elements. When he went down on the 800 yards mound the- wind was more or. less regular, though extreme caution was necessary all the same. •He got an inner for his sighter, with normal elevation and an allowance for wind of two degrees left. He increased his windpge to four degrees left, and got a- bull. . Then; with nice adjustments for variations .in the wind, he followed with nme more, securing a possible. ' .

His last shotjust got into the black disc, the allowance for wind being one degree too little for safety, as Ma analysis of the scores will show: — . rScore ...435 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5-50 Windage 21 41 41 41 41 31 31 aßl4l 21 Correcton 41 — -—-'-— : — ■'■ -—31 Elevation—Normal all through.. Tricked by the Wind. ' Captain W. S. King, of .linwood, waa betrayed by a zephyr when getting off his shots at 500 yards, and missed the possible by two points. One degree would hare made all the difference.

THE MEKtRY WINDS.

■; .'"7.■'■•--■ •-.: .'jf"" s '■?:;; -\ ■ TOian merry winds \oow across the myti clouds liring changins ligirfH, Sis art of shooting at a mark becomes cue far study* Bvery bnHet baa its bißot, they st& bat some BXQ fa. pjaeer. s&d qmbe nnan-' flmrised, pieces. la a dead (aim, a perfect light* ,TKii3i a' rSe . true in ;.> every. jCTrficnfar of its /construction feuwflpd by the ideal nmtksman, every ballet on, ads langß-shtmld cut a dean fefls the, boffs-eise. But since Ehere is nsofliing perfect m tins world— Jeast o> all cm a rifle nrasfbe mafe for imperfections, and this k lylftifu nmnan inganrziiy comes ; in. Cto' Bafanday the wind a± Trenthain hfan-: from the north, ,and most coqnettsshly. breezes, and beaigr gods romped' S&cg together, causing modi mental inbula&n to the ■nfjantm 1 who had to jtf&oa vxi& &eir - Some WB&nnad KnccessfnUs and cjrcnnireiited jfite raid, bnt many 'a piomising "poswas yrmtiml all-fhe same. From jibe targets which appear, below, some fljea. of tho extreme care and nicet? of eßoeance required; for ; snccessfnl shootlug may be- obtained, i"" • ■ BaJHria/s Lock. , Hem, for exampfe, is an iHnstratton 1 jsf the menial torture which Bifleman Haffidaj, of the and a jnsmbar of flie Row Zealand EepresentaiSite Eifie Team which went to Sydney last spring, experienced in his efforts to pat tan bnate-tiirongS the taH's-eye at 881 yardaj-! .

Score 5555 44 5 55 5-48 Windage 51 51 51 51 &31 31,31 51 51 Correction — 31 21 , r— — ■ Elevation—Normal all through. An fargets ; , Armourer-Sergeant W. H; Cutler, of tie Australian team, made 46 with his ten shote at" 500 yards, and 47 at 800 yards,-

At 500 yards.

Bcore __. 55 5 2 545 5 5 Windage 51514171215131614121 » Correction- ——— 111 —61— — ■ Elevation—Two degrees.

At. 800 yards.

Score — SIS 5 5 3 5 5 5 5-47 Windage 41 a-11 41 31 61 31 a 51 11 Correction Qir Hevatioa-Normal all throegL Cnrionsly enough, every one of tho above nflemen used an apertnre sight, KELSON MATCH. 500 and 80u yards; ten shots at eaoh range. Prize money, .£125. First, £*,; second and third, ,£1 each; fourth to sixth, ,£3 each; seventh to tenth, £2, eaoh; eleventh to oighty-fifth,' .£1 eaoh; ten tyro prizes of .£1 each, 'and twenty of 10s. each. Highest possible tare, 50—50 -100. ■ In the shooting for ti» "Nebon," Sergt. Wickens, of D Battery, opened well with 'a possible at 500 yds., bnt only got 37 at ROOyds. MTLeay, of Opaki, followed up his possible at 500 yds. with a' modest 38 at BOOyds. Reynolds, of;Christchurch, did exactly the same thing. Pte. Kells, of Denniston,. whose hopes rose high whon he rang on the possible at 500 yds., collapsed at 800 yds., where he scored 35 only. Grover, of Taranoki, and Yeo, of. Auckland, also got the possible at 500 yds. Other good scores at 500 yds. range were made by Sergt. Eden, Waimea, Sergt. Prank, Nelson, Corp. Potter, Auckland, G. Lovcday, Ohura, J. Kyle, Linton, Pte. Causely, Thames, C. Williams, Ohura, Corn. Fisher, Wellington, and ScrHt. Tiuney, Wellington, who each made 49. Nearly all did badly at the larger range. Tinney only made 12. At 800 yds. range, possibles were made by: W. H. Jfasefield, Rounds, Pte. Pattison, of Wellington (35 at 500); Prank, of Nelson; Lauce-Corp. Buthie, of Bruce (38 at 500); and P. C. Franklin, Wober (43 at 500). 6. Hawthorn, Weber, J. W. Boleyn, Charlton, Pte. Anderson, Auckland, and Hunt, of Pongaroa, each scored 49; while Corp. Baldwin, Invercargill, Col-Sergt. Grindell, Napier, N. Thome, Stratford, H. Cuthbert?on, Tua Marina, Capt. I?ollinson, Waihi, F. C. Gledbill, Nelson, Q.-M.-S. Shaw. Auckland, Pte. Eyles, DauncvirUc, Capt. M'Knigbt, Jlaniototo, E. Duthie, Christchuvch, each rscored 48. The list of prize-winners is as follows:—

