SECOND EDITION. THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

Evening Star, Issue 3726, 1 February 1875, Page 3

SECOND EDITION. THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

[By Telegraph.] (From our Special Reporter.) Ghahamstown, January 30, 6 p.m. When the sixth shot was fired in the last .match Elder was leading’ by two points. In firing his last shot he appeared very unsteady, took a long aim, and missed the target. This gave Skinner another chance. There were about 700 people on the ground, and when Skinner advanced to fire not a voice was heard. He took a long tune before firing, pulled the trigger steadily, and in a few moments a shout of “ It’s on ” was raised. He got an outer, which made him tic with Elder ; but his being the highest score in the match he was declared the winner of the belt. When he retired to his squad three hearty cheers were given for Skinner, and he was then carried away to his tent, where he was received by a large number of Auckland friends. r i Pauawai, January 31. The following amounts of money were won by the various competitors: Skinner, LBl : Elder, Lfi9; Wilson, L 5 7; Goldie, 1.44: Blythe, 1.24 ; Gilbert, L2O ; Heigh, LIS; Armstrong, LIS ; Hoskins, Ll7 ; Chase. LlO ; Fenton, L 10; Morley. L 0; Gallagher, L 8 ; Hamlin, L 7 ; Pox, L 7 ; Burns, L 6 ; Tomlinson, L 6 ; M‘Laren, LG ; Christie, L 5 ; Sykes, L 5 ; MTlbride, L 3 ; Gascoigne, Lo; Grant, L 5 ; Grundy, L 4; Murray, A.C..L 4; Capt. Murray, L 3 ; Ryan, L 3 ; Munyard, L 4 ; M‘Leod, L 4 : Purnell, L2; Richardson, LI, Seventh Match.—Ranges ‘>OQ, 300, 400, 500, and 600 yards ; seven shots at each range. Ties fq ho decided (a) by the score made at the longest distance; (b), if still a tie, by the score made at the next longest distance; (c), if still a tie, by the score made at the next longest distance, and so on to the first range. First prize, LlB ; second do, LIS ; third do, Ll2 ; fourth do, L'J; fifth do, LS; sixth do, L 7 ; seventh do, LG ; eighth do, L 5 ; ninth do, L 5 ; tenth do, L 5. Range Prizes : Highest scorer at 200 yards, L2 ; do at 300 yards, L2 ; do at 400 yards, L2 ; do at 500 yards, L2 ; do at 600 yards, L2.

• ' ••• ••• J.U J*i c/o Intense excitement prevailed throughout the hitter stages of the match (as the championship depended on it) ; the result of each shot was anxiously looked for. When the firing at 500 yards commenced this morning, Wilson led by six points. At the close of the range he only headed the list by One point, Skinner being second, and Elder and Leigh third. Wilson missed his second shot at the last range, and this gave Skinner the lead by one point. Goldie made seven in the two shots. Leigh broke down, and could not hit the target. At the close of the fourth round Elder led by two points. When the fifth shot was fired, Elder was 310, Skinner 308, Wilson 304, and Hoskins 302. Elder then made a centre and a miss, and Skinner made a centre and an outer. Goldie’s finish was a grand one, Ids last two shots registering bull’s-eyes. Skinner takes the Kelt, having made more than Elder (who tied him) in the last match. He was carried to his tent on the shoulders of his friends. We give the total scores of the aggregate prize-takers in the six matches which constituted the Belt competition

■ ihe conditions of the mutches this year differ from those in 1874 in several particulars, while the Judging Distance has this year been excluded altogether from tho championship. Last i ?fxr V - , * re ™ el ’ e five matches, aud Hamlin I (Wnruku) with 200, carried oil the belt, though he was tied by Humphries (Taranaki) with a ; like score. Humphries would have taken the ■ belt had he not been so unfortunate as to place • an outer on the wrong target, and thus lose that shot in the last stage of the last match. This year there were six matches, and therefore comparison would be useless. "We might however, state that the shooting this year shows ft decided improvement. The Kelt was last won i by an Otago representative at the contest in 1 Christchurch in 1872, when Captain Wales % carried it off with a score of 103.

