THE EXHIBITION ESSAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5563, 10 March 1886, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION ESSAYS.

THE DEFECTIVE CARTRIDGES. EXPLANATORY DETAILS. PLENTY OF AMMUNITION TO HAND. WELLINGTON, Mabch 10. The Committee have declared two of the essays on the industries of the Colony equal. They were found to be written by William Reeve Hazelden, of Westport, and Richard Winter, editor of the Blenheim Ettpress. The third is by George Robert Hart, of the Press newspaper, Chnstchurch. The Government have decided to give each of the first a gold medal, and to divide the money between them. The assay s will probably be published. The failure of the Auckland ammunition is not looked upon by the authorities as very seriouß. Experiments have been conducted in Wellington with it during the last few days, which showed that the powder was good, but that the bullets were not of proper length, and that there were defects in the construction of the cartridge, particularly with regard .to the inferiority of the wads. Captain Whitney, the manufacturer, procured some stronger powder, and with it filled the cartridges sent for trial to Wanganui. The extra strength aoting on the weakness of the cartridges blew out the ends, and produced the results which led to the hasty abandonment of the proceedings at Wanganui. Proper powder, however, is on the way out from England, and Government anticipate that by practice and by dint of experimenting the present defects will be remedied. During the last two years, two million rounds of field ball ammunition have been •rdered from England, and three hundred thousand rounds arrived by the ship Invercargill. Rifle Clubs and Volunteers, whose supply had been Btopped for a few weeks, can now obtain what they want. Before the Invercargill arrived the stock had fallen to twenty-five thousand rounds. Another lot is shortly expected, and if the Auckland factory gets into working order no future difficulty will ocour in keeping up the supply of ammunition. It should be mentioned that Captain Whitney was to have used Colonial powder, but the Owake Powder Mills conld not keep up the Bupply, and after some months stopped altogether.