Numb. 32.
365

SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1874.

Report and Returns relative to Colonial Prize Firing, 1874.

Colonial Defence Office, Wellington, 9th June, 1874.
THE following Report and Returns, showing the result of the Prize Firing for 1874, are published for
general information.

WILLIAM H. REYNOLDS,
(in absence of Mr. McLean).

REPORT.

SIR,—
Having received the instructions of the Hon. the Defence Minister to proceed to Napier to
conduct, under canvas, the Annual Colonial Prize Firing of 1874, I have the honor to report that, on the
2nd March, I, accompanied by Sub-Inspector Marshall, of the Armed Constabulary, arrived at that place, and
at once proceeded to Greenmeadows, the estate of the Messrs. Tiffin, who had most generously placed
it at the disposal of the Government for the purposes of this annual meeting. The site for the range had
previously been very judiciously selected by Major Withers and Mr. Christie, of the Wellington Armoury,
and by the latter the platform for the targets, 5 chains in length, had been constructed, and the targets, five
in number, were already erected thereon.

As the competition was directed to be commenced on the 10th March, there was sufficient time to
choose the site for the Camp, arrange plan of encampment, &c., so that on the day previous to that on which
it was intended that the firing should be commenced, the Camp was pitched in the most complete manner,
and I think perfect in detail: the plan of the encampment being "in column by the left," each tent being
at the angle of a square, whose side was 25 paces in length; the first line of tents, six in number (facing
east), being for the Cavalry squad, and the remaining five lines being allotted to the five Infantry squads,
the tents on the pivot of each line being occupied by the officers in command of squads. On the reverse
flank of the column were placed the four large marquees, comprising the mess tent; and also on that flank,
but more remote, were the Camp latrines, as well as a bath tent, beside which I had caused a well to be
sunk, which provided an ample supply of water for bathing purposes. Water for drinking was contained
in two iron tanks, in convenient position, within our Camp lines, and adjacent to the store tent covering
the ammunition. A hospital tent was also erected, but I am happy to be able to state that it was never
occupied.

Parallel to the pivots of our encampment, and on its north side, was the rifle range, now a clean and
grassy sward, but previously almost a forest of thistles, &c. So convenient and so contiguous were our
Camp and range with respect to each other, that the 500-yard distances from each target rested precisely
across the centre of our Camp parade-ground.

On the afternoon of the 9th March the Representatives arrived in Napier by the s.s. "Wellington,"
and at once marched to Camp by the recently-made road and causeway, being accompanied for a consider-
able distance by the Volunteer Companies of Napier. Squads having been arranged, the competitors, on
arrival in Camp, had only to march into their previously-allotted tents, four men to a tent, in which they
found straw paillasses, waterproof sheets, and other Camp necessaries, and dinner was awaiting them in
the mess tent. I believe that all were much gratified by the completeness of the arrangements; at all
events, Sub-Inspector Marshall, myself, and Armourer Christie had not spared ourselves any trouble to
make every one as comfortable as we could make them under the circumstances.

As I have before stated, it had been directed that the firing should commence on the 10th March,
and every detail had been arranged, so that I was prepared to cause the first shot of the contest to be fired
at 6 a.m. on the appointed day; but great was the disappointment in Camp when it was ascertained that
His Honor the Superintendent of Hawke's Bay had been requested to intimate to me that the firing was
not to be commenced until the 14th March. I was informed that this delay was ordered so that the
Auckland, 30th April, 1874.