THE HOLIDAYS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 268, 29 December 1874, Page 5

THE HOLIDAYS.

The Christmas of 1874 in Cromwell is universally set down as having been an unusually dull one. The town has had none of that busy and brisk appearance common to it at this time of the year ; and the number of outsiders in for the holidays has been but small. Christmas Day was dull and lowering as regarded weather, and the town looked remarkably wretched all day with the whole of the places of business closed and hardly a soul to be seen in the streets. Better things, however, are expected during this week.

For the races, which certainly did not promise well, things have taken on a brighter appearance, and probably the entries for all the minor events will be beyond the average. For New Year’s Day, sport is provided here, there, and everywhere. The Good Templars are confident of a very successful picnic. The Bannockburn and Bendigo lodges are expected to turn out well on the occasion, and as they, with the Cromwell Lodge itself, number nearly 150 members in all, the attendance, if confined to Templars only, which is in no way probable, will be something considerable. Their concert in the evening is being assiduously practised for, and is likely to be an improvement on the last one they gave. Perriam’s sports are to be held as usual on New Year’s Day, and a very good programme, it will be seen, is also issued for Bendigo. So that no lack of amusement is provided for the British public during the present week. On Boxing Day and yesterday, sports were held at Quartzville, including horse and foot races, quoiting, &c. The Maiden Plate on Saturday was won by Mr, George Partridge’s Echo, and the Trotting Race by Mr Robert Walker’s Border Lass. The wrestling was won easily by R. E. Dagg, and the running high leap by H, Goodman. The 100yards foot race fell to Baby, of the Nevis. We have not heard any particulars of Monday’s results. The amount of money given is quite insufficient for two days’ sports. A much wiser plan would be to give it all away in one day. More people would be attracted ; in fact, on the Saturday, as it was, there was a very good attendance. And the events would probably be better and more numerously contested than were those of Saturday at least, for we cannot speak as to those of Monday, Some “ divarsion” was provided at one time during Saturday afternoon by a slight bout at fisticuffs, but it was just reaching the interesting stage of coat-doffing when the Sergeant of Police interfered ; and he also, very properly, put the fear of the law on an elderly gentleman at whose shrine—in the shape of a porter case with the magic letters U and O chalked on it, and a figure 7 the public apparently, felt inclined to worship to some extent.