NATIONAL RIFLE MEETING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 130, 1 March 1928, Page 10

NATIONAL RIFLE MEETING

WANGANUI MARKSMAN WINS KING'S PRIZE BALLINGER BELT TO RIFLEMAN E. S. KING PETONE’S SUCCESS IN CHAMPION TEAMS' MATCH Rifleman E. S. King, of the Wanganui Rifle Club, was yesterday “chaired” at Trentham as the champion marksman of the Dominion and winner of the King’s Prize of £5O, the Ballinger Rifle Champion Belt, and the gold medal of the National Rifle Association. He fired his ten rounds at 900 yards at the last mound with the confidence of a champion, knowing that the loss of a point might mean all the difference between success and defeat. His aggregate of 493 in the Belt series of matches, and his 45 in the King’s Prize match yesterday afternoon, gave him a grand total of 534, this figure giving him the Belt by a clear four points.

When the King’s Fifty went to the mounds in tho afternoon for the final ten rounds at 900 yards, they found conditions very tricky. There was a frontal “fish-tail" wind twisting in and out ’ down the range, while, a mirage that could be plainly seen with the naked eye, jazzed about in front of tho targets. The second twenty-fivo of the King’s Fifty’ were the first to fire, followed by the first twenty-fivo in tho King’s Fifty. All marksmen had their eyes fastened on the flags for the last ten rounds that were to decide their fate. But the flags wore at times of but momentary’ assistance. For one minute tho cloth would stand out taut to the wind, and the next moment it would flap uncertainly, making the reckoning of windage a matter of vital importance to those contesting for the premier shooting honour of the Dominion. From the spectators’ point of view conditions for yesterday’s King’s Prize match were all that could be desired, and in striking contrast- to those of last

year, when torrential rain fell while tbs King’s Prize was being decided. With a point to the good, E. S. King, who led tho King's Fifty, went to the mounds. He was hitting well right from the start, and with his second sigil ter secured a four, which he elected to keep. He dropped only four more points in the last nine shots, and with his score of 45 for. the King's Prize match, together with his aggregate of 493 for the seven Belt series, won with 535. King’s score was four points ahead of F. 11. James, the second man in the Fifty, who dropped three in his first three shots, and finished up r. ith a 42 for the match. The Pei one marksman, W. Mclver, who hold third place in tho fifty, crashed badly, and with four shots ho missed the target altogether, with the result that ho could not do better than, get into elevent h place. Rifleman A. IT. O’Donnell, of Petone, with a ■l3, was able to secure third place, with W. N. Masefield, in fourth place, with a total aggregate of 524. The Christchurch rifleman, R. Piper, is in fifth place, while sixth and seventh positions are taken by the Feast brothers, of Greytown, J. C. Feast having an aggregate of 519 and IL W. Feast three points less. The best score obtained in the King’s Prize match alone was a 47 by C. Lovell, Northbank, and for this ho wins the rifle challenge cup. Before the last rounds had been fired it was apparent, that King was the winner, and the first to Congratulate him was the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. J. Rolleston), who was an interested spectator among a large crowd that surged around the belt winner’s score boards. The champion teams’ match, which was decided during tho morning, was won by Petone, the last occasion when this club won the match being over a quarter of a century ago (1902). The members of the team then were W. H. Ballinger, A. Ballinger, J. Wilson, C. Hall, and W. Randall, and despite several efforts Petone has never succeeded m repeating her performance of 1902 until yesterday. This morning the Empire Teams’ Match will be fired by teams representative of New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria. The King’s Prizeman. Rifleman E. S. King commenced his shooting at Wanganui in 1911, anil the following year he joined the Wanganui Rille Club upon its inception, in 1912, having been a member ever since. He has attended seven meetings of tho National Hille Association at Trentham and on the last five occasions has secured a place in the King’s Fifty. In 1925, when L. A. Caldwell, of Karori, won tho belt, Rifleman King’ was in third place in the King’s Prize, while last year ho was in nineteenth place. He won the North Island championship in 1912, and has won a number of provincial rifle championships. Rifleman King is one of the most brilliant shots of the Wanganui Club. He originally lacked experience in shooting in tho wind when he made his first appearances nt Trentham, but of later years he has improved his knowledge and suffered from windage difficulties to a lesser degree. History of the Ballinger Belt.

