RIFLE SHOOTING Notes and Comments

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 296, 6 March 1928, Page 11

RIFLE SHOOTING

Notes and Comments

AKARANA CLUB RESULTS Members of the Akarana Defence Rifle Club competed for trophies presented by Messrs. H. Sallery, D. Calder and J. R. Draffln, over the ranges of 500 and 600 yards, at Penrose rifle range. A silver spoon was won by T. Elliott, jun. Trophy points were awarded to T. Elliott, jun. >3), A. H. Dixon (2), W. Colquhoun (1), Stan. Ellliott (1), and A. C. Smith (1). Details of the shooting are as follow: A Section (Mr. H. Sallery’s Trophy).— T. Elliott, jun., 46 at 500 yards, 46 at 600 yards, total, 92; A. H. Dixon, 42, 47—80; W. Colquhoun, 47, 42—89; A. W. Powell, 44 43 — 86; E. J. Reston, 44, 41—85; J. Ft. Draffln, 42, 40—82; F. Wakefield, 40, 40— 80; J. F. Atkinson, 43, 36—79; H. Dickey, 36 41—77. B Section (Mr. D. Calder’s Trophy).— Stan Elliott, 39 at 500 yards, 39 at 600 yards, total, 78. C Section (Mr. J. R. Draffln’s Trophy). —A. C. Smith. 41 at 500 yards, 42 at 600 yards, total, 83. MATCH AT THAMES (From Our Own Correspondent j THAMES, To-day. The president, Mr. R. Cameron, of the Thames Defence Rifle Club, has g€?nerously donated a medal for competition between members of the club. On Saturday the first competition took place, and the young rifleman, Reg. Brown, succeeded in winning with a total of 94. Appended are the scores:

Another New Zealand Championship has been decided, the honour this year going to Wanganui, a centre always very prominent in rifle-shooting activities. The best the small Auckland contingent could do was to have one placed man in the King’s fifty, though several were placed in the second fifty. This was vice-president A. T. Patrick of the City Club, who, after a few seasons of mediocre performances, finished twentieth from 350 competitors. Rut for a miss with his last shot in the final he would probably have finished in the first ten. A veteran as far as rifle shooting is concerned, “Andy" is one of the bestknown and most respected marksmen in the Dominion, and is not unknown across the Tasman, where as a member of New Zealand teams he has done well in Australia. Before coming to Auckland he was actively engaged in the sport in the Transvaal, where he did singularly well. He has been eight times placed in the King’s fifty at Trentham, his best performance being his second to Duncan when che latter had his name inscribed as a belt winner. Present holder of the South Auckland Championship, he has frequently been “knocking’’ at the Auckland Championship, but has not yet been successful. However he is yet young as far as shooting goes, and one would like to see him add this to his list of honours as a win by him would be most enthusiastically received in his own centre. Possessing the steel blue eye peculiar to so many “cracks,” he should have many years of active sport ahead of him.

Of the Aucklanders Powell and Devore w’ere probably the mosi prominent, the former winning the opening match at 300, 500 and 600 yards, with 101 out of a possible 105. He carired on well till 800 and 900 yards were reached, when he “crashed” badly. A most enthusiastic worker for the advancement of the game, one hopes he

will strike better luck next Lime. Devore shot steadily

all through, and is without doubt the best all-rounded in this centre. The tricky Trentham wind has had a few choice adjectives hurled at it from time to time by bewildered riflemen, and the writer hears that the visiting Australians added a few more in their own inimitable style. They were never as prominent as their home performances would lead an outsider to expect, but under the conditions they did very well, and have nothing to be ashamed of. An old “Aussie” crack considers the range to be the hardest in the world, and while not urging this distinction, one must admit that it is not a shooting gallery, and the best of shots need both experience aid luck to pull them through.

200 300 yds. yds. Hep. Tl. K. Brown . . 43 42 9 — 94 A. Pearson . . . . . . 44 44 5 — I* 3 A. Sommerville .. . . 46 44 R. Camron . . . . . . 46 45 P. Trebilcock . . 44 39 4 — 87 .1. Morrison . . . . 44 3 — 86 R. Pearson .. . . . . 38 43 3 — S4 R. Poole . . 37 37 S — 82 S. Inglis 30 6 — bl