These- was a most difficntt wind blow--sng-£tfnl and gnsty. For the' force of ffhe wind he'allowed five degrees'to the 3eft of the boll, and, for light, one degree below the Tonad elevation of his xifle. He«got a magpie (three). Then lie reduced the windage to four degrees left, and raised his elevation one degree, to normal. Result—an inner (four). For his next shot he reduced the windage to three degrees left, and raised his elevation yet another point, one above normal, and found the bull's-eye. The wind remaining steady, ho fired hie sue-.' eeeding shot with the same windage and elevation—another bull. Then the , wind apparently died down, and he fired "dead in" as they say. But the fraudulent zephyr whisked round, and blew from the right, and .the shot produced a magpie (three). ' Then he : allowed two degrees to the.,right, and got his third bull. Back,went: the wind to. the left, with a gust,-and the sorely-tried marksman aimed-four degrees to the left—another magpie. Ho. should have allowed six. So lie allowed six for his seventh ..-counter, but the wind had varied slightly, and he got an inner (four); his windage was one degree short. and elevation too high. Halliday then gradually reduced his elevation, and allowing Bine left,, scored a bull and two inners with his last three shots. His performance may be summed- up thus:— Score ....„...'. 354 55 3 5345 4 -I—l 2 Windage...; ... 51413131 — 2r41 G1919191 Correction ....413131312r2r6171919191 ■ ■. Elevation—One; below normal, then three degrees rise, followed by a fall. The Champion's 39, Lieut. Duncan,, the . present champion, found himself on a portion of the range which was infested with fish-tails. Out of a possible 50, with. ten shots at 800

_Counted ont:-Carter, Tarr, M'Calmont Whiteman, Churton, Liddle, Webb W terbottom, Holland, Macdonald Matthew Tyro prizes of M each were awarded ' to. -J. At. Barr, Linton, Jas.' Wri»ht Eiyersdale W. H.Moselen; Kaeo, Pto Knox Ashburton, W. Kelly, Eiversdale ■! &f*s Kifles,- ¥.. Jenkins, Warea, H. S ' Ellis,-Petane, Trooper E. Olsen, EketaBrSce Tβ PP lnts ); Lance-corp. Duthia, Twoprizesiof los.'each:-Pfce. R Bolk Feildmg, .Lieut. M'lntosh, Waitahi W Gregg;, Upper-Hutt, Sergt. Bryan, WaC W U t™\ *&' I' ?■ Christian! .Eahuta, f te -, Ward, Blenheim, Bflmn. Groves, Al§f d .to n , Sergt. Hogg, King's Eifles, Pta. Blaibe, Bruce, Sergt. Eyder, Hastings W ■&^sP£^^S 6 ' Ptev.Tozer, W.; Barker,_Eahuta,.Pte. Allen, Wanganui, bergt..Thomas, Cromwell, Corp. Potter, Auckland (each 87); H. Hunt, PoBgaroa, Corp. Bradsbaw,. Ashburton JGuy,'Eahutu..(each 86). . ' '. Counted out-.—Trooper Naylor, Canterbury, B. EenHn, Wellington, Pte. Oldfieiu, Eangitikei. (each 86).

WELLINGTON MATCH. The first range, of the Wellington Match, a ten-shot contest at 500 and 600 : yards, was completed during : the afternoon. The leading scores (possible'so) were'-.— . • ■. • ■ .

