RIFLE SHOOTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19472, 6 May 1925, Page 8

RIFLE SHOOTING.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION’S MEETING. RAIN STOPS PAY’S PROGRAMME. (Per United Press Association.! TRENTHAM, May 5. Rain foil practically ail night, and morning found the ranges soaked, with lower ing clouds threatening a further downpour, The Otago Match (SCO and 000 1)00 yards) commenced at the former distance. This is the first of the long-range shoots counting for tho Bolt. Though (he rain had ceased the light was very pool 1 , causing trouble with elevation, and tinflags clung to the staffs closer than a brother, indicating an absence of wind for the second day in succession. Yet there was a draught of heavy air from left across the front of the targets, and this countering left ‘'drift” of the bullet brought many, ever- among tin* experienced, to earth with a resounding crash Even so, here and there beards were soon showing that someone had got the hang of things, or else his lucky star was in ti c ascendant. Several came near the coveted total. After .shooting had been in progress for mi hour'the rain came on once more, bat the men carried on in the hope of finishing the match before lunch. This, however, was found impracticable, and firing ceased for the day at 30.31). The leaders in the B grade aggregate at the end of the fifth match are P. Keir and H. Harris (400), followed by S. King and Bairstow (404). Tho tyro leader is Lovell (-107), Johnston next with 405. The executive decided to allow competitors who had fired , the option of keeping their score if they desired to do so when tho match is gone on with. Tho day s work therefore consisted of one range ,(h()u yards) of the Otago Match. The first men clown had to contend with elevation troubles, owing to the dull light and heavy atmosphere. Then (here was a brief spell of brighter light, during which the fortunate ones had almost ideal conditions, since tho wind at no time caused any dillienlty. After that rain fell with rapidly Increasing weight until the shooting was abandoned. Some got through even in the wet with a good score, but had to fight for every hit. The markers in the butts had an unenviable time with the targets becoming sodden, so that hits were hard to pick up, ami quite a number of challenges wore sustained. Masefield, for Instance, challenged four times when sho’s produced no response, and each was foun 1 to be a bull’s-eye. Out of toil and (ravail, two men, llogg (New, Plymouth) and ‘West (Renwick), emerged with possibles, while Carter (Linton), Ilalmshaw (Christchurch), Keir (Ashburton), and Devore (Akarana) dropped only one point. P. J. Anderson (Knitm.a) got 4G and kept his place at the head of the queue seeking admittance to the King's fifty. Carter moved up from foulh to second place, and Donald, with a 46, dropped back from second to third. W. 11. Ballinger (Petone) put on 46 also, and went forward from seventh to fourth place. Hunt, with another 46, improved his position slightly from sixth- to fifth, while Haltnshaw’s 49 brought him from twenty-first to sixth. Frank’s 46 was very useful, pushing him up two places to seventh. Hogg’s possible lifted him from thirty-first ro eighth place ,followed by Keir, who came from twenty-seventh position. D. M'Konzio (Opaki) had a good hit of 48, which pulled him up from twenty-fourth to tenth, while Masefield stepped back one place to eleventh. Bryden (Kaiapoi), like HumptyDumpty. had a groat fall from eighth place last night to twenty-seventh to-day, only managing to get 39 on, and no doubt ho was thankful it was no worse. Boston’s 43 pulled him down from third to twelfth while Gniney, with 46, maintained thirteenth place, has no fears of any ill from tho Devil’s number. West was outside the 50 last night, but to-day’s possible makes him at present nineteenth. Two or three men failed to score a single hit to-day, but it is best to draw tho veil over their identity. Suffice it to say that, one at least was no tyro with the rifle, but tho rain beat him. A strong southerly sprang up during tho afternoon so that tho flags, though heavily weighted with water, blow out. straight as boards. The competitors who looked down the range from the shelter of the huts and drying sheds breathed sighs of content that they were where they were. The rain was still falling heavily this evening, but it is hoped that to-morrow may bring a glimpse of the sun, whoso cheery disc some men aver they have ulrriost- forgotten, so long it is since they saw him. The following arc the lenders for the King’s Fifty after tho 800 yards of the Otago Match; - D. J. Anderson (Kaitnna) 371 J. C. Carter (Linton) 366 11. H. Donald (Opaki) 365 W. IT.” Ballinger (Petone) 552 H. Hunt (Wellington Suburbs) 352 A. E. Ilalmshaw (Christchurch) ... 361 H. L. Frank (Sergt.-major N.Z.P.S.) 361 F C Hogg (New Plymouth ) 360 F. [>. Keir (President, Ashburton) ... 360 D. M’Kenzio (Opaki) 360 W. N. Masefield (Captain, Marlborough) 360 E Rcston (Akarana) 360 I). -I. Gniney (Petone) 359 A. G. Devore (Akarana) 353 J. K. Harris (Linkwater) 358 ('. Whiteman (Upper Hutt) 368 D. Roots (Patea) 357 ft. M‘Nab 'Dannevirke) 357 W. H. West (Remvielo 356 H. Trotman (Greytown) 356 L. Pimm (Kaiapoi) 356 K. Lovell (Renwick) 356 H. T. Boon (Karori) 355 F. Bailey (Kimbolton) 355 ft. Mnyhew (Linton) 355 W. S. Mills (Kiwi) 355 J. Bryden (Kaiapoi) 355 No other shooting was done to-day owing to the rain. With the addition of the scores of the match at 800 yards the positions of the leaders in the Rifle Club Champion Teams Match are Petone 1757 Christchurch 1753 Greytown .. 1736 Linton 1736 Ashburton 1750 Opaki ; 1728 Kaiapoi U^o Karori No. 1 1727 Feafhorston No. 1 ... ... 1727 Wellington Suburbs 1721