RIFLE SHOOTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1921, Page 3

RIFLE SHOOTING.

THE TARANAKI MEETING. FOURTEENTH ANNUAL TOURNAMENT. YESTERDAY’S RESULTS. The Taranaki Rifle Association’s fourteenth annual meeting was opened at the Rewa Rewa rifle range, Waiwakaiho, yesterday in fine weather. The conditions were not altogether favorable to good shooting, the light being rather glaring, whilst early in the day the wind proved rather tricky, this being particularly noticeable during the shooting at 600 yards, when the wind suddenly changed from two or tiree degrees off the right to ten degrees olkthe left, and this proved somewhat disconcerting, especially to file younger shots. Entries were not quite as large as expected. The prize list was based on an entry of 85, whereas only 73 are competing. The executive, . however, decided not to reduce the prize (money. A considerable number of rifle clubs are represented, including Hawera, Kaponga, Patea, New Plymouth, Urenui, Inglewood,, Tab ora, Linton, Wanganui, Ohura, Foxton, and Opaki, though the last named club is not represented as freely as usual, whilst another notable absentee is the Suburbs Club (Wellington). Rifleman D. Roots and H. H. Gilshnan, previous champions, are among the competitors. The organisation for the meeting is good. The principal officials are: —'Captain Hartnell (president of the association) and Major Sandford, on the range, with Mr. W. Oliver as signal officer. Lieutenant Messenger and Pres. J. Ramson (New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club) are at tie butts, whilst Mr. E. Armitage is a capable secretary. Mb, S. G. Smith, M.P., is statistician. The luncheon and refreshment arrangements are in the hands of a committee, of ladies, comprising Mesdamfes Oliver, F. J. Hill, Beal, Dick, Miss Humphries and Miss O. Sole. Colonel R. J. Collins, chief executive officer of the Dominion Rifle Association, accompanied by Mrs. Collins, was present during the afternoon, and It is probable that Colonel Melville (O.C. Wellington district) will be present to-day. The first match was the Kaponga match, which was won by Rifleman -W. nganui) with a score of 67, 59 being Jfmjnted out. The Inglewood match was won man Govenlock (Linton) with a score of 63, which included the only possible of the day., viz., at 500 yards. Good shooting was witnessed in the Patea match, ten shots at 500 yards, which was won by Rifleman A. H. Guy with 48, five others putting on 47. Detailed scores:— KAPONGA MATCH. 300 and 500 yards. Seven shots at each range.

G. R. Smith (Kaponga) 31, 32—63, T. Simpsen (Linton) 32, 31—63, J. F. McCarthy (Kaponga) 32, 31—63, A. H. Jones (Hawera) 28, 34—62, R. E. Harrison (Hawera) 31, 31—62. D. Thompson (Hawera) 31, 30—61, H. Coppen (New Plymouth) 28, 32—60, each 15s. C. D. Arnold (New Plymouth) 28, 32—-60, G. 11. Taylor (Inglewood) 29, 31 —60. P. Palmer (Patea) 29, 31—60, A. H. Guy (Kaponga) 31, 29—60. W. Tate Jnr. (Wanganui) 26, 33—59, D. Roots (Hawera) 27, 32—59, S. .1. Ilollard (Kaponga) 29, 30—59. A. C. Crossan (Hawera) 30, 29—59, each 10s. Counted out: F. Bolton (Opaki) 31, 28—59. TYROS. J. Jackson (N.P.H.S.) 26, 23—59, D. Ma! colmson (New Plymouth) 27. 32 —59, A. C R. Bailey (New Plymouth) 27, 31—58, eacl 10s. W. Colquhoun (Hawera) 29, 29—58, J. N Stephenson (New Plymouth) 30, 27—57, N. James (New Plymouth) 27, 29—56, each ss. Counted out; L. H. Abbott (N.P.H.S) 28 . .SS—56.

