COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 366, 9 April 1866, Page 2

COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

This event, whibh/has beendoobdlforyayd tot witK a great fieal of interest,'came ptf at tiie Haeecbnrse,' oh ' appears the prevailing high' windwould have been-Ml that*' could be desired for theipurpose; we havob mW» a s» very high,. so inuch. ao..asiat,i times to amount to-a fearful gale, from tbe,K.W.-'t and asthefiutts Wereplaced hear 1 th’e .sea* beach*' and- the competitors fired from the n%Hward't>f v theinj they: had to contend'with a'cross’feu (Tent of ! interfered very materially with, the re* 3 suits of the firing, which, on’ this.accaunt jpusfc" not be taken as 1 a .fair average of the rifle firin» of the competitors. : ■ : - ••■■■ ‘ ;; ■ .• ■ - •>i • Prpvjnbes wove, .represented, .arid this ' by men who had’already gone.'through a. pretty" setere trial of 1 skill ih' their own Proyiricfes arid 1 were-selected on. accountvof theh=sueefcß%ißdtiiat 1 ; first-rate-practice,was lotted.-for on-this occasion. l ! The.,butts were of the same description- as those * ‘used in the. Provincial 'bull’sreye ranee--two'feet square, a centre’ToUr feet tqurire, arid tha' £ target* itself - a 'squats : of - six feet. - Thri prizes 5 ■werei— lst; the champion belt l and -iIIGO • 2nd a - : eflver moda!. and £75 ; 3rd x £so j 4.th, £3O; and 1 s til, &20. . ir : *■' .. ■ f ' , The following.are the names; bf the winners tf<* ■ the prizes:—. : > , , , ■ . ~. m. . . • Thomas Benton (P.E.Y.) ! ; 35’- ‘ Captain Kerinridy **■ 34 : ' Daniel ! EitCheni(Jfclli))i-. ; . gr .; 1 : i . Captain Clarke (T.E.V.) ’V r gj j* ; , ... The tie.-between;thO slather two grin tlemeri'Was ' ’fired,; resulting bulKs-eye to. Kitchen hgainsfcM ,a miss to Clark; consequent the former was"* ; decided to he the winner of the fifth prize ’ ' ■ After the filing, the party adjourned to luribheon ’’ and the prizes were awarded oh the Monday at - noon, an account ;ot which ,we clip from tho * i‘Evening.PpstVof the ; . , ; .... < , r The distributionof. the 'General Government : prizes won at the late riflomatch.took place to-day ■■■ Biddings * t]l ° gr ° Und •? °* ‘ The morning threatened to fie very .we£ but as..» the day advanced the weather cleareidup, and by - twelve o’cloek it was* as fine as could be wished. A, gated of honor,: Composed of: the Wellington* ■ BiSe Yolunteers, rinder command pf. Captain B. t: W. Mills, did duty on this.mteresting occasion. Pour of the successful candidates- appeared on - - the ground, the fifth, Private Bentori, of the.Wai. rarapa Yolunteers, being absent from some un-* explained 'cause. The gentleman present, viz.. Corpbral Christie, Corporal; Taylor, - r €aptain I Kennedy and, {Private Kitchen, were ;drawn up, ; in lino, and formally introduced to Mrs Stafford, . who was to give away the prizes. . , ' The Hon. Mr Stafford then addressed 'the mto.' qessful competitors, and said that Mre Stafford ' had desired him to express the pleasure she felt ; at being deputed to give the prizes to them They • would feel justly proud in taking to their homes; s these substantial trophies&s proofs-of their-power as maksmen. He reriiarked', upon .the fact of.! three of the men who had won prizes coming from ** provinces - which were far-‘removed’ from" the • scourge of wvar;This, he said, showed-fhat th© * , youth ofNew Zealand were prepared not only, to * defend, themselves from internal but also from f sxternal enemies.. ' Mr?, Stafford lließ distributed '' 'lhwplhefc-' J ' ***** -< .54?*v