It may be interesting to give the winners of the Champion Belt during the years it has been competed for. In R6l it was won by Ensign Brighton, Auckland' Hides ; in 1862, by Vol. Sam. Holt, Nelson Rifles; in 1863, by Vol. Nathaniel Morse, Nelson Rifles; in 1864, by Lieut. W. T. Owen, Wanganui Cavalry, who was tied by Ensign Humphries ; in 1865, by Color-Rergt. D. L. Christie, East Taieri ; in 1867, by Corp. John Chisholm, West Taieri; in 1868, by Color-Sergt. Wm. Taylor, Scottish; in 1860, by Lieut. W. Goldie, Port’Chalmers Naval; in 1870, owing to the disturbance in the North, there was no competition for the Belt; in 1871 and 1872, by Capt. Wales, No. 1 ; in , 1873, by Lieut. Hoskins, Thames ; and in 1874, by Capt. Hamlin, Waiuku. Skinner wins with the Belt a gold medal and LSO; Elder the N.R.A.’s silver medal and 1.35 ; Wilson a silver medal and L3O ; and Goldie a silver medal and L 25. A private telegram from the range supplies information that helps to explain, and doubtless gives the real reason why Wilson showed such a falling off on Saturday, It appears that lie was one of the fifteen who, by the upsetting of the pontoon bridge between Grahamstown and Parawai, was thrown into the river, was rescued with the utmost difficulty by one of the Armed Constabulary, had the great misfortune to lose his rifle, and in consequence had to fir-e the last two stages of the deciding match with a strange rifle. February 1. Ninth Match, between representatives of each Island who made the highest aggregate scores in the championship matches. Ranges— 200, 500, and 600 yds; seven shots at each. The Challenge Cup, (held for a year by the highest scorer in the winning team); and a Snider rifle each to the winning team; and L 5 each to the highest scorer on each side. The shooting in this match was very indifferthroughout. The North's total was 521, against the South’s 509, the following being the scores : NORTH. Armstrong (the cup and L 5) 61 Skinner 56 Elder 55 Chase 56 Gilbert 53 Hoskins 52 Gallagher ... ... ... 50 Blythe 47 • Leighton 46 Sykes 45 SOUTH. Richardson (L 5 prize) 64 M‘Laren 58 Munyavd 57 Goldie 53 Fox 50 Wilson 49 Sutton ... 49 Christie ... 45 ■< ■ Blatch 44 ■ Tomlinson ... 40 The North had led by five points at the first range, but had only one point lead, at the close of the second range. The Staff Officers’ Match takes place this afternoon.

200 300 400 500 600 Skinner, Auck. Elder, A.C. ... yds. yds. yds. yds. yds. TL 26 21 23 22 : 18—109 22 20 32 21 21--106 Goldie, P.G.N.E 20 19 22 21 26-102 Hoskins Thames 23 19 23 20 16-101 Fenton, Thames 21 17 23 21 18 400 Gilbert, A.C. ... 23 20 39 24 14-100 M‘Laven, S.D.R, 20 17 22 23 17— 99 Sykes, Thames 21 16 24 20 17— 98 MMlbride, Hutt Armstrong, 21 17 22 22 16— 98 Thames 22 17 22 21 16— 98 Wilson 2 5 20 22 16 15— 98

Skinner 2nd 3rd lt.li 5th 6th 7th Tl. ■15 31 23 32 59 108 - - 313 Elder 61 31 27 21 63 109 - - 313 Wilson.. 69 31 21 32 56 98 - - 310 Goldie .. 5G 30 32 29 57 102 - - 308 Hoskins 57 32 32 32 53 101 - - 306