The Holidays.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 19, 8 November 1879, Page 4

The Holidays.

“ All work and no play makes Jack' a dull boy. ” So says an adage as old as it is true, and in this spring season of the year, when ail nature is putting on holiday attire, it is only natural that humanity too should disport itself and enjoy the wellearned recreation it deserves. Wherever the Anglo-Saxon race is collected together, something in the shape of horse, boat, or foot racing is indulged in, and no matter whether the stakes on an event be a couple of thousand pounds or two drinks, the colonial population, as a rule, look upon it as a duty to attend, and absence from sports or races is considered more unusual than non-attendonce at church. Ashburton is in no way behind other portions of the British dominions in enjoying holidays, and plenty of them at that. In fact the days set apart for enjoyment are, we think, rather numerous this year. There are the Prince of Wales’ Birthday on the 10th inst., the Show and Races on the 18th, 19th, and 20th, Caledonian Sports on Boxing Day, and Winslow Races, Warterton Sports, and Rakaia Sports on New Year’s Day—so that the sport-loving public will have quite a choice of places at which to enjoy themselves. That money is available even iirthese bard times, is evident from the prices realised at the sale of privileges yesterday, and although a few growlers exist in the community, who delight in finding fault with the exertions of public spirited bodies, we are glad to find that their narrow-minded ideas are not believed in beyond a very limited section of the public at largo. As a matter of fact a very small amount of the money run for at the Racing Club’s meeting is subscribed by the outside public, the owners of horses finding nearly the amount run for themselves, in the shape of entries and nominations; and the sport itself at country meetings has generally less, of the betting element about it that obtains at the larger metropolitan races.