RIFLE SHOOTING

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 28 February 1913, Page 5

RIFLE SHOOTING

THE THEN TELA M MEETING. OPENING EVENTS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TRE-NTKAM, Last Night. Tlie Dominion Rillo Association's annual meeting was commenced to-dny in glorious weather, A moderate, but rather tricky wind prevailed. Before the shooting started flolonel Collins addressed the competitors, and said he was disappointed with the-en-tries. in 1911 tliere was unmistakable evidence of the growing popularity of shooting, the entries that year numbering almost 600. Then the chango of the Volunteer system was made, and the entries dropped to 29'3. This year the entries totalled 353, including 74 Territorials, and 279 rifle club members. There were 69 tyros amongst the competitors. One of the many reasons for the decline in the entries was the lack of encouragement in rifle shooting. Rifle shooting, he said, must he encouraged. A man might he drilled and well disciplined, but was of little use unless he could hit his man. Lord Roberts once sail rifle shooting was 80 per cent of' a soldier's training. It was the duty of regimental commanders and the commanders to do their best to encourage rifle shooting within their own co 11ma.ntls. The General Officer commanding was in favour of rifle shooting, but it should not be left entirely to him to have to encourage it. Officers of regiments and companies should <lo that. The rifle clu:b inen had turner, out fairly well, and ke was pleased to notice most of them wero- competing in the service matches. The service matches were looked on as the military part of the meeting, and uniess these were supported by riflemen, tliev could not expect the Defence Department to support the meetings. Colonel Collins said he was glad to see Rifleman Eraser (Kaitangata), ago.u 61, Captain Dormer (Auckland, ag<;U over seventy, and Rifleman Harding (Blenheim) again amongst the competitors. He deplored the death of Colonel Beckenham (Timaru). , New marking and scoring arrangements were iheing instituted, and he hoped competitors would keep up their reputation for good behaviour.

The matches taken during the day were three of the individual service series, viz., Loophole Cover Match. 500 yards; Rapid Shooting, 300 yards and Snap-shooting, 300 yards. The shooting on the whole was fairly good. In tihe Loophole Cover Matcli Root? (Kaponga) was top scorer with 33 cut' of a possible of 35, while in the Rapid.sh noting Match Yeo (Auckland) readied within a point of the possible. In the Snap-shootiiug Matclr 21 was the highest score. The results were as follow:

Rapid-sliooting Match, figure target, 7 rounds, 30 seconds for first shot. '45 sees for remaining shots.—Yeo (Auckland) £5, 34; Green (West-port) and Mosetin (Kaeo) £3 10s each, 30; Montgomery (Dunedin), Swanson {Opaki), Rowe (Blenheim), Belk (Woodville), Snelling (Wellington), Drennan (Wangnnui) and Williams (Oh lira) £1 Is 6d each, 29. Loophole Cover Match, 500 yards, '7, shots, first exposure 30 sees., remaining six 6 sees. —Rifleman Roots (Patea) £5, 33; Rilm Cox (Auckland) £4, 32; Lieut. Narbv (Elthnm) £3. 31: Rflmv Cn-ssell £3, 31.

Snapshooting -Match, 5 shots, 4 sees exposure, 300 yards.—Rflni. Cox (Auckland) £5, 21; Lieut. Green (Westport) £4, 20; Sergt. '3rydcn (Kaiapoi) £3, 20.