THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 53, 22 March 1901, Page 2

THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION MEETING.

MEETING AT WANGA.NUI. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WANQiNui, Maroh 2U There is lively wputher for the opening of the New Zoaltud Rifla Aa--30 iation meeting, which took place at eleven o'clock this morning. The Inumbsr of competitors exceeds tha •ir.timate of Oo!on»l Sommerville, and tha success of th° moating is osiured. The Mayo? addressed ihe oiupetitors, wclcom'ng them to Wanganui, and shooting began without the unless formality of a gun being laid for a. ladv.

The handicapping of rifles will causa discontent, particularly tn those using ■ Mar.tirw. The 0 mncil decided upon I the following handicaps awl standard*, i 887 en shots at 500 yd*, handicap 1, standard 35 ; 600 yds, 1, 33 ; 700 yds 2, 32. Ten shots at 500 yds, handicap 1, standard 50; 600 yds 2, 48; 700 yds 3, 45. Even with this handicap the -303 weapons have all the bes<; lof i l -, as ammunition for this) gun is of i Euslish manufacture. ; Among the aoinpetitors present are the c.haaopio.n, l&iag (Oarouru), exchampions W. BiUinger (Wellington), Okey (Tiirarr'ki), Rnraington (W^nga-1 ,nui), Williams (Wellington), Ktusa j (Wanganui), A. Ballinger (We'li--g-1 [ton). Smith. (Dunedin), and Wakelin j (Ohristchurch). Should either thai Billinpers or King win the belt this i year ths trophy becomes his own ptr.perty. Wei ington is regarded as hiving a Kroner teim, and on the performance a* Woodville W. Ballinger is thought to hive a chance for tho I b<l>-, but there he did not mest several I excellent shots from the north. | Shootin? began abou 11 30 with the l i Nelson Match, 200, 500, and (500 yards, '■ ! seven shots i$ aaoh, utf oo'inting in tho | for the bel\ This will nob J be ftV'sr-esi hefore 4 p.m., and then the jmeu close firing until to-morroff. In cVie fi«ld firing oompotiM'on the. ! will be. »iven something «9w J | j ranges up to about 1500 yards will bo, jusnd, and the men will have to ]i\iit'' 'ho distance. Colonel Sow&iei-vilio .idfw.tnrl tV\ia iHai nftrv, Ui a „; C i>. *,i fU~

jTririPvai], and he beHovea it will be of j grant: yalur, to the men should ihey at lav tirri9 have to take tha field on ' act : YQ service. I Owi>g *o the difficulty in securing mow to fire in vol'ey *nd district I matches !{.sis year through represents- i [Hv-s running away from the meeting, Oolonel Sorroervilie h"s decided to firej the champion-hip the last day, and it i is exp?ct«d th«t the qn-stion as to the! New Zealand Champion will be decided; nexr Thursday afternoon. Then folW j competitions for rmunted men,and the) meeting will probably break up t.n i days bfn"o, I It ia gr-n«ra)'y understood that the! flovernmenr, when t'kir.g over the ; meeting rest year, will offer specislj irdnennentH for Mv:ik«rnm to vwit Trentham, which is fo be the p'nmi-i nent range. If ro. they will hive to' rpmovo the difficulty with respect to! weapons, and g : va aU and sundry who,| wi.'h to compo'o an opportunity of j securing weapons in sufficient tinoe to! prart'Ve. j Tt-evo w a « only a light drift of wind across 'he range this morning. The first range of the Nolo™ Match wan concluded at lunch. Ohurton, who won the Kit in Auckland in 1884, ma:!e 3i, j.,f.fc missis the possible, A. Ballmgor (Wei li-'s-t tiV and OakV--y (NWon) wore a point helrnd, :x> d oth. r* c!o3e up. Ohm-ton is using a -303 rifle. Lateu. THE FIfi.ST MATHI. i Waxg»kuj, March 21. I T ■•> iST-.v Zo-lind R:fl e Ass'ciiti.m Annual i'o ting opened »•; the T- u il<i Rame this moaning, About 225 men ire taking part, The weather ia fine

with light fi'ni.-i -xind Wowing. Only one match va:, iinishtd t-o-dtr,*, nid that (loos no'ico'irit in the aggrogito for tho belt. Tho following are the uiiivi prize fakers:—

Nelson Match, 200, COO, and GOOyd-',

Seven shots. G. Lovoday (Wondville) 97 .. £7 Lieut, Cox (Auckhnd) 9(5 .. i' 6 •Stephens (I'imaru) 96 .. .. £5 Vlonsemsm (Wangamii) 93 .. J'i Feast (Waiivirapa) 93 .. . , £A Allport (Nelson) 93 .. .. jC.'I Mclfarlauo (Obristchnrcb) 92 .. £'i Burns (Karori) 92. Best (rCaifangata) 92, Hoiry (Knitangata) 92, Li'Btsr (Chriatchurch) 92 ; each tako ,62.

Hirgt. JLever (Taranaki Rifles) is unable to get away, ao his place will be taken by Lieut. Hooker.