NEW ZEALAND BISLEY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 143, 12 March 1919, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND BISLEY

OPENS AT TRENTHAM A SUCCESSFUL GATHERING After an interval of five years, the annual prize meeting of the Dominion Rifle Association was resumed at Trenthtiin yesterday in mnguilicent shooting weather. .Overnight the sky was heavily olouded, and it was with some misgiving that competitors and officials awaited the break of day. However, by 7 o'clock yesterday morning n\l doubts on the point wore dispelled, ami bright sunshino heralded an auspicious opening ceremony. From the point- of numbers, the entries are not so large as in 1914, the last occasion on which a meeting was held, but the attendance of 310 competitors is regarded as a very favourable augury for tho success of future gatherings of the kind. Rifle championship meetings were inaugurated as. far back as 1801, and until the year 1892 the t.cnuaL gatherings were of a peripatetic nature. In the latter year it was decided to hold tho meetings at Trenthani, where they took place .until 1914. The first meeting lti Wellington was held in 1866, when there were from, fifteen to twenty competitors. On that occasion the Champion Belt was won by Sergeant Christie, of Otago. Since_ those early days, thanks to the discoveries of science and the genius of inventors, wonderful advances have been made in the typo of rtapon used. At the first meetings tho r'fles were of a very primitive pattern, and the ranges were comparatively short, the longest distances being from 'WO to 600 yards. The long Enfield riflo was file pattern adopted for the first championship, and it was loaded from the muzzle, a percussion cap being employed to igmto the charge. This was followed by tho medium rifle, the Terrjr Carbine, Snider, Remington-Lee, Martini-Henry, and in latter years the Len-Enfield. The Terry Carbine and Snider wero the first of the breech-loaders io come into service, the first-named being the cavalry arm. Carbine rifles were used until 1888, when Lieutenant J. H. Ross, of Napier, but jiow of the Wellington Suburbs Riffp Club, won the Carbine Champion Belt outright, and .incidently earned for himself the soubriquet of "Carbine Jimmy." From I&>3 omvnrds it was decided that only one pattern of rifle should be .allowed. The rifle issued to competitors at the present meeting is tbo 1914 Magazine Ine-Eiifield. -303, a weapon of high velocity, which fires a pointed bullet, and ns usual t'he ammunition being fired has been specially prepared for the occasion. A new departure has bpnn made this year, in that tho !)00 yards and 1000 yards Imve been fiUnii rioted from the pro- ■ gramme. The reason for this step was that during the war i* was found that not a great deal of rifle shooting was done over long ranges. Ui> till 1912, the annual prize meetings of the association were very popular gatherings, and the entries were always very large. From year to year the number of participants continued, to increase, and in l?ll thore' was a record attendanco of over 600. . In the volunteers there were a number of very keen rifle sbootins enthusiasts, and they gave the "New Zealand Tlisley" their 'wholehearted support. When the Territorial eystem of military training was inaugurated, rifle shooting did not receive the same encouragement as it hp.d enjoyed in the past, and the consequence was that at the 1912 meeting the entries had dwindled to 300. The greater proportion of the entranfs at. that fktiiro were members of rifle clubs, many of whom had joined those institutions upon the disbandmont of the Volunteers. One effect of the abolition of tho Volunteer system was to give iriflo clubs a decided fillip, many new ones being formed in different park of the Dominion. Thero were very few Territorials present at tho 1912 meeting, which would have been a very poor affair had it not been for the strong support given to it by the rifle clubs. An improvement was recorded in 1913, when 311 men attended, and in 191-1 the entries jumped to 354. High hopes were then entertained that, the meeting to be held in tho following year would approximate somewhat the conditions of tho gatherings of the earlier years, but owing to the outbreak of war Hie Defence Department required Trenthani for traininjr reinforcements, and tho Dominion Riflo Association had (o abandon any idea of holding further meetings until after .the conclusion of hostilities. .