CHAMPIONSHIP AGGREGATES. So far, ono of the five championship matches—the "Nelson" —has beer completed, while tlie initial stages of two others-- the "Wellington" and the "Otago" have also been accomplished. Thfro still remains to be. fiT.etl, the Auckland match, the "Canterbury," and the uncompleted ranges of (he "Wellington" and the "Nelson," so that, the major portion of the battle has yet to bo fought. The following table shows th* position of the championship aggregates so far as Ihnvhave gone, but they cannot be said to afford any reliable indication of what the-final result is likely to be. Not one of the riflemen mentioned, below may git into the "King's .Fifty," sneh. is the fortune of the range. They are of'm-

L. Loveday, Ohura »..___..„..„.;.... 50 G. Guy, Saihutu ....._ 50 Sergt. Green, Westport „; 50 J. Petersen, Tararua•■'; „„;.„.; 49 J. Jarvis, Taradale ..... i__ 49 Capt. Ebllinsoh, Waihi .._..„ „ 49 ,E. J. King, Opalti ..'. „...._... 49 Corporal Moseby, Kaitangata 49 Sergt. James, Napier ,„. 49 W. H. Tessimond .._ _ 49 JPte. Eyles, Dannevirke 49 "Sergt. • Stedman, Engineers „_._......... 49 H. Williams, Eeatherston .__ 49 Pis. Given, • Wellington ..._ „ 49 Sergt. Baker, Wellinghm ......._......... 49 Corporal Kells, Paimerstoa Iforth 49

terest, • however, as showing the form of the marksmen. Prank, the leader, was thirteenth on ■ tho King's: Prize list last year. Armour-Sergt Cutler is one of the Australian, "big-guns." Shaw, was third in tho championship list last year, finishing . only two points behind the winner. Baker, of Wellington, is. a young shot, and one, of the most promising of the Wellington representatives on the range. He is a most consistent shot at the weekend matches at Trentham 1. Loveday, of Ohura, just missed-the second fifty last.year.■• Masefield is one of the finest

Field ■ telephones on the firing mounds at Trentham are not aDowed irrnoh Vest. With keen shots on the mound, and hard-worked markers in the trenches, a. large number of markings were challenged during Saturday's competitions. In all 1(15 challenges were made, hut only in 21 instances were they sustained. The total challenges sustained on the opening day were also' 21. The field telephones are in charge of members ol the Permanent Force. When a rifleman disagrees with, the marking, in other words, if the signal at the target- indicates, for 'example, that he has missed, and he is certain that ho made ■ something, he nsks the range office to challenge Dumber — target, and hands over fcho range fee. The range officer then proceeds tn the field telephone at his mound, and gives instructions to the man in cbnrgo to ring up the tronch, and examine the particular target. The picture shows the field telephonist in the act of challenging a, target. If the trench officer that the marking has been accurate, he reports: fr No. —, clean target. ,. The messago is transmitted to the rifleman, who then forfeits his challenge foe. If the marker in the trench has erred,- the challengo fee is returned to the rifleman.

800' and 900 yards, ten shots at each range. The first range, at 800 yards, was also completed, the leading scores being as follow (possible, 50):— Arm.-Sergt. Cutler, N.S.W SO ,T. H. Nelson, Nelson 49 Q.-H.-S. Shaw, Auckland 43 G. Halliday, Ka'rori 48 Sergt. Teo, Auckland - 4S Corp. Clyde, Waikari 4S Corp. Fisher, ■Wellington 4S Col.-Sergt. Buschl, Waimca ..„ 48

shots on tho range. "Last year he fired into tho second fifty, and put up. a record score in the United Service.match. Crimp shot well last year, making 418 for this championship aggregate—tho top score was 491. Captain King came sixth in the lung's Prize list, topped tho list for the "King's Fifty," and is an ex-cham-pion (1809). Serst. Green; of Westport, i.- on unknown quantity, believed to be lormidoble. He was Dor.on the range last year. So is Kollinson. Ths aggregates are as follow:— .

Sergt.. Frank Nelson _ 192 W. H. Cutler, N.S.W 189 Q.M.S. Shaw, Auckland „ 189 SnTgt. Baker, Wellington 188 L. J.oveday, Ohurn 187 W. fl. Masefield, Sounds ISG Pte. G. Crimp, Green Island 186 Capt. W. S. King. Linwood 185 Sorgt. Green, Westncirt '.. 185 Capt. Eollinson, Waihi ISS

GETTING INTO FOSM. Australian marksmanship at Tr«ntliam continues -to bo followed with the keon-

