COLONIAL PEIZE FIRING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 55, 4 March 1873, Page 2

COLONIAL PEIZE FIRING.

[This Day]. At a quarter to eight, this morning, the merry notes of the, "Assembly" sounded through the town, and a few minutes later men in all shades of uniform were to be seen making their way to the rendezvous at the corner of Trafalgar and Hardy streets. Arrived there, they were drawn up in the five squads in which they were appointed to fire, and while the necessary preliminaries were being gone through, the carriages drove up that were to take them to the ground. A motley, but gaylooking, crew it was with which the conveyances were to be manned. There was . the staid-looking blue dress of the staff, the scarlet and white of the Otago men, of whom Captain Wales, the permanent bolder of- the Champion Belt of New Zealand with its ten silver clasps, he having won it on two consecutive occasions, might fairly be looked upon as the representative, the blue of the Naval Brigade and Armed Constabulary, and the sober grey of several corps from different parts of the colony who, like our local companies, have adopted the Nelson cloth as their uniform. In a short time the, men were all stowed away in two four-horse, one three- horse, and six pair-horse conveyances of every description provided for the occasion by Mr. Newton, and the procession started for the scene of action. Before the proceedings commence we will look round and see the arrangements that have been made. The position of the five targets and general features of the ground we have described before, but there is to-day an air of life and animation that were wanting a few days ago.. Two bell-tents have been erected for the use of the staff and storage of ammunition. A little further on is the Foresters' booth, in which lunch is spread for the representatives, and still lower down the field are the tents provided for "the use of the press, and as a temporary telegraph office. On the opposite side are a few military tents, whose friendly shelter from the blazing sun will prove grateful to the volunteers when their attendance is not required at the ranges. It was decided that the "judging distance" matches should take place first, before the competitors became acquainted - with the ground, and the "cavalry being fewest in number they were sent out into* the field, - and within half an hour of the arrival of the men, the bugle call very speedily followed by the crack of a rifle, announced -that the- prize-firing of 1873 had fairly commenced/ .''■■.".•' Ca.vai.bt Pkizhs— (Judging Distance Match). ~ At such distances, not exceeding 500 yards, as may be appointed by the Officer in Command, Five shots in the whole to be fired by each Competitor, who will judge his own distance. Ist prize, £5; 2nd prize, £2. This match' did not open in a manner to '" giye a; favorable ..idea .of. the. .shooting powers of the representatives of the colony, the first two shots being followed by the ;J waving of the red flag denoting' that duck's eggs were, all that was credited to : those > vto: whose firing it formed the response, " among whom was included TSergt. Cummins, the Cavalry Champion of ".. lß72.iCshe jiast, roundy which weis at a, i $hort ranjge, ; was. , bj£fiu-,, the .'.' best, three X^^ong^^i^wiarmip.JTji^ ? J t (Bgn'lt .fot '.. this

: Gilpin and Thurston having tied, they fired off, when tbe former scored an outer, and the latter missed. Tbe second prize thus fell to the lot of Gilpin. No time was now lost in sending the five infantry squads into the field to compete for the Judging Distance Match. At such distances, not exceeding 600 yards, as miy he appointed by the Officer in command. Five shots in. the whole to be fired by each comi petitor, who will judge his own distance. First 1 prize, £10; 2nd, £8; 3rd, £6; 4th, £5; sth, £3; 6th, £2. , ■ '

Oh those who had tied at 19 firing off, the result was Boar dm an 4, McLean 3, Jamieson 3, Wilson 2, Thompson 2. Ties at second firing shot agaiD, when McLean scored 4, Jamieson 3, Wilson 3, and Thompson 2. The ties at eighteen were decided by Pro use makiog the only bull's eye, and thus securing the sixth prize. The next match was for the Cavalry at 400 and 500 yards, seven shots at each range; first prize £5, second prize £2. Thurston, Waoganui 39 Douglas, Auckland ... ... ... 34 Eeid, Victorian Cavalry 30 Cowern, A.C. ... : 27 Cummins, WangaDui, Champion '72 24 Gilpin, A.C 23 Hedge, Auckland 22 To-morrow's firing will commence with the match at 400, 500, and 600 yards, to which much interest attaches.

Douglas, Auckland ... 33333 15 Gilpin, A.C. ... ... 33304 l*jThurston, Wellington ,2-23-24.:., 13:,,, Cowern, A.C.... T ..v '30304;;" Aio A| ; Reid, Wellington ':,J'. '*b2b22:J;' i A 6 'a$ . Hedge, Auckland -VV... 0R003>7 yS yt-A: Cummins, Wanganui 00002 2 Bull, Kangitikei ... sick

Possible score 20. . . Thompson, Thames Naval Brigade 19 Wilson, Pt. Chalmers „ 19 Jamieson, Dunedin Scottish ... 19 Boardman, Thames Bine Brigade 19 M'Lean , Thames Scottish 19 Stewart, Dunedin Naval Brigade ... 18 Matthews, Militia 18 Prouse, Wainuimatu R.V. ... 18 Crawford, Forest Rifles ... ... 18 Stone, Thames Naval Brigade ... 18 Shand, Otago R.V. ... ■ ... 18