Resumption of the Meeting,

After the signing of the armistice Colonel R. .7. Collins, C.M.G., executive officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, deemed it fitting that the annual prize meeting should be revived. Although many members of rifle clubs and other sliooting men wots away from the Dominion, having gone to take their chanco in the greatest shooting match in the world's history, it was felt that sufficient patronage wo,uld be forthcoming to place the fixture on a sound footing again. The response to Colonel Collins's suggestion has been exceedingly gratifying, and is distinctly encouraging. Of the 310 competitors, 250 are members of riflp clubs, and 60 are Territorials. A number of "old hands" are in evidenco at th? meeting, including several former champions. Amongst these are Colonel E. R. Smith, Otago Infnntry Brigade, who iron Hie Belt' in 18! M;- Rifleman George Hyde (Otivlci), winner, l»02 and 1908; R. J. King (Ppaki), winner 1903; George ffalliday (Karori), winner 1910; T>: Roots (Patea), winner' 1911; F. 11. James. (Okawa), winner 19J3; Lieuten-' ant AY. puincan (Millerton), winner 1909: ,W. X. Milroy (Nelson), winner lf'Oo;; and Lieutenant W. N. Minefield /12th Nelson Regiment), winner l<ll4. Colonel Smith has the honour of being the earliest championship holder in attendance at (lie meeting. The'oldest man at the meeting is Rifleman AV. Heslot, of Okawa, who is 70 yeairs of age, and has been attending the. rifle shooting meetings for many years. It ns expected that Rifleman j. Parslow, nf the Akarana Rifle Club, who won the Belt in 1889, would have been present, 'but evidently he found it impossible to get nway from Auckland. Before- the competitors went down to the firing mounds yesterday morning they were paraded and addressed by Colonel I Collins, who expressed his pleasure at seeing so many old faces. He welcomed the new competitors, and said he little thought when speaking on that same Spot, five years ago that by 1910 tho greatest .world war would have bppn fought, and, thanks largely to the British Navy and Army, would [live been won. He had promised shooting men when war broke out that the meetings would be resumed at the earliest possible date after hostilities ceased. This promiso had been redeemed as soon as the armistice was signed, with the result that New Zealand was the first part of tho British Empire to resume rifle shooting. Only 12-1 entries were received on the original closing date, but lie was determined to proceed with the fixture, ami ppf/rics for the meeting had now reached 339, 310 of whom had entered for the full series of matches. Colonel Collins referred to thp fact that many former competitors lia<l fallen in the war, also to the fact that Trentham had become a permanent camp for instruction in musketry.

Reminiscences, Colonel Collins then gave an interesting, summary of tlw history of liflechampionship meetings, dating back from tlioir inception. The first ride championship, he said, was iired for on Mnrch 27, 1861, when there were 885 competitors firing in tlieir own districts throughout New Zealand on the same ('ay. This was thn first time that there was any prize firinpr on a large scale in tho Dominion. Among those who competed were many who had never fired before, and in some districts there, were no proncr ranges. Tl>p f!l)!ii>ipioti pit unci ,!:MO, whifh accompanied it, was won by Lieutenant Brighton, of Auckland, with a scut of ii out of a possible 2", the conditions bein/? three rounds each at 100. 20j), and flOl) yards, at 6ft. by 2ft. targets, with an 8-incli bull's-pvp. 'I'herp were liw otlvr prizes am, m, .m. £w. ».•<! ,c:.). it ivi"> wnrl'iv of note t-lint .T. I'. SonininrvLLle, well-known to shootine icon as fllinirnmii of the Riflp Association from 1860 to JflfW, was the winner of (lie fourth "m» with i> scoro of ID. Tn 1802 the niimbpr of shots wns increased to five rounds ner raiipe. and the prize list extended to 2fl prizes, rmiginif from .ESfl to ,£'s. Tim winner w/>i Pte. Holt, of Nijlson, with a 6corc of 32,

the number of competitors being 625. In 18G3 tho distances were filtered to 300, 100, and 500 yards, with a 6ft. by 4ft. target. The belt was won. by Lieutenant Morse, of Nelson, with a score of 41 out of CO, Three hundred and thirtynino wen competed at this meeting. In 1861, firing under similar conditions, Lieutenant Owen, of Wangamii, won tho belt with a score of 40, and 975 men competed. Thero was no competition in 18G5. A clmngo was made in 18CG by bringing to Wellington' tho best shot j (decided by competition) from each disi trict to fire on the same rnngo for the ■ championship. Five prizes were allotted ! (.£IOO J275, .£SO, .£3O, and .£2O), the tar- ' get being Oft. by Cft., with a 4ft. centre, - and a 2ft. bull's-eye. Thp winner was i Sergeant Christie, of Otago, .with a score : of 39 out of a possible CO. Thero were ! 