TRENTHAM--1912.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1382, 7 March 1912, Page 6

TRENTHAM--1912.

SEVENTH DAY. THE EVE OF THE 810 BATTLE. DIFFICULT SHOOTING. LOVEDA\( LEADS FOR BELT. Auckland Match-Rifleman Elliott, Akarana Rifle Club, 98 points. Wellington Match-Rifleman Taylor, Blenheim Rifle Club, 94 points. Canterbury Match—Riflom.in Henderson (Sounds Rifle Club) and Sergeant Ryder, 9th Regiment, tied with 50 points each, possible score, ono range match, Otago Match—Seven men tied for first place with 50 points each.'possiblo secre, one range match, Nelson Match-W. Cox, City R.C, Auckland, Carbine Cup and Trentham AggregateRifleman S, Elliott, Akarana Rifie Club, 299 points. Hawke's Bay Match—Rifleman Clark, Rangitikei, 50 points (one rango match, possible score}. Taranaki Match—Rifleman Roots, Kaponga, 50 points (one range match, possible score). United Service Match—Won by Territorials, Rifle Club Championship—Christchurch Rifle Club; aggregate score, 2130: Champion Team Match—Opaki Rlflo Club (A Team), 484 points, Leading for the Service Championship— H. Simmonds, Waitohi R.C, Leading for the Belt—Rifleman L. Loveday, Woodville. Yesterday was a queer day as records weather. An unreliable light, fickle wind, and a drizzling rain in the late afternoon summed up the shooting weather for tbe day. Firing commenced at 900 yards, in the ten-shot Wellington Match. The appended results show how the competitors fared. There was one possible—by Clarke, of Rangitikei—so there was no difficulty in picking the winner. Only four men reached 49, while seven made IT. Shooting in the morning was very difficult. TKo light was decidedly tricky, and the wind shifted about for a while, dying away to occasional catspaws, which rr.rarently came from nowhere, towards midday. The Final Run for the Fifty. The Taranaki Match, which completed the long preparation for the King's Match, was conspicuous for a remarkable 6core by Roots, of Kaponga, who put up the only l<loo yards possible of 50 points ever recorded in the history of the big meeting. Guy, of the same district, and Wood, of Christchurch, reached the 49 walk; Xeilson, of Danneyirke, was the t\\\y 48 on the list, and from that the tail «ung--gled down to '.the. .humblest of doublo figures. An Exciting battle. Tlin Champion Teams Match, always an interesting and hotly contested event at the big meeting, resulted in a win for Opaki (A team),'one of- the celebrated rifle, teams in this national sport. They finished with n fine scoro of 481, a clear lead of 8-points from the ruuners-up, the Christchurch Rifle Club, another wellknown company of marksmen. Top scoro in this event was made by 0110 of the Karori Club's tyros, Chirnside. of tho club's C team, whose- brilliant aggregate of 101 points included 33 at 31)0 yards, 34 at 500 yards, and 34 at 600 yards. Duthie, of Christohurch, made an excellent score of J00: 34—34—32. At tho conclusion of the 300 yards' stage, Akarana and Opaki (A) were abreast, with 161 points ench. ,At 500 yards Akarana, with 325, led by. two points from Opaki (A), Knrori (A), and Ohurn, whoso scores respectively wcro 323, 323, and 322. At GOO yards Opaki came up to the front, with the result above stated. • General's Impending Visit. The General Officer Commanding the Forces (Major-General A. J. Godley, C.8.), will b? at the range this morning to attend the conference of rifle clubmen with regard to the agitation for tho amendment of the constitution of tho Dominion Ritle Association, so as to give larger representation on the Executive. Committee to the competitors, and nlso to discuss the proposal of the military authorities with regard to posting to riile clubs all youths from 18 to 21 who cannot be enrolled in the Territorial Force. United Service Match. The United Service Match, usually ono of tho chief events of the meeting, fell rather flat. Firing commenced late in the afternoon, and finished in semi-dark-ness, the markers in the trenches having to strike matches to distinguish the hits on tho targets. The result was a win for the Territorials by 34 points. The finish was rather a burlesque, and robbed the match of much of its. value. To-day's Events. This morning the Service Championship Match is to be fired, and, from the nature of ths competition, will take ,up tho whole of the forenoon. In the afternoon, at 3 o'clock, the great event of tho meeting—the King's Prize Match for the Ballinger Belt—will take place, and this will be the grand finale. A large number of visitors are expected to be present , , thfso including. Sir Joseph Ward and . Lady Ward, who is to distribute the prizes, Major-Genernl Godley,. and,members of the General Staff at Headquarters. A special train for the convenience of visitors will leave town at 1.50 p.m., arriving at Trentham at p.m. This train will leave Trentham at 5.50 p.n'., arriving in town at 6.47 p.m.