RIFLE SHOOTING

Southland Times, Issue 21100, 4 June 1930, Page 11

RIFLE SHOOTING

MACKENZIE SHIELD. INVERCARGILL CLUB SUCCESSFUL. HIGH STANDARD DISPLAYED. The Mackenzie Challenge Shield, presented for competition to the Southland Defence Rifle Association was competed for yesterday at the Otatara range in the presence of a record attendance, there being 14 teams participating. Shooting was conducted in very fine weather, there being a slight left wind in evidence and the handsome -shield subsequently was won by the Invercargill Defence Rifle Club’s No. 1 team,-captained by the veteran A. R. Wills. The score put up by this team is reported to be a record for New Zealand, 489 points being scored out .of a possible 525. Head marksman for the day was W. Milley, a very old shot and enthusiastic member of the Invercargill Defence Rifle Club team who made a record score of 102 points out of a possible 105. He received congratulations on all sides upon his achievement. A. R. Wills, the captain of the winning team, set a precedent by going down first and putting on the fine score of 34, which gave his team something to work upon. The credit of the win is due mainly to him as an old experienced shot and able coach in bringing honours to his club, and many were the congratulations he received. Second place was obtained by the Wakatipu Rifle Club with a score of 470, 19 points behind the winning team, and third place fell to the lot of the Invercargill City Guards, captained by W. McChesney, with a score of 462. Illustrating the keenness of the competition, W. Milley, W. E. Diack and N. Mac Williams scored the possible of 35 at 500 yards. All are members of the Invercargill Defence Club. •

In opening the shoot, the president of the Invercargill Rifle Defence Club (Dr. A. F. Ritchie Crawford) congratulated the association upon the splendid entries received and made feeling reference to one of the keenest of its supporters in the person of Sir Joseph Ward. He also congratulated the honorary members of the association upon gaining birthday honours, mentioning that Mr R. A. Anderson was a very keen supporter of rifle shooting. At the termination of the shoot the president congratulated the winning team and called upon Major Peter Mackenzie to present the shield. In doing so Major Mackenzie congratulated the winning team on the very good score put up and stated that the object underlying the donation of the shield was to stimulate team shooting. On behalf of the Mackenzie family he expressed his pleasure at the very fine response from rifle clubs throughout Southland. He would have liked to have seen the shield won by Wakatipu, but the better team had won. The challenge shield will be held by the winning team for one year, medals being presented to the five members by Dr. Crawford. , In returning thanks, Mr A. R. Wills said he was proud to have captained the winning team as it brought back to him memories of his youthful days at Queenstown, his birthplace, and his old associations with the Arthur’s Point Rifle Range. The marking at the meeting he characterized as a treat, only one challenge being reported. Sergeant-Major J. Connolly and his markers were to be congratulated on their fine work. The duties of range officer were earned out by Sergeant-Major J. Little whose control of the mounds was perfect and his decisions were favourably received. Ser-geant-Major Stewart was in charge of the telephone and ably carried out his work. Following are the detailed results of the day’s shoot: —

INVERCARGILL NO. 1. yds. yds. vds 300 500 600 Tl A. R. Wills .. . . .. 34 32 31 97 A. Lyall . .. 31 33 33 97

W. Milley .. ..... .. 34 35 33 102 C. II. Cunningham .. 31 33 31 95 W. E. Diack ...... 31 35 32 98 161 168 160 489 WAKATIPU. Major Mackenzie .. .. 33 33 32 98 II. McKenzie, president 28 34 29 91 A. Simson .. .. .■ ■ 32 31 .27 90 A. Munro .. .. .... 33 33 28 94 D. R. Gray 30 34 33 97 156 165 149 470 CITY GUARDS. R. Ure .32 .33 30 95 A. Ford '. 30 30 25 85 J. Tansley 31 31 33 95 J. Ure ..' 33 34 27 94 W. McChesney 29 34 30 93 155 162 145 462 INVERCARGILL NO. 2 II. II. Moss 31 32 32 - 95 W. S. Ayson 28 32 26 86 C. H. Wilson 28 34 30 92 A. Cowan 30 30 32 92 N. MacWilliams .. .. 29 35 32 96 146 163 152 461 GORE NO. 1. S. Preece 30 33 30 93 H. McCorkingdale .. .. 29 30 29 88 C. M. Wilson 30 32 31 93 C. France 26 31 24 81 J. Mathews 31 33 33 97 146 159 147 452 INVERCARGILL NO. 3 31 32 97 T. E. Henshelwood .. 29 32 31 92 J. Clark 28 30 26 84 W. Henderson .. .. 32 33 31 96 R. C. Anderson .. .. 29 27 23 79 152 153 143 448 MATAURA. J. A. Munro 28 32 29 89 F. Munro 26 28 30 84 C. Goodwin 29 31 28 88 S. Parker 30 32 32 94 A. L. Ross 1 32 29 30 91 145 152 149 446 INVERCARGILL NO. 4 A. F. Ritchie Crawford 32 33 31 96 J. Morrison 31 31 29 91 G. - H. Smith 27 33 26 86 A. Wilson 27 28 23 78 D. Robins 31 oZ Zl 90 118 157 136 441 CITY GUARDS NO. 2. 99 33 91 J. T. Wilson 31 28 2o 84 F. Lawton 28 31 28 87 28 24 84 R. J. Timpany .. .. 30 30 32 92 147 149 142 438 NIGHTCAPS NO. 1. W. Excell 32 29 24 85 W. Bennie .... .. 25 30 2S 83 L. Wilson 20 30 39 89 R. Hazley 34 28 29 91 S. Thomson 27 29 31 87 147 146 142 435 GORE NO. 2. G. Cleine 29 32 29 90 W. Marshall 29 27 16 72 W. D. Milne 27 29 32 88 W. Cunningham .. .. 29 31 27 87 G. Bain 31 30 32 93 145 149 136 430

WAIKAIA. J. Dennis .. . 27 30 27 84 c. Collins .. . 29 32 30 91 w. McKee .. . 22 27 23 72 w. Cook .. . 31 30 24 85 J. Moffitt .. . 27 33 27 87 136 152 131 419 NIGHTCAPS NO. 2. ■ J. A. Steans . 22 31 29 82 G. Excell .. . 28 23 26 77s. McDonald . 30 27 31 88 G. Weeds .. . 23 18 21 62 S. Cunningham 27 30 25 82 130 129 132 391 CITY GUARDS NO. 3. c. Buttolph . 27 31 19 77 J. Storrie- . . . 30 28 28 86 c. H. Buckingham .. 27 27 16 70 H. Livingstone 22 31 27 80 A. N. Smith 18 20 4 42 124 137 94 355