18 competitors. In 1807. Corporal Cliisi holm, of Otago, won with a scoro of 42 from 14 competitors. ; In ISGB, Sergeant Taylor, of Otago, was the champion, with a score of 47, and ; in 18G9 there was no competition, the ! money voted' being allotted as prims to ■ tho different districts. At Dunedin, in IS7O, Lieutenant Goldie, of Otago, was the winner, and at Auckland, in 1871, Captain Wales, of Otago, who repeated his win at the meeting of the. following year in Christchurch, won the belt out- [ right. Thus, for eix successive occasions, , *the belt went to Otago. In 1873 the meeting was held at Nelson, when 79 competitors took part, and Lioutennnt Hoskins, of Thames, was the first winner of the new belt, which was subsequently won outright by Arthur Ballinger, of Wellington, who presented it to tho association. The belt was now known as the Ballinger Rifle Champion Belt for New Zealand. In 1874, at Napier, Captain Harolin, of Waiuku, was the winner, and the following year, when the meeting was held at Thames, Lieutenant Skinner, of Auckland, secured the trophy. In 187G, J. Wilcox, of "Clutha, won the belt at Wanganui, and in 1577 it was won by Lieutenant Poynter, of Nelson. Up to 1877 the annual competitions for the champion belt were carried out bv the | Government, the Defence Department j finding the prize-money and expenses. It was afterwards decided to close down j these meetings, and the outcome of the | decision was the formation of the New j Zealand Kifle Association, which held its I first meeting at Nelson in 1879, when W. H. Ballinger, of AV«llington, won the belt. Until 1901, the association carried on with varying success, when the executive, becoming involved financially owing to heavy expenses due to the peripatetic movements of the association, decided to ask the Government to take over control. This the Government agreed to do, the New Zealand Defence Forces Rifle Association was established, and Trenthani decided upon as the permanent range for championship -.meetings. The first meeting was held in February, 1902, when a number of service items were introduced. In the following year there was a decided increase in the entries, and the 190G meeting was marked by a decided advance in ■ tho association s records. The. long ranges—Boo,. 900, and 1000 yards—were introduced into the championship, matches, and tho belt was won for tho third time in succession by ' a Neleon representative. In 1907 Arthur ' Ballinger, who was one of the most consistent shots that New Zealand had pro- ' duced, won the belt for the third time, ' and as already stated, generously handed it back for competition. It was subse- ' quently won by Rifleman George Hyde, of Opaki, Lieutenant Duncan, of Grey- ' mouth, Rifleman George Hallidoy, of Wellington. D. Hoots, of Kaponga, L. ' Loveday, of Ohura, F. H. James, of Napier, and W. N. Mansfield, of the Sounds. ■ The association had, by its annual chain- ■ pionship gatherings, been a power of im- ■ mense value in encouraging a lovo of rifle-shootiiu; and teaching the»«use' of " the rifle. The use by tho Defence Department of the Trenthani rifle range as a camp since tho war commenced, had I necessarily caused a suspension of coin- ' petitions for the belt, but it was now S confidently anticipated that the present j meeting would open the way to* many J; successful gatherings in tho future. " Colonel Collins concluded by wishing * ovory man success, and expressing the J hope that the meeting woufd be .enjoy- J able to all. (Applause.} *

YESTERDAY'S SHOOTING THE PRIZE LISTS. . The programme for yesterday comprised the A series of service matches, compulsory on all competitors. Such matches are not very popular with riflemen. Three matches were actually completed—Classification Practice Match, Rapid Shooting, and Snap-shooting. Two other . matches of this series remain to be finished—the Qiiiclc March Match and the Service Championship—and they will be fired oft' when a. convenient opportunity offers. This morning it is hoped that a start will be made with the B series. The first of these matches will be the Opening Match, seven shots at 300, 500, and 600 yards.- Scores made .in the match do not count up for the Championship Belt, but 55 prizes, of the value of .£75, are set down for distribution. Figure targets will be' used at 300 and 500 yards, and at COO yards the Bisley target will 7 be utilised. The object of this match is to give competitors an opportunity of becoming accustomed to any peculiarities of their rifles and to get settled down to the real business matches of the meeting. The next match after the Opening Match will be the Westland Match, in which the conditions are similar to those of the' Opening Match. This will be the first of the Belt series.

