COLONIAL PRIZE-FIRING.

Evening Star, Issue 2860, 19 April 1872, Page 2

COLONIAL PRIZE-FIRING.

(From our Special Correspondent ) Christchurch, April 8. When Monday morning—big with the fate of the Champisnship—dawned, there was every prospect of an unpleasant day. The sky was overcast and threatening, and before the hour of assembly the rain came down very heavily. But there was seen an encouraging break in the clouds, bo the men determined to proceed to the range, and leave the rest to the fates. Their wish that the day would turn out line was amply gratified. On reaching the range, the ground was found to be in good order; the heavy clouds had passed away, old Sol shone out in all his splendor, while the slight breeze which blew from the S.W. made it very pleasant lor shooting. The two matches that had to be fired were the running and rapidity ; and they were, as usual, very interesting, because they would decide the Championship, for which some dozen men had an excellent chance. The faith of Otago was in Wales, who was leading by five points, and for whom there was not the slightest fear, as we knew his strength lay in the rapidity match, with which and the running he secured the Championship last year. Auckland pinned its hopes on Hoskins, who was considered very dangerous, but his friends pould not be prevailed upon to back him; while Humphreys, of Taranaki, was not waatiug in admirers. Then Muir and Cowie were not forgotten ; while a few knowing ones from the South ventured the belief that Taylor was sure “ to come in at the death ” —an anticipation which was fully realised. Some excellent shooting was made, notably the score of 62 by Taylor. The whole of the men had fired before Wales appeared. The champion presumptive, if I may be allowed to use the word, had, owing to urgent business, necessitated by bis partner’s illness, been permitted to go to town before the match had been begun. Noth withstanding the shaking to his nerves occasioned by a seven miles ride, his natural anxiousness, and above all the knowledge that he had the excellent score of 62 jto beat, Wales coolly took his place on the ground and commenced his work, surrounded by an excited crowd, who could not smother their feelings, although calculated to put out the man tiring. Your readers have all learnt by telegraph of his splendid score of 65. Now the man who can make a score like that under such circumstances is a shot. As the scores show the second prize foil to Otago, and the third ought to have done so also, but a mistake led to Gowie and Duncan, of Wellington, agreeing to divide the stakes, the latter taking the honor of third place. The mistake was this, Cowie had 86 centres and 6 outers, or 16 hits, but the officer commanoing his squad, in the hurry of marking, only allowed him 15 hits. His score, therefore, in this match should have been 61. The error is admitted j but the pity is that it was not discovered before, for it might have bad a material effect on the last match. As it is, Cowie only loses the filth aggregate prize by one point. The running match was the deciding event, lu the first squad was G’ap.aii Wales. At the conclusion of the tiring, his target showed ten hits ; but one which he claimed as a centre double shot was disallowed by the unanimous vote of the staff. -As one of the spectators who watched Wales’s movements very narrowly, I can affism that he fired twelve shots, ton shots of which were on the target, and two misses. The question naturally arises where did the other shot go to '! When the extreme target 09 the right,

