THE LATE CHAMPION PRIZE FIRING.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 117, 16 May 1868, Page 4

THE LATE CHAMPION PRIZE FIRING.

To the Editor of the Marlborough Express. Sir, — Your comparative statement of the tiring of the Volunteers in their “own districts” and at Wellington, while useful to the initiated, is (I am sorry to have to say so) calculated to mislead the public at large, for you omit to mention the very important fact that, when tiring in their “own district,” they had seven shots at each range, while at Wellington they had only five. If this were taken into account, you would see that the fact of firing at head-quarters had not such an injurious effect on the nerves of our Volunteers, as your statement would lead the public to believe it had. I will take the case of the four prizes taken ; Ist. Taylor in Otago averaged centres, and 3 .points over, in 21 shots ; at Wellington he averaged centres, and 2 over, in only 15 shots, showing his shooting to be about the same in both places. 2nd. Chisholm, who in Otago did not succeed in scoring an average of centres by 1 point, in Wellington did so, and 2 over. 3rd. Wales in Otago averaged centres and 2 over; in Wellington, an average of centres. 4th, McFarland, in whose case there was a visible falling off; as, in Otago, he averaged centres and 9 over, which is wonderful shooting; in Wellington he failed to score centres by 1 point. If further proof were wanting of nerve, it would be found in the report of the “ firing off,” between the ex-champion and the present one, when Taylor coolly lay down, and with his only shot made a bull’s eye, when nothing else would have won him the belt; the same thing that was done by Mr. Pixley, at Wimbledon in 1862, when he took the £250 prize.—Yours, &c , Picton, May 11th, 1868. Volunteer.