CLASSIFICATION PRACTICE MATCH,

Grouping.—Five, shots at 100 yards; five rounds snap-shooting at 200 yards; ten rounds rapid at 200 yards; and application, five shots at 500 yards— <£J— J. B. Tarbett, Akarana R.C 11l JB-Pres, F. J. Causley, Greytown R.C HI JI3-J. Te Whiti, Thames R.C 11l i'2-Lieut. W. Duncan, Westport HO £2-X. M'Lean, Thames R.C.... 110 £\— T. H. James, Okawa 110 £1-R. J. King, Opaki 109 £l—\Y, J. Morgan, Akarana 109 £\-E. G. Day, Nelson ' 109 ,£l—W. J. M'llvride, Petone 108 Xl-Sgt. F. AV. Chins, R.N.Z.A 108 £l-T. 11. Carter,' Nelson 108 £\— J. Brydon, Kniapoi 108 .El-Stafi-Sgt. -Major J. Domlcy, N.Z.P.S 107 Sl—li E. Harrison, Hawera R.C. ... 106. £l-L. A. Caldwell, Karori R.C. ... 101! £\-S. Elliott, Akarana R. C 108 Xl-Cpl. P. S. Robertson, Ub Otago Bait 105 ,£l—"W. Smith, Wanganui R.C 105 XI—A. E. Hannshaw, Christchurch &.(',. 101 •A'l-Lt.-Col. J. L. Sleeman, Hoadq natters Staff. 104 JBl—Pres. P. Palmer, Patea R.C. ... 104 dGI-Cpl. A. .T. Merriices, 'Tauraiiga 101 £\-3. Y. Snnnex, Sounds, R.C 104 £\-G P. Harrison, llawera R.C. ... 103 £l-V. Browne, AVaihi R.C 103 .fit-Major J. Potter, Reserve 103 £1-1). Roots, Patea R.C 103 il-Siaff-Sut-Jlajor H. L. Frank, ■N.Z.P.S : 103 iEt-ipres.-' 0. J. Nix, Featherston R.C • 102 Xl—!■'. W. Ongley, ... 102 10=. each—D. Anderson, Kaitaugata, 102;. Pres. D. .T. Cooke, Blenheim, 102; H O. Crimp, Kiwi, 102; J. Baird, Hamilton Cadets. 102; Lt. H. H. Donald, Rualiine Rest, 102; J. 'Kyle, Linton, 102; Lt. W. N. Jlnspfle'd, 12th Nelson Rcgt., 101; Ci)l. D. Catley. P. and T. Engineers, 101: .). Forrest. N.Z. 'Field Engineers, '101: A. AVpir, Pntonc, 101; S. Snunders, Waihj. 100; S. F. Nelson, Christchurch, 100; S"t A. C. Maiscy, Karnri, 100; P. C. Homilton. Wangamii, 100; D. N. Gordon. Thames, 100; Pres. J. S. Montgomery, Maugere, 100; S. G. Batton, 8.N.55.A. 99; H. R. Hayvard, let M.R. (CYC) 99; W. Powell, Akarana, 09; P. 11. AYilson. Hutt, i) 9. Counted out-S. E. AVcHs. Sounds; W. A. Clark, Auckland; A. B. Shore, Akarana; P. Motsun, Christchurch. ; RAPID SHOOTING. 500 yds., seven rounds, 45sec. exposure. £i-'ti. Loveday, Olmra R.C 32 i-3-Stflir-Sgt.