COLONIAL PRIZE-FIRING

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1891, 25 January 1875, Page 2

COLONIAL PRIZE-FIRING

Proceedings This Day.

The morning broke rather dull, but brightened towards 9 or 10 o'clock, contrary to expectation, as from the appearance of the; sky yesterday and the wind being in a wet quarter, it was anticipated that to-day would be a soaker. Telegraphic advices were rereceived from Wellington; on Saturday stating that very close weather prevailed, and prognosticating a heavy downfall of rain with strong wind. Towards 12 o'clock to-day a few spots of rain fell, but it again cleared off eventually and the weather remained: fitful durmg the whole of the day. The perversity of the weather lately, when it was required to bo kindest has been most uncommon. The scientific efforts of those eminent astronomers who came to our shores to observe the transit of Venus across the sun's disc, were in a measure thwarted by the inclement weather, and bow our Colonial Prize Firing is calculated to be rendered less successful than it might be from the same jcause. • However we can only hope that the prospects will shortly be more^ cheering. ] '5 I

THE FIRING. This morning at 5 o'clock the bugle sounded the reveille, and very scon the camp was all astir. The flat at Parawai has seldom presented such a stirring scene. At 6 o'clock coffee was served out; and the Cavalry men were preparing for opening the ball with the Judging Distance Match.

FIRST CAVALRY MATCH. (Judging Distance.) The prizes in this match were—-Ist, £5 ; 2nd, £3 ; 3rd, £2. The following are the scores made : —

Name. Score. Pt». Prizes. J. Hedge, Waiuku ...3333344—23 Ist,£s — Keys, A 0.... ...3033324—18 2nd,£3 W. Barribal, Waiuku.. .0043334—17 3rd, £2 M. Barribal, Waiuku...0240343—16 W. Mills, Rangitikei...3o3o433—l6 P. Connell, A 0. ...0042433—16 A. Barribal, Waiuku ;..0040444—16 B. Bruce, Waikato ...0034423—16 J. Pellew, A.O. ...3032323—15 Lieut.Barribal.Waiuku 0033343—15 > A. V. Poelnifz, A.O. ...0330342—15 C.Blnko,A.C. ...0030443—14 Jos. Barribal, Waiuku...3040033 —13 > Lieut.Mellsop, Waiuku 0040023— 9 O.Johnston, A.C. ...0920000— 2

, The. firing was not so good a-s that of last year in the same match, when Walker took the first prize with 24 points, and the first and second were carried off; by Barribal and McCartney with 23 and 21 points respectively. The match took 35 minute.s to shoot. At eight o'clock the breakfast bugle went, and- all seemed, > notwithstanding the excitement, to be able to do justice to host Curtia' table.. , r T

FIRST INFANTRY MATeH. (Judging Distance.) ; At 9 o'clock firing in this match was commenced. The prizes were—£7, £6, £5, £4, £3 and £2. Appended is a list of the scores. .Name Score Pts. Hamlin ... ... 4443444—27; . Burns 4343344—25 Elder ... ... 3343344—24 Munjard ..; ... 3234444—24 Skinner ... ... 4343424—24 McLeod 3342444—24 Grundy ... 3343344—24 Fox ... .. 4244334—24 McLean ... ... 4342334—23 Brown. ... .. 4034444—23 Marshall ... 0434444—23 Kingswell ... 3422444—23 Wilson ... ... 2243434—22 Campbell ... 3433234-22 Greer 4330444—22 Murray ... ... 4240444—22 Goldie 2432344—23 Grant ... ... 4342234—22 Blatch 3432234—22 Sutton ...• ... 4340344—22 Renouf ... ... 3333934—22 Thompson ... 3440244—21 Bluck 3333243—21 Leigh 2323344—20 Coleman ... ... 3243234—21 Hoskins ... ... 4324231—21 Richards ... ... 2233344—21 Gordon ... ... 2343333—21 Stonebridge ... 0443334—21 Purrcell ... ... 2342424—21 Morley 4223234—20 Ryan ... ... 4334033—20 Christie ... ,'... 4330334—20 McKee ... ... 3232244—20 Blithe ... ... 3042434-20 Curtis 3032444—20 Johnston ... - .. 4340044-19 i Soper ... ... 2230444^19:^1 Hay ... ... 3240334—19 Morriss .... . ... 224C344-19 | Bassett ... ... 2242333—19 ! Chalklin ... ... 3342034—19 Chase 2232334—1? Sykes ... ... 2222434-19 Gascoigne ... ... 3230344—19 Armstrong... ... 4040434—19" j Clark 2340234—18 Murray ... ... 3030144—18 -Fenton ... ... 3010434^18 Rountree ... ... 0233244—18 Dey 3343023—18 Nelson "... ... 0332334—18 Mcllmde 3020444—17 Campbell (A.C.) ... 3043021—16 Partington... ... 0230344—16 ■■ Dundas ... ... 4033024—16 : McLaren ... ... 2042043—15 McKenzie... ... 3020424—15 Martella 0040443^-15 Heaphy ... ... 2230224—15 Tomlinson... ... 0300434—14 Gallagher ... ... 3030404—14 Fairbrothor „. 4030033—13 Gilbert 0420034^-13 Robinson ... ... 2020043—11 The shooting as will be seen from the scores was very good. Hamlinj thechampion, led off with bulls-eyes at the first four ranges, and kept ahead, winning. with 27 points. Burns followed with 25 points, and Skinner, Elder, Fox, Grundy, Munyard, MoLeod, tied at 24 points. In firing off Elder, A.C., Taranaki, made-4, therefore taking third prize, Munyard 3, fourth prize, and the rest 2 each, so that Skinner, Grundy and McLeod fired off a second time, each making a centre/ and again fired, Skinner made 4, taking oth prize, McLeod 3rd with 6th prize, Grundy only an outer. .' The following are those who won in this match last year, with the scores attached : — Grreer ... ... ... 25 Liddel ... ... ... 24 Renouf ... ... ... 24 Grundy ... ... ... 24 ; Kebblewhite ...... 24 r The Infantry representatives while the Cavalry are shooting have been allowed fire rounds of ammunition manufactured by Eley t« practice with at the ordinary rifle range, as it is the sort with -- which the remainder of the matches are to,be fired with, and different from that supplied formerly by the Government. The officer in charge atid; the staff-officials^ are very" (obliging in giving information, and Mr Stevens*

secretary, places all the returns at once in the hands of the Press. The bugle for dinner sounded at 1 o'clock sharp, after which the competitors forTjie Second Cavalry Match at 400 and 500 called out and proceeded to therange. SECOND CAVALRY MATCH. „4 Ranges : 400 andsoojyar.a?^ s]l°is at each range. The following taka'yrita '-— Poelnitz ... M , "^ S. Barriball (Champion) '" - - 37— • Joseph Barriball ... '*'."' 35