INGLEWOOD MATCH. 500 and 600 yards. Seven shots at each range 500 600 T 1 A. Govenlock (Linton) £4 .. 35 28 —63 A. H. Guy (Kaponga) £3 .. 31 30 —6l P. Palmer (Patea) £2 31 30 —6l M. J. Marsh (Inglewood) £1 31 30 —6l A. C. Crossan (Hawera) £1 .. 31 29 —6O W. Colquhoun (Wanganui) 32, 28—60, D. D. Roots (Kaponga) 30, 29—*59, R. C. Harrison (Hawera) 32, 27—59, F. C. Coxhead (Tahora) 32, 27—59, 11. Barlow (Linton) 34, 25—59, J. F. McCarthy (Kaponga) 31, 27—58, F. Bolton (Opaki) 31, 27—58, each 15s. W. Bruce (New Plymouth) 32, 26—58, W. Martin (Inglewood) 32, 26—58, W. Smith (Wanganui) 34, 24—58, A. C. R. Bailey (New Plymouth) 28, 29—57, D. Thompson (Patea) 30, 27—57, S. J. Hollard (Kaponga) 34, 23 57, C. H. Moore (New Plymouth) 27, 29—56, A. J. Gibbs (Patea) 32, 24—*56, each 10s. TYROS. T. Hiroti (Wanganui) 26, 30—56, L. Andrews (Wanganui) 29, 24—53, D. Malcolmson (New Plymouth) 28, 24—>52, each 10s. L. H. Abbott (N.P.H.S.) 28, 24—52, T. Huddlestone (Linton) 29, 23—52, W. White (Patea) 27, 24—51, each ss. Counted out: W. Pettett • (Patea) 30, 21—51. SHORT RANGE AGGREGATE. High scores at Kaponga and Inglewood matches:— A. Govenlock (Linton) £3 129 W. Smith (Wanganui) £2 125 W. Martin (Inglewood) £1 124 A. H. Guy (Kaponga) 121, P. Palmer (Patea) 121, J. F. McCarthy (Kaponga) 121, R. E. Harrison (Kaponga) 121, each ss. PATEA MATCH. A. H. Guy (Kaponga) £4 48 H. Barlow (Linton) £3 47 W. Bruce (New Plymouth) £2 - 47 G. R. Smith (Kaponga) £1 47 W. Martin (Inglewood) £1 47 J. N. Stephenson (New Plymouth) 47, H. Coppen (New Plymouth) 46, D. Roots (Hawera) 46, H. H. Gilshnan (Patea) 43, W. Smith (Wanganui) 45, P. Petersen (Wanganui) 45, A. H. Jones (Hawera) 45, eacki 15s. H. MeGahey (New Plymouth) 45, P. Phillips (Kaponga) 45, F. Bolton (Opaki) 44, P. Palmer (Patea) 44, J. T. R. Bell (New Plymouth) 44, S. J. Hollard. (Kaponga) 43, R. C. Harrison (Hawera) 43, C. Bumball (Urenui) 43, each 10s. Counted out: G. H. Taylor. TYROS. T. Huddlestone 43* D. Malcolmson 42, W. Colquhoun 41, each 10s. A. C. R. Bailey 40, N. James 39, T. Hiropo 35, each ss. TARANAKI ASSOCIATION. THE ANNUAL The annual meeting pf the Taranaki Association was held in the Soldiers* Club last night, when Captain Hartnell (president) presided over an "attendance of about twenty members.

