FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' FETE.

Manawatu Times, Volume VIII, Issue 150, 2 January 1883, Page 2

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' FETE.

As a'*'i.ipate'l, the above M r as one of tho most su :ci.'ssful gatherings oft he kind wliich has y t beeu held m the district. During the day there were e.rtainly not less ihan 1000 persons ou the ground. At the appointed time the members of the various or.ier*— Odd I'Vl'ows. Fores' ers, Good Templars and Heeha'iitos — dressed. in regalia, formed m precision at the Forester*' I Ial). and bcadid by ihe Band, marched to "Vr .). Lin'.m's jnddoek at Terrace End, where the Sports wore to take phee*. E-ich soeiety wns well represented, and the genera! effect was very striking. A. f this iim 1 -* tlie public bep.;n to crowd m veyy rapidly, the crush at the gate being very uncorntbi table for awhile. Willi rogaid to the ground where the sports were he'd, we may say that a more f-uilabie sp'f, could not be found. A large and wol gras-cd fiat gives abundant room for the eontes's tv talc; p!aee,aiul behind this rises tho Terrace from which visitors may observe all that h going ou btluw and at the same iim » sit at their ea < . The weather w_s all that was neces*ary to pronote pleasure, the heat be ing tempmed by a strong breis.ii. Mo strong liquor of any description was for saie <_ t,he _ronnd, and to this fact may he Msorihcd munh of tiie p'easure derivvd ny vi-itors. Tnere was an u'ter «bsen c of the language arid scenes that usually attend met tings of the kind held at holiday tines when friend meets friend and '.'he si-nit of safety is excei ded. We mv t congratulate the committee, and .all who assisted, upo:i the perfection of tbe various arrangement.. The Secret ary, Mr West, was untiring m the discha-\_e of his arduous duties, an 1 a uic-ed of pi aise is also duo tothe gentlemen who ac'cd as _nd_-e*", starre ", stewards, &;*. With but fvv exceptions the events were wi'l contested, and even where tiny w e not the amusement provoked w^s quite sufficient to leave no cause for complaint bj thfl puti'ic- lv aiditiou to t'lo ordinary piogrammo swin Q s, merry- go-rouud3, aud oiher

amusements were available, while a la"ge number " tipped the ligb'r f-m'a-'ie" to t^e. music o'' the Palmevs'on .Bind. E< freshment boo**, we're ■;■ _"»pt ' hy Mes rs D -ards aud Thompson, Kihblewhite and > Smith, and a faqcy goods § all by Mr S pinks, all of which; did brick business. ! T\te first event v?as the Maiden race of 10,0. yards. First prize 20s and half entrance money, 2nd half entrance money. For this there were 7 entries. A bad start was effected-, Bush" coming m first with Collopy close behind. Collopy entered a protest against Bush On the • ground of jostling. For the Vaulting wjth pole there ,- *ere four eutiies, two of tho competi-* . tors, however, Reuben, and Cavill, dropping cut very 60on. Laing and Hughes kept together, until Oft ll_in was cleareJ, when they agreed to divide the stakes, viz. Ist, 20s aud half entrance, money ; 2ud, half, entrance money. Fuiendly Societies' Ilani>icap. — In tft-o events 220 yards, and 440 yards, tp be run m regalia. Nomination3s; acceptance, 2s : Ist prize, L 4; 2nd, LtlOs ; 3rd, 10s The Competitor obtaining tho greatest number of points iv the two events to be declared the winuer. Ist place to count 5. points; 2nd .*"• ; and 3rd 1 point. Open to all Odd Fellows, Foresters, Good Templars, aud Kechabites, from Wanganui to Woodville and Foxton inclusively. Reference to Lodge required. Four faced the starter for the first event but, on account of a bid start be-, ing made Rii.-sh (6 yds) fell out. Palmnn (6 yds) came m fust,; Bennett (4 yds) second aud Sheeran (scratch) third. The latter st'bscquently entered a. protest against Salmon. The seeoud event was run after the conclusion of the sfauding. long jump. Bennett (8 yds) cime m several yards io advance of fche o'hers, Bush and Sheoran struggling hard for second place which, was taken by the former. For the 100 yds Boys' Bice under 14, Grst priz. 1 7s 6d. second priz ' 5--, there were seven starters, Bennett coming iv a good first, with Ilainesstcjnd. The Unnniug Lmg Jump was next, first prizo 20s and half entrance money ; 'sreond. half entrance, umnpj'. Four enentered, viz Laing, SutcliffV', Ilartly aud flushes. Hartly and L:\irig fell out before 13ft w*»3 reached, and the cont- st continued between the two others til 15ft, 2in was cleared, when Sutcliffe made a splendid leap covering 16ft 3|in. Hughes best effort was 15ft 7£in, and he was forced to be content wiih second place. The 100 yds race for girls under 14 brought up a host of starto.i.. The first prize, an album, Was taken by a little .Maori girl, who got away with the lea I, ■"Kdith Hickson coming iv a good second. Walking Handicap — 2 miles; nomination, 3s; acceptance, 2s; Ist prize L3 ; '2ad Ll ; 3rd 10s. Open lo all corners. This was decidedly the event of the d;*y. As a ru.'e, walking matches unless between professionals wh) hive m de their mark, are of little, interest to the ' general public, possibjv because they are usually of an exceedingly monotonous nature. On tbis occasion, however, the excrement, was great throughout the whole race, a.id towards the conclusion bordered od the intense. Three s'arted, Cook, who had an advantage of 100. yds, faliing ont however after covering a few laps Bel (It started fr *m. scratch and Knight had a start of 75yds, Tiie forme*' gradually drew up to his' opponent duri ig the first mile and just passed him after its completion. And then a grand contest ensued, EV-ight evidently having more m him than the handicapper was aw; re "••"'. 3 laps were covered after thi i when Knight succeeded m passing Belfit, atid held his position till three more laps were completed, when Belfit drew past him and on passing the judge's post led by about two yards. Many were now of opinion that Knight's chance had passed away, as the race bad been made veiy warm, but on commencing the last laps be again caught up to Belfit and passed him by about a yard, bolding that posit'on till half way round, when the race became shoulder to sho'ul'cr, and it was impossible to predict ilie" result. At about 40 yards from the winning post a tremendous spurt was put on by both, Belfit getting an advan'age of a few inches wbich he kept till the tape was Ir-as cd. The tirus ef, the last mrjgj! was 8 miuutes 33 seeonds.aad the cheers a id yells of encouragement towards the elo-e were perfectly deafening. For the standing long jump, Ist priz? 20s and half entries, and 2nd prize half entries, there were only three compeiitors, lluches' winning with 9 feet 8 inches and Laing being second with 9ft. I'he Hop-step and Jump, for which the prize were the same as for vaulting, brought out five compeditors. Anderson ■ dropped out at 32 feet 11 inches. Lain;?: f af 33 fe?t 2 inches and Sutcliffe at 35 | feet 2 inches When the others h'ld cleared 35 feet. Hughes covered 37 i--et 2J inch's m an easy and jrracefnl s'yle and Cnllopy's best was 85 feet 6 .inche*-, Hughes therefore took first and Collopy second piz\ The Baby Show created great ammusement. For this exhibition of local produce there were no less than 22 entries an? 1 , m the language of commerce, the samples were all of excellent quality. The jurhjts must have been exceedingly perp'exed m attempting to pick out the best fr.un the array of, sturdy, healthy and pretty looking infants presented to their view. The first prize was awarded to Mrs Cavanagh's baby of 6 weeks old, and the second to Mrs F.Collins's aged 6 months. When the judging was oyer the prudent gentlemen who had officiated m selecting thewinners made a bee-line for les-i crowded scones. The Monkey race came next, and we may remark that placing this event next to the Baby Shovy seems to indicate the that the Committee bave adopted the views laid down by Darwin, without, however, providing, a missing link, for here it was but a step from the baby to the monkey race. Th.-re were four c tri- s, Collopy taking firsl- prize and L ling second, tvlaxfed, who might otherw i-e (•'♦ve had a good chance, unf'-rtua-ateb zn le direct for' "the' ouly '•standing tree .v 'me paddock. No doubt the old arboreal instincts were st-ong within him, but a*, he was blindfolded and carry.in* a small boy, who.c duty it 'wis to h *!d him fast by the c.ii*, the result was nearly being a fractured limb or twoH ppily however, no seriou.'damage was done. y .", 7 For the 50 yards Single Womcns' Eace