which belonged to Carter, came to be examined, it was found that it bore the extraordinary number of thirteen hits. Nowit was impossible, on many grounds, that he could have made that score. The large number of spectators who were in the immediate neighborhood of the firing point, unanimously affirmed that Wales was the first to start the running, and that he continued and increased his lead at every round. Each man who was tiring was “ sbephe-tied ” this wise. At the tiring point and the stake which denoted the distance to be run. was stationed a Southern man—in this case, Buchanan was at the tiring point, and iteid at the stake. Wales was the fir t to protest against Carter’s score, and at tho conclusion of the tiring, Muir lodged a formal one; which was duly considered. Buchanan who appears to have been intent on watching Wales’s movements instead of Carter’s, was only able to state that the latter firod thirteen shots, but could give no information as to the manner in which they were fired. Reid, on the other baud, distinctly affirmed that Carter only ran four times round the distance point, so that he could only properly have tired ten shots. Thus, then, one of two conclusions had to he arrived at—either that he bad fired three shots instead of two between each run, or that sorru other competitor had fired on to his target. The last theory was , completely overthrown by Muir, who was the next man, accounting for every shot. The staff, however, upheld that view, because they held that in the abscenco of sufficient proof of Carter having fired more than the s ipulated number of shots between each run, it must be assumed that some one had fired in mistake on to his target, and theretorc, in accord ;ncc with the rule nhich had prevailed during the meeting, allowed the shots. There was no help for it ; but the decision gave rise to considerable dissatisfaction. There is little doubt—indeed Colonel Harington made the admission—that Carter could not have tired more than tea shots ; and to a curious and inexplicable circumstance, to use the mildest phrase, lie is indebted to taking the second highest aggregate and the first prize in the match. Fortunately the matter did not affe t the championship. The Press, in view (f the state of things, suggested that Carter might honorably agree to fire the match over again—a feeling that appeared to be largely shared in, and what Wales offered to do at the time, but the suggestion met with no response. Moore, Taj lor, Todd, and Wilson tied for eighth prize, which, in firing off, fell to Taylor. Wales having won the belt two years ia succession, is entitled to its absolute possession, His performances with the rifle during those two years entitle him to be considered, the best Enfield shot in the colonies, if not in the world. It may be interesting to give the winners of the belt during the years it has been competed for. In 1861, it was won by Ensign Brighton, Auckland rifles j in 1862, by Vol. Bam. Holt, Nelson rifles ; in 1863, by volunteer Nath. Morse, Nelson rifles; in 1864, by Lieut. W. T. Owen, Wanganui cavalry, who was tied bp Ensign Humphreys (a competitor this year); in 1866, by Colour-Sergeant D, L. Christie, East Taieri; in 1867, by Corporal John Chisholm, West Taieri; in 1868, by ColourSergeant William Taylor, Scottish ; in 1869* by Lieut. W. D oldie, Port Chalmers Naval; in 1870, owing to the disturbances in the North, there was no competition for tho belt; in 1871 and 2, by Captain Wales. The matches on Wednesday were the marksmen’s and ladies’ prizes. Ia the first 1 tho shooting at the 800 yards was very itdifferent. For the ladies’ prizes, Bassett of Wellington and Marshall of Otago tied with five bull’s eyes each at 150 yards, with an eight inch bull’s eye, which was a capita) performance. In shooting off, Bassett scored another bull’s eye to Marshall’s outer, thus winning Mrs Cargill’s prize—a handsome silver tea service. Parting: on of Auckland being the highest aggregate scorer at 150 and 550 yards, he making 27, took the first ladies’prize of a tea service. Carter of Wellington, Wilson and Lean of Otago tied for the second prize with 26 each, but in firing off the prize went to Wellington,

Christchurch, April 17. The whole of Thursday was devoted to the All-Comers Match, particulars of which I sent you by telegram. The shooting in the first stage is remarkable for the splendid shooting of Sergeant Cowie with an Enfield, when competing against small bores of every description ; and at the long ranges for the shooting of Mr M'Kerrell, one of the Scotch eight at Wimbledon two years ago. The shooting over, the attention of the representatives was devoted to the various festivf. ties, which were got up in their honor. Tie Chris church cavalry led off by entertaining the cavalry from the North Island ; and the next evening the local artillery entertained, in like manner, the representatives at the firing of the other artillery corps. On Thursday evening, the great ball given by Christ, church to the represeata ives came off. The tin: drill-shed, which next to Auckland’s is the largest in the Colony, was floored for the occasion, and when lighted up at night with its tasteful decorations and company of nearly 600 persons, including every branch of the volunteer force, and the fairest portion of the fair sex of the city of the plains, whose dresses fairly outdid those of the volunteers in brilliancy, its appearance was alone worth travelling three hundred miles to see. The Lyttelton Times describes the appearance of the hall as follows :—The walls and roof were completly hidden in a mass of richly variegat:d color, produced by the suspension of some seven or eight hundred flags. The military characteristics of the assembly were aho retained by the display of swords, bayonets, and rifles, arranged in ornamental order at various points around the building, and by two guns of the Christchurch battery of artillery profusely decorated with a tasteful arrangement of forest vegetation, and flowers being placed in position at the north end. Festoons of evergreens interspersed with rosea suspended around the walls, formed a very agreeable contrast with the draper} 7, added to which there was also a largo display of hot plants. Tho decorations wore done by vo uuteers from the Christchurch cor,* - , and principally under the direction of Mr A. Isaacs. The music was averagely fair; the company, as I said beiore, excellent; and the ball would have been a thorough success but for one trifling circumstance. It appeared to be a general opinion that the strangers were not so well looked after as they might have been. Certainly it was no uncommon thing to see a dozen representatives congregated in some corner, perfectly lost among so many strange faces—or admirable “ wallflowers,” as an elderly gentleman observed. Perhaps it was remissuess on the part of the stewards, only a few of whom did their duty j but the fact

