RIFLE SHOOTING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 56, 1 March 1912, Page 6

RIFLE SHOOTING.

KAROEIUIN TEAMS MATCH BRILLIANTLY. c-SuV -»»K> VJ § SOME MARVELLOUS SCORES. |‘ " ' (Per Efess .Association.) February 29. To-day has-been onehof i the finest shooting days“ seen at Trentha.m f or several years(j|-and as a consequence the shooting all ranges has been phenomenal. O’ The speciafe feature of the pro-

gramme was xile teams match for ’the Colonial Ammunition Qompany’s-hand-some 75 guinea silver cup. Four ’teams had entered, but the Nelson men 'had not vthe;,Suburbs Rifle Club wga upffble to get; a full ' team. The afccisidn' was' therefore left between Opaki arM£Karbri Rifle ( dubs. More than the usual amount of interest centred,in- the, .event, as the Karori Club had already won the trophy twice, and another win 'would make it their absolute property. The 'competition is one that represents, as far as possible, ’ absolute service conditions.? Each team consists of twelve men and a commander. These are formed up at about 800 yards from the targets, which consist of a small group of figures. Advances are made at irregular intervals between 800yds and 500yds, 'and at each halt, which is regulated by, the umpire, the targets appear for 15 seconds, each man firing not more than one' ’shot at each. halt. There are .10 one-min-ute intervals, which means that each team fires ten shots. Each hit on the figures counts one. The Karori team put up. 19 hits, or 16 per cent., the Opaki , team getting 17 hits. This not only gave them the match, but the cup to Karori. In this match the Karoris proved the value of their previous training, as every man in the team has volunteer training, the average length of their service bein£ nine years. The team consisted of

H. Plimmer, S. W. Wickens, A. Caldwell, H. Marshall, A. F.'Fellows, W. Charnsise, ,H. Bul'ford, W. Easton, H. W. Croxton, L. Hugo, W. Judd and S. P. Halpin. ' . In addition to the teams match there were extra matches at 900yds, 1000yds, 600yds, 800yds and 1000yds. Here the shooting fdr surpassed thing which has ever been done oiija.ny; range in New Zealand. . ' i In the morning th¥^M)yQ^r* ; 1000yds ranges were taken. At 900 yds,, C. Speck^^Stxatford.. renzi, of Eketahuna, each,put up the possible, and .there, jyere seven '34!sx among ’ (Sounds) .1 ’' At 1000yds, Henry (Christchurch) headed the list with 33, followed by Hyde (Opaki), Barkle (Suburbs), and Boulton (Amberley), each with 32. There were, three 31’s, and four - 30’s’. ! At 800yds, in the afternoon, there wore eight possibles—-Speck (Stratford),'' Aston (Kajsd), /J^cholscp <^Pe-f tone), Barkle Dewar (Ohura), James (Hauraki), and Letham (Akarana), L. Loveday, who .shot so well ,at Bisley, got 34, as did ex-Ghampion R. King. At the 600yds range the honours were high for , Canterbury, tlfol first, five men being from that prwinceV These were Walker and Gurney (Christchurch) and Smith (Geraldine) - ,' who each got possibles, Wilson (Christchurch) and Brplpn each 34. Hendersonj./^m^pibßr’oi[ttedast' ; Bisley team, In the 1000yds match. (Dickson (Milton) put up 34^|iiid'.f spbpr&d first place, C. J. • HoliMid-wlso .'.putvup 34, but lost on the count. Lane (Akarana), Mawley and Barkle (Suburb's) each lout bn 33. • During the afternoon President Marshall, of the Karaffc Club) received,-a; congratulatory I hhhti’ , th6^^club’s win of the: trophy, from Major Whitney, of the Colonial Ammunition Company. ‘ At the close of the day there* were 329 entries, which may be added to bdfore commences in the morning. The service matches will be taken to-morrow. .

TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. r Trentham, ■March : •1. Tlio business of opening the-Tren-tham rifle meeting commenced" at 9 o’clock with the service matches, 325 dompetitors taking part. Rain was falling.

Colonel Collins, addressing the men, explained that the reduced .attendance was due to Territorial affairs being in the transition stage. He anticipated a entries at the next meeting. He : ■'stated ’thht 'he thought there -would- .be-- no .difficulty in the men obtaining a voice in the election of the executive of the Association if they desired. Arrangements were beng made to; further encourage rifle clubs. The snap-shooting, loop-hole and rapid-firing matches are in. progress, .■but no results will be known until late in the afternoon.