The Hospital Sports.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 227, 27 November 1888, Page 2

The Hospital Sports.

The forthcoming sports promise to be ths moat successful ever held in the district. The following are the prices realised for the privileges, sold by auction on Saturday: — Gates (S. Stevenson), £4O; publican’s booth (J. Bailey), £5 ; refreshment booth (J. Craig), £2 15s, fruit stall (Cunningham). 15s; right of sports (Banks). cards (Cooper), £1 right of taking charge of horses (Burch), 10s. The handicaps caused a great amount of interest when published in the Standard on Saturday morning, and nearly the whole day different knots of individuals might be seen in front of our office, the main topic of discussion being the sports. The handicaps were of course pulled to pieces in the most merciless fashion. Strange to say, though, when tbe whole of the criticisms by friends of the competitors were analysed there was scarcely one who was not considered to have a “ chuck in ” —a consummation which cannot be realised, but at any rate is a high compliment to Mr Primrose. Not only do the competitors themselves appear to be going in for activa training, but quite a large number of youths of all sorts and sizes are blossoming forth as athletes, the contagion having taken a strong hold temporarily, The course is now in fair order, but the short distances will be stiff races owing to the corner turn. This, however, cannot be avoided, and as it has previously given satisfaction, there is no reason why it should not do the same this year, though the numerous competitors will make the race a difficult one. The Committee will do well to pay close attention beforehand to all the 4etails, because the smallest thing at these sports is sometimes calculated to exasperate the public; in the jumping, for instance, we have known prolonged delays owing to a peg being missing, and so on. If any of the races have to be run in heats, that is a contingency for which provision should be made, so that everything may ba kept going merrily.

In the handicaps published for the above Sports the name of T. W. Bherrin appears as scratch in the three events of St, Andrew’s Handicap. This should be as follows : —l5O, 4 yards ; 4-|O, 16 yards; 220, 8 yards; and in the Open Handicap 3 yards. The correction will appear in the cards with colors etc, The following handicaps have been declared for the boys under 16 : — C Haydon, scratch, P Reed, scratch. J Poynter, Iyd, C Goldsmith, 2yds, W H King, 3yds, H N Lysnar, 4yd«, P J Delaney, 4yds, J Morell, 4yds, W Dick, sydc, E Boland, Gyds, G Robb, 7yds.