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Fourth Rifle. —Ranges, 200, 500, and 600 yards. Seven shots at each range. Highest possible score, 84 points. Winners : Range prizes (highest possible score, 28 points) : 200 yards, Ross, 27 points ; 500 yards, Hay, 25 points ; 600 yards, Richardson, 25 points. First prize, Richardson, 71 points; second prize, Acheson, 71 points; third prize, Paynter, 70 points; fourth prize, Smyth, 69 points ; fifth prize, Haslett, 69 points ; sixth prize, Anderson, 68 points ; seventh prize, Ballinger, 68 points ; eighth prize, Murray, 68 points. Fifth Rifle.—Ranges, 600, 500, and 200 yards. Seven shots at each range. Highest possible score, 84 points. Winners: Range prizes (highest possible score, 28 points) : 600 yards, Hay, 25 points; 500 yards, Ure Whare, 26 points ; 200 yards, Willcocks, 26 yards. First prize, Anderson, 69 points ; second prize, Richardson, 68 points; third prize, Harding, 68 points; fourth prize, Hay, 66 points; fifth prize, Ure Whare, 61 points; sixth prize, Mellsop, 62 points; seventh prize, MeLeod, 62 points; 7th prize, Crossman, 62 points. Sixth Rifle. —Ranges, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 yards. Seven shots at each range. Highest possible score, 140 points. Winners: Range prizes (highest possible score, 28 points) : 200 yards, Gibbons, 26 points; 300 yards, Vates, 25 points; 400 yards, Dunlop, 27 points; 500 yards, Paynter, 26 points ; 600 yards, Willcocks, 24 points. First prize, Paynter, 121 points ; second prize, Vates, 115 points; third prize, Willcocks, 113 points ; fourth prize, Smith, 112 points; fifth prize, Gibbons, 112 points ; sixth prize, Keefe, 110 points ; seventh prize, Murray, 110 points ; eighth prize, Ross, 109 points. Championship.—Decided by the scores made in the six foregoing matches. Number of shots, 118. Highest possible score, 472 points. Champion, Paynter, 373 points —19 points above an average of centres ; second prize, Richardson, 370 points ; third prize, Harding, 364 points ; fourth prize, Acheson, 361 poiuts ; fifth prize, Anderson, 361 points ; sixth prize, Willcocks, 360 points. Moving Targets (Rifles). —Range, 200 yards. Targets, 6x2; centre, 2 feet across. Targets were constructed of 3-in x 4-in. boards, and fixed on to a truck, which was worked to and fro on a temporary tramway ; speed, about ordinary walking pace. Time allowed, two minutes. Winners: First prize, Paynter, 60 points; second prize, Okey, 53 points; third prize, Dore, 52 points ; fourth prize, Foley, 46 points ; fifth prize, Tinley, 43 points ; sixth prize, Treseder, 39 points. Marksmen (Rifles). —Ranges 700 and 800 yards. Seven shots at each range. Targets Bx6, feet; centre, 6x4 feet; bull's-eye, 3x2 feet. Highest possible score, 56 points. Winners (highest possible score, 28 points) : 700 yards, Chapman, 21 points; 800 yards, Sutton, 24 points. First prize, Chapman, 38 points ; second prize, Sutton, 36 points ; third prize, Turner, 36 points ; fourth prize, Richardson, 35 points ; fifth prize, Acheson, 34 points. Noeth v. South (Rifles). —Competed for only by the ten highest in the North and the ten highest in the South in the six Championship Matches. Ranges, 200, 500, and 600 yards. Seven shots at each range. Highest possible score, 840 points. Winners : South Island Team, 653 points ; North Island Team, 607 points. All Comers.—Open to all comers. Any weapon. Ranges, 200 and 500 yards. Highest possible score, 56 points. Winners: First prize, Murray, 52 points, Snider rifle (Government) ; second prize, Anderson, 51 points, Snider rifle (Government) ; third prize, Morrow, 50 points, Martini-Henry ; fourth prize, Willcocks, 50 points, Snider ; fifth prize, Mellsop, 49 points, MartiniHenry ; sixth prize, Armstrong, 49 points, Whitvvorth ; seventh prize, Hill, 48 points, Snider ; eighth prize, Cummins, 48 points, Melford; ninth prize, Kettle, 48 points, Hunter. W. Moule, Lieut.-Colonel, Wellington, 9th March, 1877. Under Secretary Defence.

No. 8. Copy of a DESPATCH from Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby to the Eight Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon. (No. 11.) Government House, Wellington, My Lord, — New Zealand, 9th March, 1877. Eeferring to your Lordship's Despatch No. 41, dated 20th September, 1876, I have now the honor to enclose a memorandum from Major Atkinson on the subject of the postal communication with Eiji. 2. My Government bad no wish to interfere with the original arrangement by which the San Erancisco mail was to call at Eiji; but, in consequence of the objections raised by the contractors and the Sydney Government, they have been obliged to agree to the alterations now proposed, in order to prevent the breaking down of the service. 3. My Government, however, assures me that they would be ready to assist in maintaining the mail communication with Eiji by means of a subsidized steamer from Auckland. 4. I regret the delay that has occurred in replying to your Lordship's despatch, but I could not reply sooner, as the negotiations had to be made in conjunction with the Government of New South Wales. I have, &c, The Eight Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon. NOEMANBY.