The annual report stated that the meeting just concluded was tl:e first held since the conclusion of the war, and also the first for three years. As the entries were under the number on which the programme was based it had been necessary to reduce the prize money. The slight loss on the meeting was a little more th m covered by the accumulated interest for four years in the Savings Bank account. The champion belt was won by Rifleman D. Roots, according to the conditions laid down by the donor (Mr. T. King) ten years ago. The belt now to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals, the winner to again present it to the association in his own name. Mr. F. J. Hill had resigned his office as secretary in view of his visit to England, Mr. E. Armitage being appointed to the position. The association had been under a great deal of obligation to Mr. Hill, who had left a high standard for the secretary to maintain. Regret tvas expressed at the serious illness of Messrs. T. C. Harrison and T» Marrett, and wishes were expressed for their speedy“‘’"recovery. The thanks of the association were due to the donors of medals and prizes, also to the range and trench officers, to the ladies, to the Taranaki Agricultural Society, and to the Press. The balance sheet showed that the principal receipts had been entries and membership £l3l 4s 6d, Interest £ll Is, hon. members' subs. £ll, challenges £7 9s, whilst the principal itenis of expenditure had been prize money £127, markers £l2 15s programmes, etc., £ ! 6 19s 6d, secretary's honorarium £7'7s. The balance in the bank was £66 5s lid, as compared with £65 15s 5d at the commencement of the year. ' The report was adopted. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. Officers were elected ys follows:—Patron, Colonel Ellis, Y.D. (re-elected) ; president, Captain F. Hartnell (re-elected) ; vice-presi-dent, Colonel C. H. Weston, D.S.O. (re-elect-ed) ; council, President P. Palmer and Rifleman Carey (Patea), Rifleman D. Roots and G. R. Smith (Hawera), G. H. Taylor (Inglewood), A. Ballinger (Petone), W. Jarvis fOhura), C. E. Bacon (Whangamomona), S. J. Mayhew (Linton), A. P. Anderson (Wanganui), Lieutenant J. F. Atkinson (Auckland), Rifleman R. J. King (Opaki), Captain F. Hartnell, Rifleman A. R. Standish, W. Oliver, E. Armitage and F. J. Hill (New Plymouth) re-elected; executive, Messrs. P. Palmer and H. Gilshnan (Patea), G. Loveday (Ohura), G. HJTaylor and M. J. Marsh (Inglewood), D. Roots and G. R. Smith (Hawera), S. J. Hol-, lard (Kaponga), W. Oliver, C. H. Moore, W. Bruce, E. Armitage, Captain F. Hartnell and F. J. Hiil (re-elected), and Rifleman S. Higgs, President Ramson, Major Sandford, Rifleman MeGahey (New Plymouth), Rifleman Jarvis (Ohura); secretary-treasurer, E. Armitage; auditor, A. L. Humphries (re-elected). GENERAL. Some discussion took place on the' question of the date of the injecting, but members generally were of opinion that tl:e present dates suited Taranaki better than any alteration would. The chairman referred to tho action of the executive in reducing the long range matches to ten shots at one range, and asked whether this met with the approval of competitors. One competitor stated that it would be preferable if all matches were 10 shots at one range, as was tte case with some other associations. Rifleman MeGahey moved that it be a recommendation to tho executive to alter the rules so as to provide that a tyro should be a man who had not won a prize valued at £l, instead of as at present (prizes of the value of £1). He stated that *the present rule did not encourage young shots, who, if they won four 5s prizes had to shoot next year with the old hands.—Carried. The secretary was voted an honorarium of £lO 10s. It was resolved to write a letter to Colonel R. J. Collins expressing appreciation of the interest ho had always taßen in the affairs of the association. Appreciative reference was made to the work done by the late secretary (Mr. F. J. Hill), and it was resolved to forward him a letter of thanks. As some slight recognition of the work he has done to place the' association on suck 1 a sound basis, it was resolved to make him a life member. Votes of thanks were accorded the ladies who had attended to the catering arrangements, Mr. C. 11. Moore for work at the targets, all who had given trophies or donations, the Agricultural Society for the use of the luncheon room, the range officers, markers. etc., and the Press.

300 500 Tl. W. Smith (Wanganui) £4 .. 34 33 — 67 W. Martin (Inglewood) £3 .. 32 34 — 66 A. Govenlock (Linton) £2 .. 33* 33 — 66 G. R. Harrison (Hawera) £1 32 33 — 65 A. J. Gibbs (Patea) £1 31 33 — 64