TARANAKI RIFLE ASSOCIATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 323, 24 February 1910, Page 3

TARANAKI RIFLE ASSOCIATION

FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING,

SOME SPLENDID SHOOTING.

The fifth annual shooting competition under the auspices of the Taranaki Rifle Association commenced yesterday uii.kr most favorably weather conditions, and some splendid shooting resulted. There is a good attendance of aiiflotiitS, though not vij) to last year's record, Every rifle club in Taranald, and almost every volunteer corps, is represented.- The only outside shots are Captain Potter (who won the aggregate belt last year), and Lieut. Atkinson, both of Auckland. A feature of the meeting is the line shooting displayed by the younger members. During the day three possibles were registered, two by Rifleman Jenkins, of .Warea (a tyro), at >V)Oyds and 800 yds respectively, and oi?fe by Rifleman C. IT. Speck, of Stratford, at 800 yds. This well-known shot also put on 33 at 000 yds, at which range many of the young shots broke down. In the matches so far fired, the rifle clubs (notably Stratford and Rahotu) are winning a good share of the prize money, and considerable interest is being taken in the teams match, which eventuates to-day. ATI the arrangements have been capably made "by the officials, and everything passed off without a hitch. Lieut.Colonel Messenger was in charge of th;'. firing line, and Col.-Sergt. Armitage at the butts. Nine targets were in use, and it very much for the marking that very few challenges were upheld. To-day Lieut. Turner, of Patea, will be in charge of the firing line. At ihe executive meeting last night it wus decided to fire the 1000 yds range of the Stratford match first thing this morning, and immediately after that tli-3 grand aggregate. As some misconception exists, it was stated that the highest twenty in the first four matches will fire another ten shots, each at 1000 yds, and this score will be added to their aggregate.

In the absence of the secretary the bulk of the work fell on the treasurer, Captain C. T. Mills, who proved fully equal to it. The catering was in the eapaoTe hands of Mr. J. W. Thomson, of New Plymouth. The matches already fired resulted fls follows: No. I.—WAITARA MATCH (seven shots at each range). 200 500 Tl. Rflmn. C. H. Speck (Strata ford), £2 34 34—68 Rflmn. F. Jenkins" (Warea), £1 10s 32 35 67 Rflmn. R. Cox (Stratford) £1 5s .. .. ..34 32- 86 Sergt. M. Carey jPatea), £1 31 34—65 Col.-Sergt. Hartnell (Taranaki Guards), £1 ..31 34 —65 Lieut. J. F. Atkinson Auckland M.R.), 15s .. 32 33-65 Rflmn. L. S. Hart (Okato), 15s 33 32-65 Rflmn. S. J. Hollard (Kaponga), 15s .. .. 31 33—64 Rflmn. J. Guy (Rahotu), 15s 31 33 —64 Rflmn. C. E. Hollard (Kaponga), 10s .. ..31 33—R4 Pvt. G. E. Blanchard (Taranaki Guards), 10s .. 32 32--t34 /Sergt. H. Arnold (Taranaki Guards), 10s 33 31—64 Pvt. F. Nichols (Taranaki Guards), 10s .. ..33 31—64 Rflmn. A. E. Speck (Strat- [ ford), 10s .. .. ..33 31—64 Sergt. H. C. Evans (Taranaki Guards), 10s' .. 30 33—63 j Lieut. H. Willis (Taranaki Rifles), 10s .. ..30 33—63

