THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 369, 1 July 1874, Page 3

THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

A supplement to the ' New Zealand Gazette,' is solely occupied by a rep >rt and j returns from Major Gordon, relating to the . tiring for Colonial prizes, which took place at . Napier on the 14th of March last. Major . Gordon explains the arrangements which , were made for the competition, and the de- , lay which took place, contrary to his wishes, , in assembling the competitors at.ttie butts. . He then describes the proceedings during the L several matches, with the following expres- , sion of opinion as ho their features and re- ' suits :—: — j In the Rapidity and Skirmishing Matches every opportunity exists (and it cannot be avoided), and I am afraid in some cases was taken advantage of, to make fictitious scores ; , for when fifteen men are firing at fifteen targets, which are five yards apart, and all at the 1 same instant, it maybe supposed that two in- 1 different shots will conspire to fire ab one target, and so secure by such pre-arrangement a 1 first prize for subsequent division, to the ob- ■ vious loss of the honest competitor. Such a j case was said to have occurred, but detection . was impossible. Therefore, I think these ] matches should be discontinued ; for, irrespec- ' tive of the dishonesty which may be practised in firing them, they are injurious to rifles of any description, but more particularly to muzzle-lqaders. Much more honest and real instruction was afforded by a " Match at Moving Targets" of the skirmishing dimensions, and one which it is very desirable should be permanently introduced at annual competitions. In this instance, by tbe ingenuity of Mr Christie, a wooden tramway was laid on to the target platform, on which were placed, at a chain apart, but secured to each other, five wooden four-wheeled trucks, each surmounted by a target of the size I have indicated. These were moved backward and forward simultaneously, at the same speed, by a windlass at either end — the period of firing being fixed at three minutes far breach and five for muzzle-loaders. I think also that small-bore matches in competition with Enfield Rifles should be discontinued, Our rifles of this latter description

have almost ceased, from long use, to be wea pons of precision, and the sighting of small bores can be so much more accurately adjuster 1 that a competition between two such weapons . no matter how handicapped, is unfair ; besides no judgment is required in using a small bon ' beyond that of fixing and adjusting the sights, for when this is done any inexperienced or in ; expert shot may take up the weapon and score [ bull'a-eyes so long as his hand is steady. " Such , a manifest advantage cannot attach to out service weapon, and competitions between the two should not again take place. But I would ■ be sorry to see small-bore matches discontinued altogether. Matches confined to arms of this description exclusively should still be embraced in the Prize Firing Regulations. In one match I had to disqualify the score made by a competitor, for having, when standing amongst the men of his squad, and when waiting his turn to five, put a cap on his rifle and discharged it into the ground, apparently forgetting that it was loaded. The ball entered the ground only a few inches from the foet of those who were standing near him, and had the ground been stony, the consequences would undoubtedly have been serious. In another match a competitor was disqualified whose pull-off of trigger was considerably under the minimum Weight. One case of suspected' tampering with a riflelock I had to submit to the investigation of a Board of Officers whose decision was recorded as ''not proven ;" but, nevertheless, whereas the score of the competitor was, before the investigation, exceedingly good and promising as regarded his chance of obtaining the belt, after the inquiry he could not by any means succeed in making his previous^, scores. I must do the man the justice to say that he was himself the first to declare that some defect existed in the lock of his rifle. Clause 5, page 9, Prize Firing Regulations of 1874 directed that 'no Volunteer will be eligible to compete in the Colonial Prize Firing unless he was an efficient Volunteer of the year ending 31st March, 1873." I regreb to say that, in my opinion, very many of the competitors of this year were not by any means efficient Volun beers. Many of them were quite guiltless of understanding the meaning of the terms " Half right" or " Half-left turn," or even in some cases of "Right-about turn!" I think officers commanding districts should be advised not to be too generous in the construction of the fourth paragraph of the Volunteer Efficiency Certificate when they affix their signatures thereto ; for awkward, careless, and , undrilled men in the ranks, and with loaded rifles, are a cause of very serious anxiety to the j officer who may be moving them, if only from j one firing point to another. Besides, however j able a Volunteer may be to punish an enemy in I the field, it is very desirable that his friends should feel that there is no possibility of their being made /tors, de-combat by their own comrades. I ' believe that the shooting of the present year will be found to be an improvement upon that of last year ; at all events, a glance at the score of the matches by which the championship was decided will show that the practice has been more uniform than in last year's firmg — a result which should be a matter of some surprise, when the for the most part wornout condition of the rifles is taken into consi->« deration. With, respect to the propriety and advisability of always, on occasion of Colonial prize firing, placing the competitors under canvas, I strongly urge the adoption of such ameasuie ; but the firing should take place not later than during the month of February, before the days begin perceptibly to shorten, and damp nights, succeeded by foggy mornings, are not so likely to be experienced. As regard* the firing of next year, should a meeting be authorised, I would ask you to recommend to the Hon. the Defence Minister that some other staff officer — and there are some who are senior in> point of rank to mysolf — m-yy be permittorl to onj^j- «»•■, honor and realise the anxieties' which attach to the command of these annual competitions ; for it is a duty which every ' officer in command of a district might very fairly be required to undertake.