is, many of the strangers might as well have stayed away. The next evening was devoted to ttu. dinner, given by the representatives to Major Wilson, CB. It was also held in the drill-shed, and about 100 gentlemen sat down to it. The principal representative men of Christchurch were present at it—bis Honor Judge Gresson, the resident Minister, the Hon. Col. Brett, the Mayor of Christ huch. &c. The chair was occupied by Colonel Haringloit, and this circumstance has given rise to some unfriendly criticism. There is a not inconsiderable number of representatives who think that seeing it was a dinner from themselves, one of their number should have presided, and tnat Captain M harland, as the senior officer at the meeting, should have occupied the chair. But as I am informed the staff contributed their share of the expense, I don’t altogether see that the complaint is well-founded. The speeches ■were only fair. It was rather amusing to hear the Hon. Colonel Brett, who, it will be remembered, in his place in the Legislative Council last year gave the Volunteers such a dressing, sound their praises so highly as he did. Then Colonel Harington availed himself of the opportunity, in proposing the health of the cavalry champion, of declaring that be had not purposely slighted that branch of the service—w’tTch assertion was as promptly contradieted by Sergeant-Major Lockett, of the Wanganui Cavalry, who responded to toe toast? Major Wilson and Colonel Packe appeared to be very sore on the subject of the Daily Times correspondent’s remarks upon the range, aud made explanations fully supporting what I w-ote on the same subject. The Colonel made the additional remark that the Times’ correspondent had informed him privately that his observations weri founded on hearsay ; that actual inspection of the ground had led him to another conclusion, and the company seemed to be satisfied with the amende honorable. Major Wilson, m the course of his speech, promised to give a prize at the next inter-colonial competition, the conditions to be fixed by a committee of the representatives. The other speeches call for no remark. . On Saturday, in spite of a heavy ram and stiff sou’-wester, the volunteers paraded to witness the presentation of prizes. Had the wear, her been lino, it was intended to have had a battalion parade. The presentation took place in the drill-shed, Mrs Bolleston presiding. Everything passed off well. A featnrs of the day’s proceedings was a presentation which was made by the Otago representatives to Mr F. Stevens,_ who officiated as secretary to Colonel Hadugtou. The presentation took place at Coker s Hotel, after the men had been paid their detention allowance, and was made by Captain M‘Farland, in the absence of Captain Wales. It took the form of a very handsome silver spirit stand, the bottles being of colored glass, ornamented with gold, and was given By our men as a small token of their appreciation of Mr Stevens courtsey and urbanity. The compliment thus paid to Mr Stevens is a well deserved one. Oo’onel Harrington a „am got into hot water over this aflair, interfering in a manner, which to say the least of it, was the reverse of gentlemanly. On Tuesday morning the southern representatives sailed by the Maori, and the northern men were to have left the following morning by the Wellington. With the exception of the small matters referred to in my several letters, the meeting just over has been a very successful one. But when the accounts come to be audited, the Government will doubtless stare with astonishment at the heavy cost ; for the length to which the meeting has been spun out has had the effect of increasing expenses to a wonderful extent. Would it be believed Colonel Cargill and his adjutant offered to get it through in four days. Act such is the fact. Perhaps next year the Government will see the advisability of ordering those who take part in these competitions to go into encampment, which will be the means of saving money, and at the same time giving the men a useful lesson in camp life. I shall refer more minutely to this and kindred subjects on another occasion.