The Shooting Competition,

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 407, 23 January 1890, Page 2

The Shooting Competition,

AFTER THE CONTESTS. THE FAVORABLE OPINION OF THE VISITORS. LFBOM DUB OWN COnBESPONCENT.j Dunedin, last.night. The prize firing was brought to a conclusion on Monday, with the Intei colonial match between a Victorian team and a New Zealand team. The prize was £lOO to the winning team and a m«dal to the captain and each member, The Victorian team scored 1109 and New Zealand 1073. Some unpleasantness occurred during the firing in this match, at the 200 yards range, through the Victorian men delaying firing while a

fierce squall with heavy rain was beine encountered. This gave them somewhat of an advantage over the New Zealand men, who all fired through the squall, and Captain Somerville made some severe remarks on the matter. Captain Handby, of Victoria, retorted, and high words followed. How ever, better counsels eventually prevailed, and the shooting was proceeded with in the district representative match,which was won by the Canterbury team with a score of 1517. Out of 325 competitors 239 have taken prizes. At the concert in| the evening, Lieutenant-Colonel Baillie, in introducing the Mayoress, Mrs Roberts, welcomed the visitors from Australia, and trusted they would return with pleasant recollections of New Zealand. He offered them a welcome to future meetings. As each member of the Australian contingent was called to receive his prizes he was greeted with applause. When the Victorian Intercolonial team fell in to receive their prize and medals Captain Somervills congratulated them on their victory and said that New Zealand would endeavor to send to the next Intercolonial meeting in Australia a strong team with a view of regaining their lost laurels. Three cheers were given for the winning team. In replying, Captain Handby referred to the kind treatment they had received and the facilities that had been given them for practising, to which be attributed their success. He added that from what he had seen during the pist week he was confident the colony possessed marksmen who, when they became more accustomed to the Martini-Henry rifle, would hold their own against all comers, and the day. ke could see, was not far distant when New Zealand would not only send a team to Australia, bqt also to Wimbledon. In conclusion fie said the Australian cantingent would always have in 1 their hearts a warm place for New Zealand. . The proceedings closed with three cheers for the Mayoress, A large crowd assembled at the railway s ation and the Northerners had an enthusiastic send off.