The Ballinger Rille diampion Belt, which yesterday’s King’s Prizeman, Rifleman E. S. 1* ig, becomes tho holder of for 1928, was wen outright by Mr. A. S Ballinger, and presented by him to the National Rille Association for competition. Arthur Ba.„;.igcr made his first appearance at a hew Zealand championship rille meeting at Brightwaler, Nelson, in 1879, when he nuisued only live points behind his brother, William Ballinger, who, on that occasion, first introduced tho name of Ballinger to tne championship belt. Never out of the final fifty, and frequently in close proximity to the King’s Prize (fifteenth in 1887, fifth in 18SS, seventh m 1890, and fifth in 1892), Arthur Ballinger continued until 1893, when ho reached his goal, and secured the first of the three wins that now stand to his credit. The succeeding year found him in tenth position, and then followed the most unique performance in the history of Hie New Zealand Belt contest, when the brothers, Arthur and William Ballinger, tied for the championship, tile elder brother, ’William, gaining the honours after a meritorious shoot-off at 700 yards, in which the winner’s score was 24, and the runner-up’s 22. Four more years (1901) found him in third place, the following years he was sixth, then fifth, then twentieth, then twenty-third, ami

then twenty-second. Li tie wonder, therefore, that ho should have achieved that final success in 1997, which pro. tlaimed him a ciuinipion of champions, and entitled him to the ownership of tho championship belt. The belt thus won outright was very generously handed back by .Mr. Ballinger for further annual competition, subject to the condition that it would not again become tho property of any winner. Both Arthur and William Ballinger attended every New Zealand meeting from 1879 to 1907, a total of of 29 meetings, ami. in the whole of this period Arthur Ballingei bad never failed to qualifv lor the final fifty. The 1907 meeting was the last ocasion on which these two great shots competed for the Neu Zealand championship honours, although Arthur l-.as followed up the sport actively to this ilay, and was present at yesterday s King’s Prize match. It is interesting to note that Arthur Balliuget’s record match score was made when he was 58 years of age, the score being 103 oat of e possible 105, in a club match. Hie only marksman to equal the record ot 41'thur Ballinger is D. Roots, of Patea, who became the holder of the Ballinger Belt for the third time when bo won the King's Prize a year ago. KING’S PRIZE MATCH £5O. Ballinger Belt, gold medal, and gold badge-E. S. King .Wanganui). 4555555544—45 £25. silver star and badge-!. 11. James (.Napier), 44553555r.i1—— ate £l5. silver star and badge-A It. O'Donnell (Petone), 5a0455050o —45 ... 541 «£lO, silver star and badge—J. C. Carter (Linton), 5555455553—47 sal £5 and badge-W. N. Masefield ißlenhelm), 504543553-44 •■■■ 42s £5 and badge—lt. Piper Christchurch), 5533334245-37 521 £5 and badge-J. C. Feast (Greytown), 4l 019 £5 and badtre-n. W. Feast (Greytown), 4533354455 —41 516 £5 and badge—F Ching (Karori), 3445534442-38 I'l° £5 and badge—W. 11. West (Renwick), 4544544530-38 510 £4 and badge—W. Mclver (Petone), 4500003435—24 - 515 £4 and badge—ll. 11. Hunt (Suburbs), 5525552345-41 514 £4 and badge—J. Paterson ivVangaitui). 5554031545—36 514 £4 and badge—ll. 11. Mawle.v (Opaki), 3555435545—44 513 £4 and badjre—K- Lovell (Northbank). 44 513 £3 and badge C. Lovell (Northbank), 55545555544—47 ) 512 £3 and badge—V. Jones (Kimbolton), 5545444553—44 512 £3 and badge—E. A. Ballinger (Pctone), 5454053534—38 512 £3 and badge—it. E. Hester (Suburbs), 5454232444— 37 512 £3 and badge—A. T. Patrick .Auckland). 5255444250- 36 512 £2 and badge—F. Bolton (Opaki), 4449455352—38 511 £2 and badge-N. Harris (Christchurch), 5555542344 —42 510 £2 and badge-F. S. Hood (Featherston), 5453235452-58 510 £2 and badge—A. J. Preece (Victoria). 5433555355- 43 509 £2 and bailee—ll. C. Taylor (New [South Wales), 5554542520-37 569 £l-11. T. Boon (Karori), 4502243543-32 5C9 £l-T. W. Cox (Linton), 5335554543-42 SCB £l-.T. Bryden (Kaiapoi), 5354405435-38 508 £l—S. J. Taylor (New South Wales), 3544555244-41 i 508 £l--T. Orr (Greytown), 5345354533—40 507 £l—ll. V. Croxton (Karori), 2545424355—39 507 £l—W. J. Johnston (Petone), 4455425235 -39 507 £!-.). It. Barker (Linkwater), 3525330424 -31 507 Jjl—J. Green (Westport), 3443233453 -34 505 £l-J. S. Thomson (N.Z.P.S.), 0434245545 -36 504 £l-W. J. 11. Haase (Suburbs), 5434345233 -36 '504 £l—L. G. Benton (Featherston), 3424455353-38 503 £l-0. P. Hill ‘Suburbs:. 4335450532-34 503 £l—L. E. Braithwaite (Napier), 3243 554342-35 502 £l—ll. Reynolds (Christchurch), 23232 45553—34 502 £l-C. J. Nix (Featherston), .'’240346052 -30 502 £l-It. W. 11. Ramsay (Linton). 25232 35355—35 501 £l-W. Sprout (Victoria), 5025335503—31-501 £I—IV. Johnson (Featherston), 55430 52453-36 500 £l—S. Hartnell (New Plymouth), 3555435033-36 500 £l—o. H. McKeich (Kiwi), 5434443203-52 500 £l-W. If. Ballinger (Petone). 5550343023 -30 500 „£l-J. O. Hay (Sydenham), -34 499 £l—J. IT. Thompson (Wairakei), 4005234352—28 497 £l—P. G. Robertson (Christchurch), 0042455432-29 496

