or A.C. on the Poverty Bay side, and with Snider carbines. lam certain I did not refer to any particular corps. Although the P.B.M.R.V’s forwarded a chal lenge to fire the B.P.V.C. for the cost of the ammunition expended at the match. And in answer to your challenge Mr. Dette was instructed to answer you as he did, that the stakes were too small for the corps to take an interest in. And for this so very flippant decision (as you call it) you state that we are looking at it in a pecuniary light. I beg to differ with you on this particular point. You must take into consideration that Opotiki is a farming settlement, and your challenge was received when we were all busy setting our crops

in. Otherwise we should have fired for the mere love of the sport. But on Captain Simpson’s departure for Poverty Bay I gave him to understand verbally that we were not particular to any sum between £lO and £2O, and to fire in a team of ten. Some months after your letter was received to fire for the cost of ammunition expended nt the match, which was quite foreign to our suggestions. —Yours, &c., John F. Connelly, Sub.-Lieut. B.P.V.C. Opotiki, 11th December, 1873.
SUPREME COURT, NAPIER.