-Major W. Edmonds, AVaimato ....'. •. 31 £!-.!. Kyle, Linton R.C 31 .£2-\V. F. Cleaver, Tahor R.C 30 .e-W. Franklin, Pctqno R.C 30 £\-\X. ,1. Ifpiiry, ■'Kaiapoi R.C 29 .El--F. Unnvn, Wailii R.C 29 X'l-li. H. ilawlcy, Mastcrtnn R.C. 29 .I'l—Mfijor A. J. jAlcrnclces, Hauraki Rpgt J 29 .El-Rev. P. Willochly, Karori R.C. 29 .CI— H. Caiiglilcy, Cluistchurch R.C. 2S X'l-D. iKoots, Paleiiß.C 28 M— Pi'M. .1. Thirki'lson, Tariki 23 .£l—S. Marenzi, Tararua R.C 23 £l-t M'Nab, Daunevirke B,C 2S

.fil-J. PurneU, Wangamii R.C. ...... 28 £1-E. Harris, Christcburch R.C. ... 28 . £l-S. Elliott, Akararaa, R.C 28 ■ £I~J. Faulkner, Gieborno R.C 28 : JBI—W. J. Morgan, Akarano R.C. ... 28 18s. Gd. each—W. H. Thomas, Linton i R.C, 27; Pres. C. J. Nix, Featherston , R.C, 27; L. E. Caldwell, Karori 8.C., i 27; Lieut. W. Duncan, Westport, 27; R. A. Wilton, Mauriceville R.C, 27; W. B. Stock, Linton 8.C., 27; Sgt.-Major 1 D. S. Ol'Leod, N.Z.P.S., 27; W. A. Ball, Linton R.C, 27; W. A. Fulton, Waimate R.C, 27; W. D. Paterson, Kaitangata R.C., 27; F. H. James, Okawa R.C, 27; A.'Weir, Petono R.C, 27; F. C. Coxhead, Tahora 8.C., 27. . • 10s. each—Pres. E. J. Cooke, Blenheim R.C, 26; J. Bryden, Kaiapoi R.C, 26; J. C. Yeo, Auckland City R-.C, 26; Pros. P. Palmer, Patea, R.C, 26; Major 3. Potter, Reserve, 26; Pres. J. G-. Cansley, Thames R.C, 2fi; G. T. Gardner, Tna Marina R.C, 26; F. R. Caplin, Suburbs R.C, 2G; A. Kidd, Old Navals KC, 2G; Cpl. W. Catley, P. and T. Engineers, 26; Pres. D. Rait, Gisborne 8.C., 26; W. Kells, Linton R.C, 2fi; T. Ml, Old Nn-vals R.C, 26; Cpl. N. S. Wilkie, N.Z.A.0.C., 26. ■• 3s. each-S. G. Battin, R.N.Z.A., 25; J. Tβ Whaite, Greytown 8.C., 25; R. Ronnie, Mfingere.R.C, 25; J. Baird, HamHtori Cadets, 25; %t. A. Baounijrew, | Manawatn'Mounted Rifles, 25; Lieut. K. P. Allen, Cadets, 25; G. Hyde, Opaki R.C, 25; R. Sneddon, Old Navals R.C, 25; W. Duncan, Waimate R.C, 25; Cpl. W. R. King, 10th Senior Cadets, 25 j C. G. Engetrom, Opaki 8.C., 25; E. C. Crimp, Kiwi R.C, 25; F. W. H. Kummer, Opaki R.C. 23; Sgt. Bugler A. C M'Cardle, 17th Regiment, 25. SNAP-SHOOTING. 