THE LATE RIFLE MATCH.

Southland Times, Issue 1587, 4 June 1872, Page 3

THE LATE RIFLE MATCH.

Sir, — I ara afraid you will consider me no small bore for again trespassing upon your valuable space. But since Ensign Schmidt has had the temerity to impeach the veracity of my remarks upon the late match, with your permission I will endeavor to prove, beyond all cavil, that it is he alone who is misrepresenting the facts of the case. Whether the heavy wet of.which he complains was productive of the extreme foggine'ss exhibited, or whether it arose from any other cause, I can't pretend to say. But he has undoubtedly got into the -wrong channel this time. Firstly, it was not unanimously agreed to finish the match at the 500 yards' range. I can mention five of the I.R.V.'s who vetoed the proposition. Secondly, he states that when the said proposition was made the I.R.V.'s were 13 points ahead, which I deny in toto, and I defy Ensign Schmidt to prove that the Invercargill team were at any time during the day more than 8 points ahead of their opponents. Ensign Schmidt will perhaps allow that the proposal was not made until the third round at the 500 yards' range, and that it was mooted by Vol. Henderson. If he will refer to his scoring book, he will find that at the time stated the K.R.V.'a were 5 points ahead, instead of 13 in arrear. Thirdly, Ensign Schmidt states that he was no acquiescing party to the next morning's firing, viz., at the 600 yards' range. Can he be totally oblivious to all that took place at the drill shed, after comparing the scores ? Does he really forget standing by the side of Ensign Ferguson, when the latter-at his (Ensign Schmidt's) own request, put it to the T.Tl.V.'s whether they wished to fire the 600 yards' range the next day ? a question which was answered by a unanimous affirmative. Does he really forget the time appointed for same to take place, being 8 o'clock the next morning P Does he really forget mentioning to one or two parties in the ball room that they would have a job to get him out so early as 8 a.m. ? If bo, I dp not, neither did Ms team, otherwise they would not have put in an appearance at the time stipulated, or fired off the said 600 yards' range, whereby they became the losers of the match by 7 points, and that fairly. However, in order that no interruption to the good feeling which should exist, coupled with a healthy rivalry, between the respective competitors may be attributable to the Invercargillites, I am in a position to stato that, should it meet the views of the Kivertonians, the same team of the LR.V.'s are willing to fire with the same team of the Ei.R.V.'b the match over again. And in order to save time and unnecessary expense, each team to fire upon their respective ranges, a delegate appointed from each side to be in attendance on days of firing. By our conceding this much to the Rivertonians, they must allow that the I.R.V.'s wish to take no mean or unfair advantage of their opponents. — I am, &c, EIFLB. Invercargill, June 3rd, 1872.