TRENTHAM, 1911.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 962, 1 November 1910, Page 3

TRENTHAM, 1911.

PROGRAMME FOR ; THE', MARCH MEETING. ' CASH PRIZES: ,£I9OO. The programme issued by Colonel Collins, 1.5.0., executive officer Dominion Rifle Association • for the. next championship meeting, to be held at Trentham in March next, is a distinct .advance on former issues, and should find favour i ■with shooting men generally. As the oxecutive committee has permitted the use of the rear aperture sight, a' new lease of life has been given to old shobtists, and an increase in the number ot entries for the coming meeting. When Colonel Collins took over control of tho -New Zealand llifle Association in 1903, twenty-five targets were available, and 250 men. competed. To-day, seventy-five targets can bo used, and nearly.6oo riflemen compete. Range accommodation has been increased so as to allow shooting up to 1000 yards on 50 targets, and up to GOO yards on : 75 targets. ' Considerable alterations have been made in the conditions of the service matches with a view of introducing.shooting more closely approximating the conditions of active service. Rapid firing has been done away, with, while quick-firing; and snap-shcoting, with observation or fire in view, has-been introduced; disappear- , tag and falling taTgets will be used in most of the service matches, so that competitors will be able to see the effect of their shooting, the results of which at the close of each man's firing will bo confirmed by telephone from the butts. Another important feature in the programme is the adoption of the "figure target" in place of the usual "bull'seye target for all shooting at 500 and 000 yards. Colonel Collins introduced it. last year in the Volunteer and Rifle. I Club match at Trentham, with unqualified satisfaction, and it has now been taken up at Bisley, and in Australia. The following is an- outline of the programme, some of_ the leading features of which were anticipated in a general way by Colonel Collins when interviewed at the opening of the shooting season by a representative of The Dominion :— Opening Day, March 3. The meeting is to commence on Friday, March 3, and entries close on Saturday, February 11. This is to bo strictly aahered to, as the statistical officer is. desirous of getting oul. his cards for issue to competitors prior to opening day. One thousand nine hundred pounds has been allocated as prizes, an increase of .£350 on last year's programme. The opening match, taking the place of the separate match for volunteers and rifle clubmen held in previous years will be at 200, 500, and 600 yards, open \.to all competitors, there being no distinction between Territorials and rifle clubmen. The Championship Matches. The championship series will consist of eight matches instead of six, two of the double distance matches having been converted into four single range matches, so that a competitor who makes a good score at one distance will not have the mortification of seeing it sacrificed by a bad score made at the longer distance. The prizes in this series have been increased from to .£1223, making 932 prizes, as against 615 last year. The grand aggregate match for the "King's" has a prizelist of £222, but there are also two other aggregate lists to which .£SO each has been allotted, 30 prizes in each, the Trentham aggregate being for all scores made'at 500 and 600 yards, and the Bisley aggregate for all scores made at 800, 900, and 1000 yards in the championship series. Figure targets are to be. introduced in place of "bull's-eye" targets at 500 and", 600 yards. They will be of the same dimensions, and nave the same divisions as tho ordinary second-class target, and will be coloured in the upper half light grej - , and in the lower half ,green, having centrally on it a "head and shoulders" figure coloured khaki, 18in. by 2tin. Service and Teams' Matches. The prize list in the service series is .£3BO, the same as last -year, but a reduction of six shillings has been made on the entrance fees. The matches for which, is: were heretofore charged are now fixed at 2s. 6d. each. For tho teams' series the prize list includes many valuable • trophies and .£l3l in cash prizes. As the number of men to form a team is only six, every corps and rifle club should enrter at least one team. 'The matches will consist of sectional firing, Chattie match-(or "falling targets"), cover.firing, field firing competition, and surprise target match. In the latter match, the targets are to-represent—(l) skirmishers, (2) infantry in columns, (3) infantry in trenches, (4) cavalry charging, (5) cavalry dismounted. Points will be added for skill in conducting fire control and handling of men. The company teams' match forms part of the series, and any corps or club which has entered a team for the series may enter as many extra teams as they desire for this particular match, tho prize list for which comprises the District Challenge Shield and JSCO. A very massive silver cup, value 60 guineas, has been presented by W. Gregg and Co., of Duuedin (the Coffee Club .Cup), and will be awarded to the team making the highest, aggregate score in the:series. Extra Matches. ' The United Service Match, which carries with it the Dawson Shield and a cash prize of £20, will be a competition be-' tween the territorials and rifle club men, 20 men a-side. . Sir Logan Campbell's shield for 20 men a-side from any regiment or battalion will be. fired at disappearing targets, practically a field firing competition. A continuous match at 600 yards, five shots with a sighter, has been placed on the programme, and will be open to all comers; prizes, £1 each; entrance fee, 2s. Gd. There will be an opportunity for an extra match every day, seeing that the ample target accommodation, which, with the new system of squadding proposed, will not require the constant attendance of competitors at firing points as heretofore. General Camp Arrangements. Consequent on the , now arrangements made in connection with catering, it has been decided by the Executive Council that a catering fee of 15s. per man will be charged, and'due at the time of cutty. Each competitor will receive a ticket which will entitle him to ten meals in "the dining-room and ten light meals at tho tea and coffee pavilion. It has been found necessary to effect this change owing to the association being unable to ascertain beforehand tho number of competitors to bo catered for. Considerable unnecessary, expense has been incurred, and a'consequent monetary loss to the funds of the association. A large dining-room is now being built, and will accommodate 250 at one sitting, the old mess room being set aside for the officers. A new cook house and baker's oven has also been erected, which will enable the council to provide competitors with meals jup to date. With the ample accommodation available, Colonel Collins is proposing a new system of squadding; four men t to a squad, and 25 squads to a section, i lettered from A onwards, so that only the men of the section or sections firing are required at tho firing point, the other competitors being avnilablo for service matches or with time to take part in extra matches. Hatch barrels ure prohibited. They were only allowed last year on account of many of the Australian competitors being so armed, and as an inducement for them to come. The aperture back sight will be allowed as before. A competitor' will have the option of converting this sighting shot into a counting shot. For the purpose of deciding ties, a central of 12in. at 500 and 600 yards, and 21in. at longer ranges will be marked on the target, counting 5 marks in competition and G marks in the shooting. The usual concessions of fares on intercolonial and coastal steamers have been arranged for. Free railway passes onlfew Zealand railways from place of residence to Trentham and back will be issued. Tents and straw will be supplied gratis, but competitors will have to provide their own bedding. . An approximate timc-tablo gives tho duto for closing the meeting as Thursday. March 9, on which day the championship will ho fired.