THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

Evening Star, Issue 3724, 29 January 1875, Page 2

THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

[By Telegraph.] (Fromjour Special Reporter.)

Parawai, January 28. In the fifth match Otago made a splendid show, Wilson, M‘Laren, Blatch, Goldie, Morris, and Richardson all scoring welL Wilson made three bull’s eyes, six centres, and one outer. Both he and Hoskins are firing very steadily, and the Thames men feel confident that Hoskins will top the list at the next range, while the Otago men are sanguine that Wilson will hold his own. Otago nearly carried off the fifth prize, M'Laren having made the same number of points as Gallagher, but the latter having made _a bull’s eye in his last shot was declared the winner. M‘Daren placed no.less than six shots on the black, and but for missing his second shot would have carried off first prize. JNo other man made the same number of bull’s eyes. Blatch also missed the target once. When he had fired the sixth shot he was even with Wilson and Hoskins. He finished, however, with a good total of 29, and stands high in the aggregate. Goldie and Morris made the same number of points as Blatch ; the former also missing the target once before breakfast. Richardson was well in with his first five shots, making a total of 15, but on resuming firing at nine he missed the first shot and the four others were outers. Hamlin, the. champion, is shooting very badly, and is entirely out of the running for the belt, Greer, who made himself notorious for his excellent shooting last year, is also low on the list. He has no chance of any aggregate prize. The betting now is in favor of Otago or the; Thames taking the belt. At the conclusion of the fifth match the aggregates for the Infantry Ohampien Belt were:— Wilson, P.C.N.B 156 Hoskins, Thames 152 Gilbert, A.O 150 Goldie, P.C.N.B 149 Blythe, v.C 147 Leigh, Auckland 147 Blatch, W.T 147 Chase, A.C 145 M'Leod, Thames 145 Gallagher, A.C 145 Murray, Thames ... 142 Campbell, Thames 14J