REGULATIONS respecting the NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT PRIZES for the best RIFLE SHOTS for the year 1863.

1. The 1st prize to be £50, the winner also to keep and wear the Champion pouch and belt for the best shot in New Zealand during the year in which he wins it.

   2nd prize, £35.

   3rd „ £30.

   4th „ £25.

   5th „ £20.

   6th „ £17 10s.

   7th „ £17 10s.

   8th „ £15.

   9th „ £15.

   10th „ £12 10s.

   11th „ £12 10s.

   12th „ £10.

   13th „ £10.

   14th „ £10.

   15th „ £10.

   16th „ £7 10s.

   17th „ £7 10s.

   18th „ £5.

   19th „ £5.

   20th „ £5.

2. The firing to take place at such hours and places as the officers commanding at the different stations may deem convenient; each competitor to fire his whole number of rounds on the same day, commencing on the 2nd March. Should the weather prove unfavourable at any time appointed, the firing may be postponed at the discretion of the Officer Commanding at the station.

3. The firing to be open to any person sworn in and now serving as a Militiaman at Taranaki, and to all members of Volunteer Corps (officers included). All intending competitors to send in their names on or before the 20th February next, to the Officer Commanding the Corps to which they belong, or to the Adjutant, when lists are to be compiled from the names sent in; but if considered that any such person, whether a Militiaman or Volunteer, shall not have attended, when required, sufficiently regularly at drills, parades, training, or exercise, it is authorised that such person be prevented from firing for the prizes.

4. A list giving each competitor a ‘number only,’ to be given to the officer and marker; another list to be made out with each competitor’s name and corresponding number on it, to be kept by the Officer Commanding or Adjutant, and Officer stationed at the spot where the competitors fire from.

5. Should any competitor absent himself when his turn comes to fire, he is to forfeit his chance, and a shot is to be fired in the air (which the marker will score as a miss), in order to keep the numbers on the lists correct.

6. Rifles and ammunition supplied by the Government.

7. Without artificial rest. 1st range, 300 yards, standing or kneeling; 2nd range, 400 yards, standing or kneeling; 3rd range, 500 yards in any position; five rounds at each range. The target to be 6 feet by 4 feet, with a bull’s eye of 8 inches, and a centre of 2 feet by 4 feet. Bull’s eyes will count three points, centres two points, outers one point, and hits one point each.

8. Ties to fire five rounds at 500 yards at two targets. In this case, shots to be measured from the centre of the bull’s eye. Ties to be fired for and decided at each station previous to forwarding the lists, and names to be placed on the lists in their proper order according to the number of points and hits made.

9. Instructions will be forwarded for firing ties between provinces or stations after all the lists have been received at the Deputy-Adjutant General’s Office in Auckland.

10. Competitors to have one point added for each ‘hit,’ in addition to the value of points made.

11. Competitors to have the benefit of any shot on the ring.

12. Any shots which touch the ground before hitting the target (ricochets) to be noted R in the column for misses.

13. All hits to count according to where the bullet first strikes the target.

14. All differences as to points, &c., to be decided by the Officer Commanding or Adjutant at the station, before any returns of the firing are finally made up.

15. Officers Commanding Corps, or Adjutants, to be on the ground. One Officer to be appointed to call the names of competitors at the place of firing, and another to remain near the target.

16. A marker to be appointed by the Officer Commanding, or Adjutant, at each station, who will be under the Officer appointed to remain near the target.

17. The Medical Officer to attend. Where there are no Surgeons of Militia receiving pay, a medical practitioner to be employed at £1 1s. per diem.

18. A return of the names of all competitors, with the number of points and hits scored by each, to be forwarded by the Officer Commanding at each station to the Deputy-Adjutant General at Auckland, as soon as possible after the firing has been concluded.

19. The attention of Commanding Offi—