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TARANAKI GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

(winners of the prizes included) who make a greater number of marks than 35 at the competitive firing. No competitor, however, is to receive on this account a greater sum than £5; but should there be a surplus undistributed in any district, it will be available to complete deficiencies, if any, in other places.

7. Competitors will fire at ranges of 400, 500, and 600 yards; five shots at each range without artificial rest, any position. Highest possible score, 60 marks.

8. The highest scorer above 40 marks in each Province, will receive the Medal for the Province.

9. The returns of this firing must be sent in to the Defence Office not later than the 15th May, 1870. Any district neglecting to comply with this clause, will not receive the money apportioned to it.

GENERAL RULES TO BE OBSERVED IN FIRING FOR THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT PRIZES.

1. The long or medium Enfield rifle, the Lancaster rifle, and the breech or muzzle-loading carbine, as issued by the General or Provincial Governments, must alone be used. Competitors using the carbine at the 500 and 600 yards ranges will be allowed two marks at the first range, and three marks at the second range.

2. The minimum pull of trigger to be six pounds.

3. Ammunition will be provided by the Government.

4. The senior officer on the ground may direct the examination of the arms used by competitors, at any time before, during, and after the firing; and should any arm be found to have been tampered with, or the pull of the trigger to be below the minimum, the competitor using such arm will be disqualified, and his score disallowed.

5. In the scoring, the value of shots will be—Bull’s eye, 4; centre, 3; outer, 2.

6. Size of targets:—At 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards—6 x 4 feet; centre, 2 feet square; bull’s eye, 8 inches square. At 400, 500, and 600 yards—6 x 6 feet; centre, 4 feet square; bull’s eye, 2 feet square.

7. The firing for Government Prizes should be superintended, if possible, by a Field Officer; and in the absence of any Field Officer there must be (exclusive of any Medical Officer) at least two Commissioned Officers on the ground.

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

9. The senior officer present will appoint one person to call the names of competitors at the place of firing, and another to remain with the marker near the target.

10. The senior officer present will appoint a Marker, who will be under the immediate supervision of the officer appointed to remain near the target. Markers will receive pay at the rate of five shillings per diem, if not in the employ of the Government.

11. Each competitor will fire his whole number of shots in the same day, unless the weather turns out unfavourable, when the senior officer present may at any time, at his discretion, postpone the firing until the next favourable opportunity.

12. Ties shall be decided by Wimbledon Regulations, 1866, section 13.

13. 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.

14. Any competitor leaving the ranges without the permission of the Commanding Officer will be disqualified.

15. One sighting shot at each range will be allowed, except for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th sets Colonial Prizes.

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

17. All disputed points are to be decided by the senior officer present, whose decision will be final.

18. A return of the names of all competitors, with the number of marks scored by each, signed by the officer who superintended the firing and the Adjutant, is to be forwarded by the Officer Commanding the District, or by the Adjutant, to the Acting Under-Secretary, Defence Department, Wellington, according to the accompanying form, as soon as possible, after the firing has been concluded.

19. The attention of the Commanding Officers and Adjutants is particularly called to the following rules to prevent accidents:

    No competitor is to cap or cock his rifle before coming to the spot from which he is to fire.

    No competitor is to let the cock of his rifle down when an unexploded cap is on the nipple, but to keep it at half-cock.

Competitors, before firing, are to take a few paces in front of all onlookers, and to see that no objects are in the line of fire.