RIFLE SHOOTING

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1927, Page 1

RIFLE SHOOTING

{[BY TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. j STORM AT THEN TEAM. TRENTHAM, March 21. Last night will live long in the memory of those who tried to sleep in camp. A strong north-westerly had blown all day, but the weather had been fine except lor a light shoner in the afternoon. About nine o’clock In tlie evening, however, black storm clouds settled on the hills encircling the valley, which soon lay under an inky pall slashed every tew minutes by vivid lightning flashes. By ten o’clock rain began to lull in earnest, soon developing to a succession of torrential cascades, which were driven across the camp by cyclonic blasts ol wind that picked up every moveable thing, and with blinding lightning Hashes and crashing thunder claps, croateed a. riot of the elemental forces such as no one in camp ever experienced before anywhere. These conditions prevailed for some hours, in laet daylight lountl the storm still raging, though its strength was waning. To add to the incidents of the night the automatic electric fire alarm sounded in a part of the camp owing apparently to a short circuit caused hy the storm. A fire party turned out with a motor engine in blinding rain squalls, 'lit up by dazzling lightning flashes only to find their services were not needed fortunately.

As the “ short ” was only a partial one, the main siren alarm did not sound, so that many who lay more or less snug under blankets, wondering when this Hell’s concert would end, were spared the discomfort of turning out to share the firemen’s wetting under the cold douche from the clouds, for the atmosphere had now taken on a decidedly wintry temperature.

After daylight the weather moderated and by eight o’clock a start was made with the second stage of the Auckland match, ten shots at six hundred yards. A strong wind from the rear kept wobbling uncertainly to the right and leaf, making shooting an ordeal of patience and perseverance that yielded very little profit to the. thoroughly chilled occupants of the mounds. Later it is proposed to fire the Canterbury match (also ten shots at six hundred yards) which will disclose the winner of Trcntham aggregate and in the afternoon two single range, Pong distance matches may he taken, weather permitting. Tho North versus South match resulted in a. win for tho South by 1861 points to 1818. Each .side has now won six of these competitions. The Auckland match was won by E. S. King (Wanganui) 46, 45, 91; Brean_ gang (Gisborne) runner-up, 47, 44, 91. McCallum (of Marlborough) was third with the same range totals but Breangang heat him on the count hack. Bolton (Opaki) was fourth with 48, 43, 01 ; then came Sharland (Renwick) 91, C. AA'liitemnn (Upper TTutt) 89. W. J. Green (Okawa) 89. E. Lawrence (Seddon) 89, J. C. Feast ('Greytown) 89. The weather improved as the morning advanced, though the wind still caused much tribulation.

Canterbury match (ton shots at 600 yards) was won hy D. J. Anderson (Kaituna) 46; I). Wilton (Blenheim) 45; H. Cromio (Ashburton, B grade) 45; J. Patterson (Wanganui) 44; A. Nailor (Alfredton) 44. Trentham aggregate (all short range scores in held series): AYost (Ronwickton) won with 409; C. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) 402, D. Roots (Patea) 402, If. Judkins (Christchurch) 400, West takes 26. a gold medal and a shield.