"Marking" in the trench is warm'work,'as the attire of. "the , Artillerymen .in the above, picture will demonstrate. The second individual from • the..end is : watching the target, prepared for action,'his signalling pole ready. The arrival of a bullet, in his target is signalised by a slight sound— . , a "phut"—as'it cleaves.the paper and flies into the hill behind. If the bullet has pierced thq.bull (five points), the marker places the rectangu-' lar black plate, attached to ,tho end of his signalling pole, at the righthand lower corner of the ■ target. If the bullet , has pierced the inner ring (four points), tho plate is displayed at the left-hand lower, corner. If a ' "magpie"; (iri the,, niiddlo, ring counting three points),, the' . plate is shown .at the" right-hand top corner; if an outer (two, points);. , at the loft-hand top corner. Each target is double, and when the marker , has signalled the score ho pastes a small round paper disc, white if oa tho bull, and black if on the white portion of. the target, on the lower target, .exactly over the place corresponding with tho , bullet-hole in the upper target.* This done, he whirls the frame round, tho lower target, showing tho "spotter, , " becoming the upper, pastes up the bullet hole, and awaits the next shot. Tho individual in tho foreground of the above picture is ii; the act of pasting up a' bullet hole. "Marking" for.tho big championship meeting at Trentham is ■. carried . out by members ,of the Permanent Force. Over 90 of them are ' so employed,; selected squads being sont from all parts of the Dominion.

est interest. On Saturday the shooting of some of tho visitors showed a distinct improvement ..upon their scores of the opening day. ! W. H. Cutler, who won tlu- King's Prize at Sydney in 1903 a'nd 1907, and carried off tho Prince of Wales's honours as a member of. the Commonwealth Bisley team,' is apparently striking form. .In tho Nelson Hatch, his was tho leading aggregate.. of ■ the Australians, and in the first stage of tho Otago Match, ten shots at. 800 yards, he got'the possible of 50 points. He was also well up with 46 .points .in the. 500 yds. stage of tho . uncompleted Wellington Match. W. A. Porritt, who headed the scores on the: opening day, .was again in excellent form in the Nelson Match, aggregating 92, but he fell away to 43 and 40. in the 500 yds. stage of the Wellington and the 800 yds. stage 'of the Otago Matches respectively. M. H. Tessimond put up a good performance in the 500 yds. stage of the Wellington Match, scoring 49, bnt the 800 yds. stage of the Otago Match saw him fall away' to 4-1. J- Biltqn improved at all/ranges on Saturday, and now stands will in the van of. the team. The details of the Australians' scores on Saturday are as-fol-low:—

Nelson Match:—

Wellington and Otago Matches:— Wgtn. Ofcago. '■ ■ . ; , 500 yds. 800 yds. M. H. Tessnnond .„_. 49 11 J. BUton 47 43 W. H. Cutler ._ _. 40 50 W. J. .Pigott .. 45 45 J. G. Harrison 1 45 13 A. Cutler ..:__ 45 43 J. J. MatMson. ~, ~y 44 U G. Fisher •.: . '43 41 O. S. Boyd .. 43 43 W. A. Jacobs 43 42 W. A. Porritt : 43 40 S. A. Kefford 42 33 J?. Etttnglausen 41 46 Although' the Australian visitors • are becoming familiar with the peculiarities of the range, they do not regard it with any more favour than previously. Ono of the visitors informed , a Dominion representative that he had never shot on snch an unsatisfactory range in his life, and he had competed on practically every range in. Australia and also in Canada and England. On most ranges a man could pretty well nominate his score once he struck form, but here a mon might feel in the best of form and vet not prove it. He might get the possible m one shoot, and in his next effort fall right away. Trentham was bad enough without any ( strong winds. If it began to blow the visitors thought it wqulu be about time to quit. To get a fair shoot on tho rango, the visitor considered that the targets would need to be shifted about 300 yards further out into tho open. A much bettor raugo could have been secured, ho held, had the targets been placed at the foot of the hills on the northern end of the present range. On entering the gate leading to the markers' camp one is challenged by 'an odour-Hint seems to havo no business there. II probably pro'eceds from a. neighbouring nntigmire. Five minutes, effective spadework. mipM prevent the. presence of mosquitoes or dysentery—or. anything .esii,

