RIFLE SHOOTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1922, Page 3

RIFLE SHOOTING.

CENTRAL COMMAND MEETING. BALANCE OF RESULTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, March 11. The Central Command rifle championship meeting was concluded to-day at Trentham, which after the crisp freshness of the night seemed perilously near the gratings of Avernus as the sun rose and beat down upon the hillgrit fiat. The two final fifties of eftdets and Territorials fired off for their respective premlerships. Roak (Napier) kept the lead and won the senior cadet command champion belt and gold medal. The final was fired at 200 yards, seven shots Application at small Bisley target, and five rapid at disc target. Roak got on 40 points out of a possible 53, which was very good In the circumstances as a puffy wind, especially towards the close, upset some of the boys. This made his final aggregate 127. M. McWhirter (Wellington) was runner-up with a score of 33 and an aggregate of 118, taking the trophy. Next came M. Frost (Wellington College) with the fine score of 45 and an aggregate of 116, Sergeant A. J. Smith (Napier) 35 and 113, Sergeant-Major L. E. Henry (Hastings) 36 and 112, R. S. Berg (Wellington) 39 and 109, R. Baillie (Scots College) 29 and 109.

The Territorial final was a good test, comprising four practices (5 rounds at four Iron plates at 200 yards, ten rounds snap shooting at disappearing targets at 200 yards, five rounds rapid at 300 yards, seven rounds application at 600 yards, the possible points be-, ing 98). The wind proved difficult at the 600 yards range. Private C. J. H. Baker (Napier) won with the score of 72, taking the command champion belt and gold medal. Sergeant R. E. Hester (Railway Engineers. Wellington) being the runner-up with a, score of 59, and taking the trophy. Next came Private H. W. Feast (Greytown) 52, Lieutenant G. B. Williams (Signallers, Wellington) 51, and Gunner E. F. Meyer (Wellington) 51.

In the course of a brief address at the presentation of prizes, General Chaytor said he hoped that in future this meeting would be more and more popular. It was the earnest wish of the Defence Department to make rifle shooting on service lines as popular here as in Switzerland. For instance, it wanted to train mfen in the use of the rifle in the manner it was used in war. While not desiring to disparage bulls-eye shooting, be stressed the importance of a thorough trying in rapid rifle fire, instancing the first British Expeditionary Force’s wonderful exploit in holding up the German advance by such an effective use of the rifle as made the enemy think the British were supplied with many more machine-guns they they really had. General Chaytor concluded by stating that many New Zealanders had from experience lately known what war was like, and wanted no more of it. The best way to avoid war was to let others know we were fully prepared to meet any enemy.