PIGEON SHOOTING.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 217, 18 November 1859, Page 3

PIGEON SHOOTING.

The match between Mr. Redwood and Mr. St. Clair Liardet, to shoot for LSO, aside and a dinner for a dozen, came off, last Monday, at the Young Queen, on the Sydney road. The known celebrity ofthe competitors, and the hope of enjoying a change from the excess of racing which the snorting visitors to this colony had indulged during the last few weoks, induced many of them to join in an agreeable drive to the try sting place. The house at which the match was agreed to come off is about six miles from Melbourne. After half-an-hour's pleasant drive on a well-metalled road, the margins of which were thickly studded with rustic cottages, and with gardens in a high state of cultivation, adding considerably to the pleasure of the journey, we were safely deposited at mine host's ofthe Young Queen, who, pending the arrival of one of the competitors and his friends, politely showed us over his grounds, including tho paddock in which arrangements had been made to bring the match to a conclusion. .Mr. White the landlord, had provided a trap of a novel construction ; tne boundary flags had been placed at the required distance, and a line stretched to keep the spectators from the gentlemen engaged in the match. By the time that the majority of the visitors had arrived, among whom wore recognised the leading turfites of New Zealand and many of this colony, it was suggested, as dinner was &o nearly ready, and as it was known some gentlemen anxious to witness the match were detained at the sale of blood stock which took place that morning that the match should be deferred till half-past-two o'clock. As the affair had been commenced in a truly sportsmanlike manner, both being willing to shoot, andneither having been previously, called oh to stake it only remained to agree to [the terms of the match and stake the money. No time was lost in doing this, £100 being deposited in the hand |of Mr. T. Bavin, a gentleman from our office appointed refered, and the following brief conditions were agreed to:—They should shoot at 21 birds 21 yards rise, 80 yards boundary, an ounce and *e half shot, powder ad. Hb.; each competitor to employ a person to trap for his adversary, and another to gather the birds for the shooter. Charley Barton of Sandridge was appointed to trap Mr. Redwood's birds and young Snell, the jockey, those of Mr. Liardet. It was decided by a toss that I Ms. Redwood Bhould commence operations, and betting commenced with 5 and 6 to 4 on the gun Mr. Redwoodjs first bir dnearly got away, but was tunately recovered within the boundary. On Mr. Liardet's bird being trapped as much as 2]to 1 was offered that he killed,—indeed, previous to the match, even money was laid that not more than five birds got out of bounds. The bird though wounded, nevertheless got away. Mr. Redwood dropped his second bird "like a shot," as a young jockey near us expressed it. Mr. Liardet hit his second bird, which, notwithstanding, reached the neighboring pigeon-house. Mr. Redwood's third was rather a difficult shot, the pigeon getting some distance from the trap before he fired, when the bird fell plump. sto 4 were now betted on Mr. Redwood. Mr. Liardet missed his third bird, which made his backers look blue. Mr. Redwood killed his fourth, as did Mr. Liardet. Both missed their fifth birds, and killed the sixth, making Mr. Redwood three birds ahead. Mr. Redwood's seventh was hit very heavily, but being strong he fluttered into the adjoining garden, though he failed} to get out of the boundary. Mr. Liardet was again unsuccessful with his next bird, and acknowledged that he had never shot so badly in his life. The match from this time was so greatly in favor of the " New Zealander," that 5 and 6 to 1 were offered on him. Mr. Liardet killed his eighth and ninth; his tenth he hit, but it flew out of the boundary, and, wheeling round in its flight towards home, was brought down withthe flags by a shot from a person not in the match. This bird was claimed by Mr. Liardet's umpire and it was ultimately decided that he should have another shot. This, however, he missed. He killed his eleventh, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth, scoring only eight out of fifteen. In the meantime, Mr. Redwood had only missed one out of fifteen, so that he had only to kill another bird to win the match. This he performed very cleverly, and was acknowledged the winner amidst the congratulations Of his friends. The following is a recapitulation:— Mr. Redwood-1, 1,1, 1, 0,1, 1,1,1, 1,1,1,1,1, 1,1 15 Mr. Liardet— 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, e, 1, 1, 0, 1, 0,1, 1, 1 8 At the conclusion of the match a sweepstakes was shot for, but as the following gentleman had killed all their birds, a "division" was claimed, namely—Messrs. Duppa, A. Green, Cape, and T. Bavin. The cavalcade soon after departed, to attend the settling on the Jockey Club Spring Meeting.*

Camden.—This horse, bred by Messrs. J. and W. -Macarthur, from whose estate he takes his name, is thus alluded to by Voltigeur," in Bell's Life in Victoria: — Camden is the best horse that I have seen on the Melbourne course for many a long day, and when any of our breeders want a fresh sire horse, I think they had better go to New Zealand, and induce Mr. Duppa to part with Camden, whose pace and weightcarrying powers have been pretty well put to the test during the past week, and as to his blood, he can trace direct descent from i Canteen, Stamford, Hambletonian/and Sir k Peter on the one side of his sire—anu Priam, Partisan, Waxy, Pioneer, Whiskey^M and Prunella on that of his dam. It willl be a hard matter to get him in better condition than he is just now, and 1 hope Mr. Duppa has reaped a harvest for bringing so good a horse amongst us." Murder of a Man by his WiFE.—On Monday, the 31st ultimo, a settler named Monks, residing on the Tuena Road, near Binda, was murdered by his yife, aud the body of her husband disposed of in the most revolting manner. As inay be expected, drink was at the bottom of it. It appears that he had baen drinking, and wishing to get more, wazited to go to some public-house; but his wife did not wish him but he said he >ould. To prevent him, she took up a Jfammer, and hit him three times on the hiad, and then threw the body oh the fire, a^d collected all the wood arid brambles t«/consume it; but, being a big fleshy matf, she could not reduce him to a cinder, ani what remained of him she put into a ws/erhole. She has been apprehended, and lias made a confession to the police. It/is also said that there were two daughtersin the hut when the horrid deed was perpetrated, aged respectively 16 and 18 years, Catching a Hat.—There are few moments in a man's existence when he experiences so much ludicrous distress, or meets with so little commiseration, as when he is in pursuit of his own hat. A vast deal of coolness and peculiar degree of judgment are requisite in catching a hat. A man must not be precipitate, or he runs over it: he must not rush in tbe opposite extreme, or he loses it altogether. The best way his to keep gently up with the object of pursuit, to be wary and cautious, to watch your opportunity well, get gradually before it, then makea rapid dive—seize it by the crown, and stick it firmly on your head,—smile pleasantly all the time, as if you thought it as good a joke; as anybody else,