GRAND AGGREGATE Collins Challenge Cun and gold medal —H. James (Napier) 769 Silver medal—ll. H. limit (Suburbs) 753 Bronze medal—E. S. King (Wanganui) 716 RIFLE CHALLENGE CUP. C. Lovell (Northbank) 47 CHAMPION TEAMS’ MATCH TEAMS OF FIVE MEN, SEVEN ROUNDS AT 300. 560, AND 600 YARDS. £2O and District Challenge Shield— Petone Rille Club No. f team (W. Mclver, TV. H. Ballinger. A. H. O’Donnell, 11. 11. Nicholl, E. A. Ballinger) 472 £lo—Wanganui A. team (W. Hudson, J. Patterson, E. (S. King, B. Holmes, IT. Hughes) 471 £6—Napier Rifle Club (F. H. James, L. K. Braithwaite. It. Nicholson. J. Kearney, G. Eyles) ...: 468 £s—Suburbs llifl: Club No. 2 team (H. F. Peat. It. Hare, E. Aston C. Hill. L. Hare) 465 £o—Christchurch No. 1 team (Tt. Piper, 11. Harris. J. Bills, N. Harris. A. Halmshaw) 465 £2 eacli-Akarana (A. W. Powell. J. It. Draffin, W. Colquhoun. A. G. Devore, S. Elliott), 463; Linton (J. C. Carter. F. W. Cox. 11. A. Jones. R. W. .Ramsay. W. 11. Thomas). 462; New Plymouth <S. Higgs. G. Taylor. J. Turnbull, F. C. Hogg, T. Marett). 460. Presentation of Trophies. Following the completion of the King’s Prize Match and the "chairing” of the winner in the time-honoured way, the prizes and trophies won during the meeting were presented by tho Minister of Defence (Hon. I'. J. Rolleston). Prior to calling on the Minister to hand over the trophies, Colonel R. Hughes, the retiring president of the National Rifle Association referred to New Zealand’s success in the. match for the Gordon Highlanders’ Trophy. Tie remarked that the very fact that New Zealand had won the trophy meant that (hey should pay a compliment to Australia by defending the trophy at Melbourne in March of 1929. He hoped the Government would assist by making a grant so as to enable a team to be sent to Australia. The association was largely indebted to the Defence Department for the success of the meeting and wished to thank ranga officers for their help. Rflmii. W. Sproat. on behalf of tho Victorian association, extended an invitation to a New Zealand team to visit Australia for the next meeting in Victoria. They had been overwhelmed with kindness am! courtesies while in the Dominion. “We thought we would make a better showing.” he added, “but did not know Trentham conditions. And I don't think we would know them any better if we stayed on the range any lonrer.” _ ..... The captain of the New South Wales team, Captain A. R. McLeod, also extended an invitation foe New Zealand marksmen to visit New South Wales in October next. . Tho Hon. F. J. Rolleston said it was noteworthy that the meeting was the last at which Colonel Hughes would be in active service as an officer of the association, and all wished him happiness in his retirement. The thanks of all were due to him for his fine work on behalf of the association Ho would also like to congratulate Rflmii. E. S. King ou his fine performance nt tlie mounds that afternoon ami his success in winning the belt. The Minister then presented the winners with their tropines.