THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4128, 13 June 1874, Page 3

THE COLONIAL PRIZE FIRING.

A supplement to tiio Xcw Zodand Gazette, published yesterday, is solely occupied by a report and returns from Major Gordon, relating to the firing for Colonial prizes, which took place at Napier on the 11th of March last. Major Gordon explains the arrangements which were made for the competition, and the delay which took place, contrary to his wishes, in assembling the competitors at the butts. He then describes, as follows, the proceedings during the several matches, with an expression of opinion as to their features and results : At fi a.m. on the 14th March the business of tlie meeting commeueed, and was continued every day until the 2<ith without intermission, excepting from occasional rain and foggy uiornim's, which rendered the targets invisible even at“the short distances ; and so incessant was the firing that, although the competitors had frequent periods of diversion and amusement, I think the squad officers who were with me will not again desire to undertake so severe a duty. I endeavored to carry through the whole of the proscribed matches, so far as circumstances permitted, by alternate branches of tlie service : first, cavalry, then infantry, and so on ; so that while cavalry were on the range, the infantry were free to indulge in cricket, quoits, or any other amusement, and rice rerra, but there was no such relaxation for the squad officers. The markers from the Armed Constabulary were active and accurate in the extreme in their signalling, but I cannot speak so favorably of”the bugler, who was provided from the same force ; for it would appear that though he had been a bugler some years ago, he had not of late had any practice'; and a bugler who cannot sound is about as effective as a volunteer who cannot shoot.

In tlio 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 same instant, it may be supposed that two indifferent shots will conspire to fire at one target, and so secure by such pre-arrangement a first prize for subsequent division, to the olnfious loss of the honest competitor. Such a case was said to have occurred, but detection was impossible. Therefore, I think these matches should bo discontinued ; for, irrespective of the dishonesty which may be practised in firing them, they are injurious to rifles of any description, hut move particularly to muzzle-loaders. Much more honest and real instruction was afforded by a “Match at Moving Targets’’ of tlio skirmishing dimensions, and one which it is very desirable should be permanently introduced at annual competitions. In this instance, by the 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 1-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 for 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 weapons of precisions, and the sighting of smallbores can be so much more accurately adjusted that a competition between two such weapons, no matter how handicapped, is unfair ; besides, no judgment is required in using a small-bore beyond that of fixing and adjusting the sights, for when this is done any inexperienced or inexpert shot may take up the weapon and score bull’s eyes so long as his hand is steady. Such a manifest advantage cannot attach to onr 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 fire, 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 feet of those who were standing near him, and had the ground been stony, tlie 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 rifle lock 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, afterthe injury 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 Regul Rons of 1574 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 regret to say that, in my opinion, very many of the competitors of this year were not by p.ny means efficient Volunteers. Many of them were quite guiltless of understanding the meaning of thfT 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 officer who may he moving them, if only from one firing point to another. Besides, however able a Volunteer may be to punish an enemy in the field, it is very desirable that his friends should feel that there is no possibility of their being made hors-de-couilmi by their own comrades. I believe that the shooting of the present year will he 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 firing-,—a result which should be a matter of some surprise, when the for the most part wornout condition of the rifles is taken into consideration.

The Cavalry Champion Belt, again, by a remarkable coincidence, reverts to the Waiuku Troop R.0.V., and decorates for this year Lieutenant Barriball, one of a family of Volunteers, all of whom are expert shots ; and, by a coincidence also somewhat unusual, the Infantry Champion Belt is carried to the same locality by its winner, Captain Hamlin, of the "Waiuku Rifle Volunteers. The final moments of the contest for this latter belt wero intensely interesting and exciting, but without any disorder. The superior precision of Lieutenant Humphries, of the Taranaki Militia, seemed before his last shot to promise him the holt; hut the superior carefulness in firing of Captain Hamlin made him victorious, inasmuch as the second shot of his antagonist at the GOO yards range of the sth match took offeet, very unfortunately, on the wrong target, and was therefore scored a “miss.” The last of the victor resulted in a tie of the aggregate scores between Captain Hamlin and Lieutenant Humphries. The Regulations decided that the better shot of these two was the competitor who made the highest score in the sth match, who was Captain Hamlin. On the 27th March, these Champion Belts and all other prizes of the meeting were presented to the winners on a parade of the representatives (at which the Volunteer Corps of Aapier were present), in a very graceful and effective manner, and accompanied by an address exceedingly suitable and appropriate, by Mrs. Ormond. On this day the inhabitants of Napier provided the Representatives with a very Bumjjtuous luncheon, as well as with a bali on the same evening ; and in order that the competitors should bo enabled to participate in the pleasures of this ball, the inhabitants detained the steamer Wellington until the following morning at the cost of a large

amount in the shape of demurrage, so that the Staff and Representatives have every reason to be thankful—and they were indeed so—for the great hospitality extended to them by the residents of Napier. With respect to the propriety and advisability of always, on occasions of Colonial Prize Firing, placing tile competitors under canvas, I strongly urge the adoption of such a measure ; but the firing should take place not later than during tlio month of February, before tlie days begin perceptibly to shorten, and damp nights, succeeded by foggy momiugs, are not .so likely to be experienced. I trust that the Messrs. Tiffin have been thanked for their kindness in allowing us to do precisely as wo pleased on their property, for I am sure that our prolonged stay mint have caused serious impediment to their farming or pastoral operations ; besides, it would be difficult to findi n tlie whole Colony a better range, with a more convenient camping ground, than that which they pli-.ced, gratuitously and unreservedly, at the disposal of the Volunteers. Of the assiduity and ceaseless attention of the squad officers, Major Withers (Napier), and Captains Baillie (Marlborough), Derrom (Auckland), Pearce (Wellington), and SubInspector Marshall (Armed Constabulary), I cannot speak too approvingly ; and I trust that the officer who shall next year have charge of the Colonial Prize Filing may bo as fortunate in his staff as I was on tlio occasion under remark ; and as regards 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 myself—may be permitted to enjoy tlie honor and realise tlie anxieties which attacli 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.