SHOOTING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3767, 28 February 1913, Page 5

SHOOTING.

TRENTHAM MEETING. . OPENED YESTERDAY. [PEESS association telegram.] TRENTHAM, Feb. 27. The Dominion Rifle Association’s annual meeting was commenced today in glorious weather. There was a moderate but rather tricky right wind. Before shooting started Colonel Collins addressed the competitors, and said he was disappointed with the entries. In 1911 there was unmistakable evidence of tihe growing popularity of shooting, the entries that year numbering almost 600. Then a change of the volunteer system was made, and the entries dropped to 296. This year the entries totalled 353, including 74 territorials and 279 Rifle Chib ! men.* There were 69 tyros among the competitors. One of many reasons for the decline in the entries was the lack of encouragement in rifle shooting. Rifle shooting must be encouraged. A man might be drilled and well disiiplined, but was of little use unless he could , hit his man. Lord Roberts once said that rifle shooting was 80 per cent, of a soldier’s training. It was the duty of regimental commanders to do their best to encourage rifle shooting within their own command. The general officer commanding was in favor of rifle shooting, but it should not be left entirely to him to have to encourage it. Officers of regiments and companies should do that. Rifle Chib men had turned out fairly well, and he was pleased to notice that most of them were competing in service matches. Sendee matdhes were looked on as the military part’ of the meeting, and unless these were supported by riflejnen they could not expect the Defence Department to support the meetings. Colonel Collins said he was glad to see Rifleman Frazer (Kaitangata), aged 61, Captain Dormer (Auckland), aged over 70, and Rifleman Harding (Blenheim) again among the competitors. Colonel Collins deplored the death of Colonel Beckenham (Timaru). New marking and scoring arrangements were being instituted, and he hoped -Shat competitors would keep up their reputation for good behaviour. Tlie matches begun.-duiing tlie day were three of the individual service series, viz v the loophole cover, 500 yards; rapid shooting, -500 yards; and snapshooting, 300 yards. , The shooting on the whole was fairly gcod. In loophole cover shooting, Roots (Kaponga) was the top sccre-r (33 out- of a possible 35), while in rapid shooting, Yeo (Auckland) reached within a point of the possible. In snapshooting 21 was the highest score.

Following is the prize list: — Rapid Shooting Match, figure target, 7 rounds, 30 seconds for first shot, 45 for remaining shots.—£s, Yeo (Auckland), 34; £3 10s each. Green (Westport), Moselin (Kaeo), each 30; £1 11s 6d each, Montgomery (Dunedin), Swanson (Opaki), Rowe (Blenheim), Belle (Woodville) Snelling (Wellington), Drennan (Wanganui), Williamsl (Ohura), each 29. / Loophole Cover Match, 500 yards, 7 shots, first exposure 30 seconds, remaining six seconds.—Rifleman. Roots (Patea), 33, £5; Rifleman Cox (Auckland), 32, £4; Lieut. Narbcy (Eltham), 31, £3; Rifleman Cassel (Wellington), 31, £3. Snapshooting, 5 shots, 4 seconds exposure, 300 yards.—Rifleman Cox (Auckland), 21, £5; Lieut. Green (Westport), 20, £4; Sergt. Brydon (Kniapoi), 20, £3.