Counted out: Lieut. A. Marett I (Rifles) and Sergt. W. Olliver (Guariioj 63. ... TYROS. Rflmn. J. Rothery(Rahotu), 10s 29 31—GO Rflmn. F. G. Knauff (Mangorei), ICte .. .. "29 31 —00 Rflmn. B. Field (Tarata), 10s 30 29—59 Sergt. W. J. Cody (Patea ' Rifles), 10s .. -.29 28—57 "on. Mem. P. Palmer (Patea Rifles), 10s .. .. 27 29 —56j luimn. W. B. Clarke (Warea), 5s .. .. ..29 27—56 Pvt. W. iP. Okey (Taranaki Rifles), 5s 29 27—56 Pvt. L. Blanchett (Taranaki Rifles), 5s .. .. 28 27—25 Pvt. C. B. Dewar (Inglewood Rifles), 5s .. .. 28 26—54 Pvt. E. L. Chappell (Waitara Volunteers), 5s ..29 25—54 No. 2.—INGLEWOOD MATCH (seven shote each at 500 and 600 yds). 500 600 Tl. Rflmn. N. F. Thorpe (Stratford), £2 34 34—08 Pres. J. A. Colmer (Rahotu), £1 10s .. .. 34 33—67, Rflmn. A. E. Wickham (Stratford), £1 5s .. 32 34--C6 Rflmn. J. Rothery (Rahotu), £1 .. ..33 33—66 Rflmn. J| D. Christian (Rahotu), £1 .. .. ..34 32—CG Rflmn. R. Cox ('Stratford), 15s 31 34 —IT) Rflmn. H. Baker (Rahotu), 15s .. .. 33 32—63 Prt. G. G. Grover (Guards), 15s 34 31—65 Lieut. A. Marett (Taranaki Rifles), 15s .. ..30 34-64 Corp. R. A. Bent (Waitara Rifles), 10s .. -.81 33--64 Sergt. W. Olliver (Guards), 10s 32 32-64 Rflmn. A. E. Speck (Stratford), 10s .. .. ..33 31—64 Col.-Sergt Hartnell (Taranaki Guards). 10s .. 33 30 —63 Rflmn. J. Guy (Rahotu), 10e 33 30--63 'Rflmn. W. J. Speck (Stratford), 10s • .. .. 33 30—63 Rflmn. J. F. Shepherd (Rahotu) , 10s .. ■ • 29 33—62 Pvt. H. H. Gilshnan (Patea Rifles), 10s .. ..30 32—62 Counted out: Pvt. W. F. Short (Guards) 62, Rflmn. C. H. Speck (Stratford) 62, Pvt. Marett (Rifles) 62. TIROS. Rflmn. L. S. Hart (Okato), 10a 31 31—62 Rllmn. F. Jenkins (Warea), 10s 31 29-60 Pvt. E. L. Chappell (Waitara Rifles), 10s .. .. 31 29—60 Pvt. C. B. Dewar (Inglewood Rifles), 10s .. .. 26 32 i>B Sergt. 11. Arnold (Guards), 10s 29 28—57 Pvt. L. Blanchett (Rifles), 5s ■ • • • • 26 —<">' >Pvt. W. J. Cody (Patea], 5s 25 26-51 'Rllmn. W. B. Clarke Warea). •• 27 2-1 ol 1 Pvt. W. P. Ok"v (Taranaki I', Rifles'). 5s ..' •• •• 23 27- -iiO I Hon. M;m. I'. Palmer (Pa- ' tea Rifles), 5s .. -.25 24- 40

No. 3.—NEW PLYMOUTH MATCH (seven shots each at 300, 500 and 600 Jd»)- ' " 300 500 600 XL 1 Sergt M. Carey (Patea), £3 .. .. 34 33 32—90 Capt. J, Potter (Auckland M't'd), £2 10s 33 32 32-97 Pvt. F. Jenkins (Warea), £2 .. .. 33 33 31—1)7 Lieut. A. Marett (Taranaki Rifles), £2 .. 33 31 32—DO Rilnm. R. Cox (Stratford), £1 10s .. 34 31 31 —!'G Col, - Scv'tJ,, flartnell (Guards), ";•£! l(fe u 33 33 30—rft Piflnni. N. F. Thorpfl •S I "®''" (Stratford), £l 34 3l 30--95 Corp, J. W. Bruce (Tdranaki Guards), £1 84 34 *27—-95 Pvt. G. G. Grover (Taranaki Guards), 15s 33 30 31—1)4 Rflmn. C. King (Kaponga), 15s .. .. 32 32 30Pres. S. J. Hollard (Kaponga), 15s .. .. 34 31 29—HI Pvt. T. Marett (Rifles), 10s 31—29 33- 93 I* Pvt. T. King, 10a .. 30 31 32—93 Rflmn. D. Henderson (Kaponga), 10s .. 30 31 32 —93 Pvt. A. L. Humphries (Rifles), 10s .. .. 31 31 31—93 Pres. ,T. A. Colmer (RaIhotu), 10s 32 33 2S---93 Rflmn. H. Baker (Rahotu), 10s .. ..31 34 28—93 Rflmn. W. J. Speck (Stratford), 10s .. 31 33 29—93 Tvt. F. J. Hill (Taranaki Guards), 10s .. 30 32 30—92 Counted out: Sergt. H. C. Evans (Guards) 92, Rflmn. J. Guy (Rahotu) 92.