eight candidates ap.. eared. Tno firs.; prize, a work box, fell to Miss M. Max < tM, and the second, 2s 6d, ;tQ. Miss L. Grace. --A'XXA ■' y For the Old Women's* race of 60" yds, uo matron^ of the prescribed age, viz 45, appeared. It was. surmised that there are none, of that age m the district, as it was held by some that the inducement of a bos of lea as the first prize, was sufficient to caused all to enter who possessed the age qualification. Others held that m order to make the temptation irresis-. tjble tbe second prize should have been a square bottle of J.D.K.Z-., whatever that .may.be." To end the matter'V 'however, the "committee decided, to run the race* .somehovy, and throe Native women, one, of whom was at least fat. and forty, -faced the. stater > The' prize was won easily by Ahcnata, who possessed the advantages of youth aud energy. ' "'■.■' 0»e Mile Hanpj^ap. — Nomination, , 3s ; acceptance, 2a, Ist prized L 2 10s; 2nd, Ll ; 3rd 10s. '' Open to allcomers. | Five started for this. Bush (50 yds) put on "too much speed at the start andfell but ' after completing tho' third* lap. Bennett's start of 30 yards was too much for Belfit (scratch) who passed: all ■the others and canie m a good second. Had t. not been for the srvere ex^jon m the walking match previously possibly Belfit would have been able to give a better account of himself. ' The three-legged TacTs, 100 yards brought out 6 cpujl, , the. prize being taken by Curreen'y* aud Bennett', with 'Hunter and Pepper second. '7, 7 There were three entries for the^n** uing High, Jump, which was won - * 'by Laing with. sft 2in,:> Hughes beinj second. " ' ■■'' A field of nine started for the Married Women's Race of 50 yards, the first prize of which was a teapot. The winner of the box of tea iv the Old Women's Race secured tbis also, and : thus "the eternal fitness of things" was exemplified. Another Maori -woman ran a good second- Iv this race the airy costume of the Natives gave them a decided advautage 6ver "their European competitors. > . Only two entries were received forthe Standing High" Jump, which was Wn by Hughes with 4ft 2in, The Sports concluded at about 6 o'clock, wheu the members of the Societies again formed iv procession and started for home, the Band playing a lively march. Oa arriving opposite the residence of Mr James Linton the procession halted and three hearty cheers were given m recognition, of bis kindness iv allowing the use of his p-vddork for the gathering. Mr Linton bri-*flv acknowledged the compliment and the procession marched on to the Hall, where I it disbanded.