500 yards, five rounds, four seconds each. E. W. China R.N.Z.A. ... 23 L. B. Caldwell, Karori R.C 1 22 i iG3—Lieut. W, N. Masefield, 12th Eegt 22 I £2— Rflmn. A. Mloan, Thames R.C 22 R, M. Wallis, Patea R.C. 22 ifil-Q.M.S. Doran, G.R.A. Coy. 10th i Regt. .: 22 ! Jl-Bflmn. P. G. Hamilton, WangaI • nui R.C 21 ! £I~¥. Browne, Waihi R'.C 21 .£l—Rflmn. J. A. Alexander, Akarana R.C. 21 il-G. Prydon, Kaiapoi R.C 21 J6l-W. A. C Clark, Auckland City R.C ;. 21 Al-Sgt R. B. Hester, Railway Engineers 21 •Sl—Rflmn. F. R. Lambert, Kaituna R.C 21 JU—Prw. F. G. Gledhill, Neleon R.C. 21 .£l—Rflmn. W. Coniber, Old Navale R.C 20 £I— Rflmn. W. M. Gordon, Thames R.C 20 £I— Major J. Potter, Reserve Officers 20 Pte. H. A. Cameron, Gth Ha'uraki 20 £I— S.S.M. W. Edmonds, Waimate R.C ,\ £ 20 £I— Lieut. H. H. Donald, 7th (Ruahine) Regt 20 <£1-Rflmn. A. Harris, Suburbs R.C 19 ifil-Rflmn. F. J. H. Kummer, Opaki R.C 19 ,81-S. Malthus, Waimate R.C 19 <gl-Sgt.-Bugler A. C M'Cardle, 17th Regt 10 £I—Stw. J. Forrest, No. 3 Field Coy. Engineers 19 .£l—Bflmn. A. Brown, MaeterWO R.C ...; 19 .£l—Rflmn. G. P. Hallfday, Karori R.C 19 •Sl-Rflmn. G. Hyde, Opaki R.C. ... 19 Xl-Cpl. P. S. Roberts 19 j6l— Rflmn. J. Tβ Whaiti, Greytown R.C , 39 A. R. Shore, Akarana

10s. each:—Rflmn. L. Peroy, Alfredton R.C, 19; Bflmn. J. M'Kay, Blenheim R.C., 19; Rflmn. A. W. Ironside, Rangiora R.C, 18; Capt. A. Y. Johnston, 12th Regt., 18; Pte. J. Baird, Hamilton High School Cadets, 18; Sgt. A. Baoumgren, 6th Mounted Rifles, 18; Rflmn. H. M'ElI roy, Lincoln R.C, 18; Rflmn. T. W. Warburton, Petone R.C, 18; Rflmn. A. Blair, Hawera R.C, 18; Rflmn. T. H. Carter, Nelson R.C., 18; Sgt. H. R. Rhind, Details, Trentham, 18; Rflmn. J. Knowles, Kaitangata R.C, 18; S.S.M. H. L. Frank, N.Z.P.S., 18; Lieut.-Col; J. L. .Sleeman, General Headquarters, 18; Rflmn. A. H. Jones, Tahora R.C, 18; Rflmn. R, W. Wvber, Kaitangata R.C, 18; Bflian. C Hiidfield, Blenheim' 8.C., 18; Rflmn. A. J. Henderson, Sounds R.C, 18; Rflmn. S. Marenzi, Tararua 8.C., 18; Rflmn. W. H. West, Blenheim 8.C., 18. Counted out: Pres. J. Thirkleson, Tariki R.C; Elmn. G. T. Gardiner, Tua Marina R.C.