TYROS. Rflmn. J. Rothery (Rahotu), 10s .. .. 32 31 27—90 Pvt. W. J. Cody (Patea Rifles), 10s .. 34 28 27—8!) Pvt. C. B. Dewar (Inglewood Rifles), 10s 32 2G 30—SS Pvt. W. P. Okey (Ta-ranaki-Rifles), 10s.. 29 32 26-tfi Pvt. L. Blanchett (Taranaki Rifles), 7s 6d 33 31 23--S7 Rifleman L. S. Hart (Okato), 7s 6d .. 32 28 25 fir, Rflmn. B. Field (Tarata), 756 d.. .. 30 31 23-94 Pvt. E. L. Chappell (Waitara Rifles), 5s 34 26 23—53 Sergt. H. Arnold (Taranaki Guards), 5s .. 28 25 28—SI Rflmn. W. B. Clark (Warea), 5s .. .. 29 30 22 —SI No. 4.-nSTRATFORD MATCH (seven shots each at 800, 900 and 1000 yds). The first two ranges of this match were completed. The final range will be ilred this morning. The following are th?, leading scores:— 800 900 Tl. Rflmn. Speck .. ..35 33—GS Rflmn. Jenkins .. .. 35 30- -63 Lieut. A. Marett .. .. 29 34- -63 Pvt. F. Nicholls .. .. 31 32—63 Rflmn. J. D. Christian .. 33 30—03 Corp. J. W. Bruce .. .. 30 32—62 Sergt. W. Olliver .. .. 33 29-62 Pvt. G. G. Grover .. ..31 30- 61 Rflmn. N. F. Thorpe .. 29 32- 61 Pvt. A. L. Humphries .. 33 27 —60 Sergt. H. C. Evans .. .. 29 30—39 Hon. Mem. >P. Palmer .. 31 28—59 Rflmn. A. E. Speck .. 32 27- -53 Sergt. W. Cody .. - - 33 26 -53 Rflmn. W. B. Clarke .. 29 29—58 Rflmn. W. J. Speck .. .. 30 28---38 •Pvt. H. H. Gilshnan .. 32 26- 38 Col.-Sergt. Hartnell .. 27 30- 57 Pvt. G. E. Blanchard .. 28 29—57 Sergt. M. Carey .. .. 30 27—57 Rflmn. D. Henderson .. 31 26- 57 Sergt. H. Arnold .. .. 28 28- -50 Rflmn. A. E. Wickham .. 30 26—56 Rflmn. H. Baker .. .. 33 22 55 Corp. R. A. Bent .. .. 24 30 54 Pres. J. A. Colmer .. .. 26 28—54 Pvt. T. King .. -.27 27-54 Rflmn. L. S. Hart .. .. 80 24—54 ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the Taranaki Rifle Association was held in the Drill Hall last night. Lieut.-Colonel Okey, V.D., president of the Association, occupied the chair. There was a very good attendance of members.

The president, in his opening remarks, referred to the shooting at the range that day, which, he said, was very goou. He was sorry that there was not asj many present as they expected, but! that was probably owing to the fact that it somewhat clashed with the visit of Lord Kitchener, and this, no doi'ot, not only prevented some from competing at this meeting, but would also probably prevent some of the competitors here from attending the cajpp at Wellington. • The balance-sheet showed that tlie Association started the year with a debit balance of £5 7s sd, and wound up with a credit balance of £37 17s 7d. The principal receipts were:—Honorary members' subscriptions and <loun.tioas, £49 19s 6d; clubs' and active members' fees, £26 13s; entrance fees, £63 12s Gd; Government grant, £ls 18s; sighting shots and challenges, £]£ 3s 3d. Expenditure included: Prize money, £IOO 10s 6d; markers, etc., £lO 10s: vote to secretary, £5 ss. Lieut. Willis, in moving its adoption, stated that the executive deserved xo be congratulated on presenting such a successful balance-sheet. A notice of motion that in future the Association meeting be confined to residents of Taranaki was lost, several members stating that they wruld not care to attend outside meetings if the local Association closed its doovs to outsiders. On the question of allowing the use of match barrels at the meeting, it was decided that in all questio is of sights, appliances and rifles, the Taranaki Association follow Trentham's example. Officers were elected as follows: Patron, Lieut.-Colonel Ellis, V.D.; president, Lieut.-Colonel Okey, V.D.; lion, treasurer, Captain C. T. Mills; hon. secretary, Private T. King; council, stall officers of the Taranaki Batallion and captains of affiliated volunteer icot-ps and rifle clubs, Major Sandford, Y.l<., Lieuts. Turner, Willis and Marett, Col.Sergt. Hartnell, Private King, and Rifleman C. H. Speck; executive, Willis and Maro : , Col.-Sergt. Hartnell, Rifleman C. H. £ -ck, and the president, secretary and t" aasurer ex officio. It was decid r J to vote the treasu.-cr £5 5s and t':j retiring secretary £2 2s for their ~.ist services.