RIFLE SHOOTING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9041, 6 March 1908, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING.

THE TRENTHAM MEETING. FT TKI.EORAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. TRENTHAM, March 5.

The seventh annual meeting of the New Zealand Defence Forces Rifle Association opened this morning. Entries had come in freely from all districts, and when the men were "squadded" at the posts it was found that records in the matter of entries had been easily surpassed. Five hundred and four registered competitors were up at the "squadding" post at 9 o'clock, where triggers were tested.

Among the visitors are two from the Commonwealth —Sergeant McCulley and Sergeant Edwards, both of the highest calibre. The shooting opened with the 200 yds Volunteer and Rifle Club matches, fired concurrently. Although the weather had brightened up in thfi morning sharp showers fell shortly after the first shot was fired at 10. These showers continued at intervals during the day, making everything extremely uncomfortable. At 200 yds the shooting was mediocre. Three possibles were put up, viz., Pvt. Jackson, senr. (Wellington), C. Tronson (Ranfurly Rifles), and Rifleman Meyer (Hikurangi), and only six 34's (by F. Manson, Taylor, Wilkie, Milner and Bradley). The GOOyds was commenced shortly after eleven, and the shooting was extremely poor. It was raining hard and several men got only single figures. The veteran Jackson, however, put up 34, giving him a total of 69 "for the two ranges. The next best totals were —Captain King (Christchurch), Duley (Dannevirke) and Ferguson (Hunterville) 65. There were large numbers of 64's and 63's. Great interes was taken in the shooting of McCulley and. Edwards, but they only made 60 and 63. At the 800 yds several leaders broke up, but Cameron put up 34, which gave him a total of 95. Franklin (Weber) put up 30 and got a total of 9b. The following are the highest completed scores: — RIFLE CLUBS' MATCH (200 Yards, 690 Yards, SOO Yards) W. Franklin, Weber 96 Camtron, Opaki 95 C. Crow, Charleston 94 Moslen, Oaeo 92 Randall, Linton 92

Stewart, Weber 92 Highest scores in the Volunteer Match, same conditions: — Eden, Waimea 95 Bugler Soler, Wanganui 94 Taylor, Blenheim 93 Searle, Dunedin 93 Atkinson, Auckland 93 Nail, Timaru 93 A. McKenzie, Oamaru 92 Pl'mmer, Wellington 92 The 200 yards range of the Auckland Match was commenced in the rain, but the shooting was good. Although there was only one "possible" (G. Hawthorne, Petone) there were a large number of 34's, and 33's were even more numerous. To-morrow the shooting will open with the 800 yards Volunteer and Rifle Club matches, and the 500 yards Auckland Match.