RIFLE SHOOTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 249, 11 March 1913, Page 7

RIFLE SHOOTING.

TARAXAKI SUCCESSES AT TREXTHAM. The Xew Plymouth'riflemen and Territorials who attended the championship shooting meeting at Trentham returned home by the mail train oil Saturday night, with the exception of Rfm. F. j. Hill and 11. K. Evans, who have gone 011 to Christchurch for a few days' holiday. Quite a goodly proportion of the prize money came to Taranaki, nearly every competitor for the butter county gathering in some coin. Corporal Mace was perhaps the most successful, annexing about £lB, whilst Rfm. Roots, of Patea, must have been very close up, his position in the King's Prize (fourth) gaining him a big lift. Pres. Humphries, of the Xew Plymouth Riile Club, who is usually so consistent, and is shooting in fine form at present, shot well at Trentham. He was unfortunate in striking the "bad patches'' that shooters all dread at Trentham, and so touched very little prize money, only 7s (id falling to his share. He was also counted out in one or two mutches. That he was consistent may be gathered from the fact that in his aggregate he only failed to get among Hie final lifty by four points. Another New Plymouth Rille Club representative retired from the contest after the first day's non-success. The Xiw Ply in on tli Rille Club were very successful in the service teams matches, being second in the Observation and Mutual Assistance ' Match to Auckland, and second in the Advance and Attack Match to Wellington Suburbs. The Press Association wrongly credited the second prize in this to Auckland, and placed Xew Plymouth low down on the list. The match was for the Islington Cup, and was very interesting. There were ten entries, all from rille clubs, for a match especially adapted to the Territorials. The donor of the Cup was keenly interested in the new defence scheme, and when handing the trophy to the executive of the D.R.A. expressed a desire that it should lie competed for under conditions which might test the training of both Territorial and rill: 1 club men in lire discipline and elementary field exercises in advance and attack. There was no competition last year, for lack of entries. This year the competing teams were, paraded for inspection —and here the motley dress of the rille clubs became painfully conspicuous—and then dispatched' on ji short route march, culminating in an advance and attack on a supposed enemy. The time set for the march was 45 minutes, and points were deducted for any excess or shortage in respect to this iimit. Points were, also deducted for shortcomings in march discipline and lire discipline. Each team on concluding its march fired two series of five rounds per man each at 200 and S(H) yards. The targets for the first scries were of the head and -boulders type—the idea being a rille engagement at close quarters —and for the second, which was a following fire upon a retreating enemy, of the silhouette figures tvpe. The general conduct of the match was under tlie supervision of Captain Wallingford, the Ilythe musketry expert. who suited the test to a reasonable standard, having regard to the attainments of the competitors. It is expected. however, that these conditions will be progressively stiffened each year until the Islington Cup Match provides an exciting contest for aspiring teams. The following are the details: ■Wellington Suburbs Rifle Club; aggregate score 1 OS, less 2 points deducted for march discipline and fire discipline, and 1 point, deducted for time (-llinin.), £14... 105 Xew Plymoulh Rille Club; aggregate score ICS, less 2 points deducted for inarch discipline and lire discipline, and 2Vi>' points deducted for iinie (47V!;min.), £lO IDs KWVi Auckland City Rille Club; aggregate score 104, less 1 point deducted for march discipline and fire discipline (time exactly 45 mill.), £7 I'W

Opaki A iHi. Akarana Opaki f,ny 2 , Karovi 1» OS 1 /., Cliristeliureli fili'/s. Karori A and Opaki 15 01'/>Regarding tlie coniissariat. of which there wore some complaints, a New Plymouth competitor informed a News representative that in his opinion it was exceptionally good. Tn the diningroom there was seating accommodation for 30(1 at a time, and there were eight waiters. The food ivas good, wholesome, varied and well cooked, and the

charges wore reasonable, viz., Is for breakfast, dinner anil tea. (The chart;;', was Is 3d at first, but was afterwards roiinecrl.) Morning ami afternoon tea were always obtainable at the small cost of (Id, and so, too, was supper, l'ersonally. our informant savs that he went to Trentham for a holiday, and thoroughly enjoyed himself, the catering being quite up to good hotel standard.