THE CARBINE MATCHES.

Evening Star, Issue 4054, 23 February 1876, Page 3

THE CARBINE MATCHES.

In the Stab last week there appeared a letter by a correspondent signing himself “Fairplay,” who, in referring to the carbine match—Wellington v. Dunedin—questioned the composition of the Wellington team, and asserted that, “had the Dunedin Battery gone in for the same ‘shoddy’ styie of gaining glory, a team could have been brought together which might also have laid claim to invincibility.” The ‘Post takes up the cudgels in defence of Wellington and grows virtuously indignant at the “contemptible” nature of the plea set up by Dunedin, though we fail to see how the Dunedin team are made responsible for the opinions expressed by an anonymous correspondent. Our contemporary goes on to say

Thi We lingtoa Arti'leiy sent to tbe Dunedin Corps a cha lenge to the same effect as to all tha other Ar.illery Corps in this Colony, namely, to fire a carbine match in which each c r t s should be represented by its ten best shuts, ir.espcctivo of rank or btan’lr g. This challenge, singularly enough, was crossed on its way byano her dispitched on the following cay by the Dunedin it rtillery, in which it was proposed to fire with eight men, of who a four should be officers. In replying to this latter, the Wellington Corps proposed that it should be allowed to drop and the other seat by themselves should bo accepted by the Dunedin men, Thi proposal was agreed to and a certain week fix d, within which the ma’ch was to take plac . The Wellington men strictly adhered to this arrangement and fiied dating the pres ribed week, although the weather was so ve y bad that they made, as already stated, the smallest score they had done at all. Jhe Dunedin men, on the contrary, did not fiie during that week, the weather there also being somewhat unpropititious, but coolly waited until a favoiable day offered, and then fired, making, neverth-ltss, a much smaller score than that of We’lington. The latter, although when they found tint the Dunedin men had not fired in the time agreed on, well have demanded to fire again dining the fresh week chosen unauthorisedly by their opponents, and although they were not aware that they were victorious, yet generously abstamed from preferring this just claim, bht resolved 1o abide the issue. Not so, again, the Duned n corps. Directly they learned by telegram th-»t they were beaten, ignoring theic own manifest breach of agreement, they at once—after the match—be it noted—entered a protest against the composition of the Well ngion team, objecting to bandsmen andresei ve members formingp .i t, although no such stipulation was made beforehand. The absurdity of the objection will be clear when it is explained that members of both classes objected to are sworn and active membeis of the battery, and merely are exempt fiom attending so many ordinary drill? as the otheis The objection thus was a frivo’oos and purely technical one, and, moreover, was entirely an afterthought. Nothing possibly could be fairer than the terms of tht Wellington challenge that the respective teams should consist of the ten best men, irrespective of rank. Under these thoroughly fair conditions the Wellington Artille y Corps proved victorious over every other s milar corps ia New Zealand, and justly are entitled to the credit such an achievmeut deserves. This paltry, but futile attempt on lhe_ part of the Dunedin men to rob them of their well-earned laurels, is unworthy of a corps of Biitish volunteers.