500 800 yd. yd. PI. 1 Sgt. H. Frank, Nelson ...'... 49 50 00 2 W. N. Mascfield, Sounds ... 4fi 50 06 3 G. Hawthorn, Weber 46 49 % 4 H.Cuthbertson, Tua Marina 47 48 05 5 W. Kandoll, Linton 48 47 95 6 Ptc. Govcnlock, Wooriville 48 47 95 ' X. Lovcday. Oliura ..'. 49 '46 95 ■8 Col.-Sgt. Grindoll, Napier... 4G 48 «! i> -Gapt. Rollihiou, Waibi ... 46 46 !I4 10 Sgt. ■ Narboy; EltUarfi ...... 47 47 04 11 -Capt. \V. S. Kins, Lihwood 48 -16 04 12 11. Marshall. Karori- 48 46 04 13 bgt Mitchenor, Nelson 48 4a 01 14 Pte. O. Crump, Green ' _ Island 48 46 1)4 la Corp. Mauser, Nelson 40 45 04 16 Arm.-Snt. Motton, N.S.W. 40 4,5 04 17 C. Williams, Qhura 40 45 94 18 Sgt. Proecc,. Gore 4S 46 94 19 P. C. Franklin, Weber ... 43 50 93 20 J. W. Boleyn, Chorlton ... 44 49 93 21 F. G. Gledhill, Nelson ... 45 48 33 22 Arm.-Sgt. W. H. Cutler,' N.S.W 46 47 93 23 Lt. .Sandford, Christchnrcb. 46 47 03 24 Efln. Quatermain, Turakina 46 47 93 25 Sgt. Baker, Wellington ... 46 47 '93 28 Sgt. Carey, Patea ...:... 47 46 93 2V Capt. Ross, Active List ...' 47 46 93 28 Sgt. Green;- Westport ...... 47 46 03 29 Pto. Jackson,. Wellington... 48 45 03 30 J. K. Franklin, Weber 48 45 93 31 Pte. Be\hl, Dannevirke ... 48 45 93 32 Pte. Grover, Taranaki 50 43 .93 33 Pte. J. Anderson, Auckland 43 49 92 34 Q.-M.-S. Shaw, Auckland... U 48 92 35 Pte. Eylos, Dannevirke ... 44 48 92 36 N. Thorpe, Stratford ii & 92 37 fagt. Erans . 4S 47 92 38 Rfln. M'MuUan, Weber ... 47 45 92 39 Capt. Barltrqp, Feilding ;.. 47 45 .'92 40 W. A. Kenning, Nelson ... 48 « 92 41 W H. Porritt, N.S.W. ... 49 43 92 42 bgt. Yeo, Aucldand ,... 50 42 92 43 Uapt. M'Knight, Maniototo « 48 91 44J. t Bilton, N.S.W u 47 91" 45 Sgt. Jones, Wellington ...„. U 47 91 46 G. "Fisher,. N.S.W. 44 47 91 47 Pte. Flaherty, Greymonth 15 46 91 r J- . 0I 5; Ayson, .liuriiiku ... 45 4G 91 ilr & Ut i rie 'o 0,1 , 1lra -—• « 46 91 50 <j. Hyde, Opaki „ 46 « 91 Bw'ffv K T"~ 46 45 91 we ;-?r-- As £ m,,Karon ' « « -si 53 bgt.-Maj..-Evans,- Engineers 46 45 91 « w c^T 7, W^ rt P° rt 4 6'« 91 « i r xfi er ' ¥ aple r .: 46-45' 91 ob A. l/. Jllaisey, Karori 4R if, qi57 B.-P. WatoJ Maurlceviiie *■ U ■ n II .»•. Duthie, Chnstchnrch ... 42 48 90 5!) u-ipt. Irvine, Nelson .... 42 48 94 « .i'° r % B . aldw i n .-Invercargm ; 42 48 90 m iV t ™ t P">i. :p 'Mil>eraton-... 43 47 90 m T Pt^., b ' nltl1 . Geraldine ... 44 4fi DO 60 O. E. Boyd, N.S.W. ...... 45 45. q n 66 S fand W ' ' CrimP, Green ■g « .« ' 90 68 Lt. Henderson, Wellington 45 45 90 69 W. Ferguson, Sandon 48-44 <X) 70 x Sgt. Munro, Murihilm..... 46 II » ?J sit r T e, 5 1V0 . rsdale « 44 90' 75 Col.-Sgt Morgan, Napier 47 43 90 Jo a, Koots, Kaponga ...... 47 43 90 77 Anckland 48 42' 90 ib i.t, Calnll, Oomvell .... '48 42 M In T^ , - l ells - H - ffi : To SS p ' Eketahnna 49 41 90 «5-M-ai;,. g 1 J

500 800. yds. yds. T'l. W. H. Cutler... 46 47 93 W. A. Perritt 49 43 92 J. Bilton U 47 91 G. Fisher 44 47 91 0. S. Boyd m „ 45 to 90 S. A. Ketford - .4.3 46 89 M. H. Tessimond 43 .)o 88 W. J. Pigott 47 41 88 P. Ettinghausan. 48 39 87 W. A. Jacobs .'.._... „. 46 41 87 J. J. Matliison .~..~ 46 40 86 F. G. Harrison 46 36 82 A.' Cutler „.„„ 41 36 77