COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING, 1874.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 151, 24 March 1874, Page 2

COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING, 1874.

SECOND DAY. Monday 16th March. (From the Hawke's Hay Times of March 17.) The weather for the second day s shooting was more favorable than on the opening day, and a commencement was made about half-past 6 o’clock, with the 2nd Cavalry Match. Ranges, 400 and 500 yards, seven shots at each range. Targets, 6x6 feet; centre, 4 feet; bull seye, 2 feet square. The firing in this match was not equal to the Judging Distance, the highest score being 39 out of a possible 56. The prizes were taken as follows: —Ist, £6, Rodgers, of Waiuku ; 2nd, £4, Marshall, of Rangitikei; 3rd, £3, Henderson, Rangitikei. The Cavalry championship will, we believe, be determined this evening, the four highest scorers at present being, Marshall, 58; Blake, 57; -Rodgers, 56; Barriball, 56. About nine o’clock the Infantry Match at 400, 500, and 600 yards was commenced, and continued until 5 o’clock. At the first two ranges some good scoring was made, but, at the 600 yards, the wind being continually changing, caused a number of misses, which completly reversed the order of the shooting. Sergt. Cameron, of Auckland, made a fine score of 27 out of a possible 28 at the 400 yards range, but fell off considerably at 600, eventually coming in for fifth place. The canditions in this match were Ranges, 400, 500. and 600 yards, seven shots at each range. Targets 6x6 feet; centre, 4 feet; bull’s-eye, 2 feet square. The following are the prize winners:—Armstrong, Thames, Ist prize, £2O; Humphries, Taranaki, 2nd, £l6 ; Hamlin, Waiuku, 3rd, £l4; Keys, A.C., 4th, £l2; Cameron, Auckland, sth, £10; May, Auckland, 6th, £7; Blatch, Otago, 7th, £6; Prouse. Hurt, Bth, £5; Bassett, Greytown, 9tli, £5; Hazard, Thames, 10th, £5. The winner of the Champion Belt for 1874 is expected to be declared by tomorrow' evening. The eight highest aggregate scorers at present are :—Humphries. Taranaki. 86 points; Greer, Napier, 82 ; Prouse, Hutt, 82 ; Hamlin, Waiuku, 82; Armstrong, Thames, 81; Blatch, Otago, 81; Cameron, Auckland, 20. Lieut. Hoskin, the present champion, has scored 74 points.

(From the Hatches Hay Herald of Thursday March 19.)

The only event that was completed yesterday was the 4th Infantry Match, at 300 yards, ten shots. Targets 6x4 feet; centre, 2 feet square ; bull’s-eye, 8 inches square. This match was commenced at 9 o’clock, and lasted till about noon. The scoring throughout was not nearly so good as on Tuesday, the conditions in both events being the. same with the exception of the distance in yesterday s match being 300 yards, as compared with 200 in the previous one. The first prize, £lO, was taken by Williams, of Waiuku, with 33 points, and the second, £6, by Lieut. Hoskin, the present champion, with 32. There were seven ties for third place, Greer, Humphries, Partington, Parker, Prouse, Boardman, and Bowden, being 30 each; but in firing off Humphries made a bull’s eye, Partington and Parker centres, and the other four scored outers. Humphries thus took the third prize, £l, and Partington and Parker again fired off for fourth and fifth places. They each made a centre, and an outer in the "first two shots, but on the third trial Partington scored a bull’s eye to Parker’s outer, and gained 4th prize, £3 Parker took fifth, £2. At 2 p.m. the eighth Infantry Match was commenced, the targets being of slate color, on Soall’s principle. At the conclusion of the firing at 200 yards, Grundy, of the Thames, was ahead, having scored 25 points, and Coleman, Waikato, and Galpin, Rangitikei, were 24 each. When the fifth round at the 500 yards range had been fired, it being almost impossible to see the targets, on account of the increasing darkness, it was decided to postpone firing the remaining two rounds until this morning. After this is concluded, the 200, 500, and 600 yards’ match, which will decide the winner of the Champion Belt, will be fired. Greer, of Napier, and Humphries, of Taranaki, are still ties for the Belt. Hoskin, Thames, who stood nineteenth yesterday, is now eighth on the list, whilst Hamlin and Prouse have changed places, the latter at present being third.