ATHLETIC SPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1495, 18 July 1912, Page 7

ATHLETIC SPORTS.

RUQBY FOOTBALL , ( RUGBY UNION MEETING. A meeting of the 'Wellington Eugby football Union, wns- held last, evening, Mr. E. 0. Hales presiding. Others present ivere: Messrs. J. Bums, I). D. Weir, F. C'. Atkinson, W. Perry, W. Hornig, r A. C. Kitto, E. Little, and Aj E. Wilson-. It was decided to write tD tho Mannwntn Union stating tlint Wellington would bo willing to play them on "August 22, if ; that date were suitable, provided that ; thoy.'pay tlib Wellington men's hotel ex- • petises, It' Was. decided to inform the Wairapapa Union, that Wellington is agreeable to tiie'et a Wair<irapa junior team in Wellington on .Inly 27. Also, to inform thein tnat Welllington could not see its ; Way to send a third class team to Wai- / rirapa, this season. The meeting pin.v the senior representative match '.'..JJjtli H,n.-vke'-; Bay, at 'Napier on At(gurV-2). /f-;'>< 1 The SoutlifaucW 1 '' ,0 u wrtito'confirming September ■ • , ' Yor the match between Soul .'llitigtop. The jante'is to be Cellington. .. ; : ASSOCIATION,

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. Mr. H. M'Keowen presided over the usual meeting ot the executive of tho Wellington l<'ootoall Association last evening An application from the Marist Bros. School Club for permission to play St. llary's Club, Blenneim, at Wellington, 011 July 27, was granted. Tna secretary of the Wellington Tootball'.League wrote, thanking , the association for permission to use Newtown Park on Saturday liexl. He added'that 011 account'of the New Zealand representatives not having left Sydney lust Saturday, the match \ had been abandoned. . . . It .was reported that lack of' funds would prevent the Otago Football Asso* J ciation from sending,ti schoolboys' repre- ' uentativo, team north this .season. . Shifts-, third "division team' wrote, stating that they had decided to withdraw frftm the competition. The reason given ' was "ii bad "run of luck 011' account of sickness." The secretary of the : Shannon Club wrote, asking "Wellington to send a team ! there on July 20.- It . was decided to write to the Shiiiinon Club; stating that the date in question was, unsuitable. It , .was further decided to suggest August 23 'as an alternative date. July 27 was the date decided on for the Wellington school representatives to visit Blenheim. • : 1 Some discussion ensued over the question of transferring matches from town grounds to Minimal 1 oil wet Saturdays. It, wiis held .by members that the arrangements for last Saturday ,in this connection were bad. It appeared that there was some inisiindors'audiiig as,to who was responsible for publishing the change, of grounds. To obviate this state of affairs in future it was decided that, .the eliairmAn.sh'oiild wait upon'tho Reserves Committee, with a view to asking the civic authorities to publish' .information concerning the transfer of matches to Miratnar before noon oii Saturdays.-

■ ' ADDITIONAL'FIXTURES. The following- are additional fixtures for Saturday's Association games:— .■First Division. . St. John's v. Diamonds, at Newtown Park No. 7.; Mr.' H. -Yeoman. Second Division, (ninended). St. John's v. fevers, at Miramar No. G MJilltVH. M'Donaki;. '' Diamonds v. Brcoklyn. ,at Duppa Street No. 1 (1); Mr. 31. t Kerschberj.Third Division (amended).' Petorie, a bye. , Fpitrth . Division...,. Swifts v. Marist, at Anderson Park (10);jMr. A. .G.-iTnylor, !,nFifth A Division.'-*'''"' Y.M.C.A. (A) v. Institute (A), at Miraknar No. 6, at.2 p.m.; Mr. J. Pye-Suiith. Brooklyn' v.'"',fohhsOuville, • at. Jdlifiiaiitrille; Mr. AV. Wyatt:.' " Jlnviat v. St. David's (A), at St,-' David's, at 2 p.m.;' Mr. J. Clark. : *- - .Fifth 'B Division. ' ■ Karori- v. - Swifts,- at. Newtown -Pitrk, tat 2 p.m.; Mr. 11. Yeoman. Y.M.C.A. (B) v.. South Wellington, at Miramar No. 4, at 2 p.m. ; Mr. R. Hutclifison. ■ Seatonn v. St. David's (B), lit pntoue, #t 2 p.m.; Mr. F. O'Connell. Porirua v. Amokura, at Kellmrne Park, at 1.45 p.m.; Air. A. F. Newbold: Institute (B), a bye. , Sixth A Division. Y.M.C.A. (A) v. Institute (A), at Mirainar 'No. 1, at 2 p.m.) Mr. F. Bowles. Marist (A) v: Seatoun, at Seatonn, at" 2 p.m.; Mr. C-. '^Vebb. Brooklvn v. Island Bay, at Duppa Street No. 2, at 1.45 p.m.; Mr.. J. Sr. .Wilson. ' Sixth B Division. ' Marist (B) v. South Wellington; at AndersSA :Park, "at" 1.45; .p.m.;' Mr; A". G.' Tavbr. Y..M.C;A. (B).v. Marist (Thorndon), at Jliramar No. 2.' at 2 p.m.; Mr. T. Holt.Kelburne (A) 'v. Newtown Congregational, at Miraniar No. 5, at 2 p.m.; Mr. E. Garflett. Kelburne (B) v. Swifts, at ICilbirnie, at 1.45 p.m.; Mr. A. Smith. St. .Paul's v. Institute (B), at Duppa Street.No. 1; Mr. S. M'J.eun. ► Evans'Bav Kovers, a bye. t

rowing

By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright Melbourne, .July 17. The Rowing Assdciation has opened negotiations with a view of an Fnglisli eight-oar crew visiting Australia.

BOWLS,

By Telegraph—Press Association-Copyright London; July 16. Buceleuch (Wilton, Scotland) defeated the New South AVales bowlers by-93 to 74.

HARRIERS

Undeterred by Hie. severe'"'weather the. Central Harriers held their weekly run yesterday from Miritm&r. The Anting took the form -of a five-mile' nonstop run, the pace' for the first four miles being set iy 13. Vimg;. A level run-in was . held over the last mile, ft. Vango winning by twenty yards from CI. A. Scott', E. \V. Eutt'.edge running third. The fallowing team ■ has been selected' to represent the club North next Wednesday in the. VftQirigtan provincial cross-cfyintry championship:— 0. Pugh, J. E. M'tenrinrv. G< A. Scott, F>. Vango,. G. H. Duck, Tinttlcdge.

• SCULLING CP^^ONSHIP.

ARNST UNWELL. By Telegrsph-Press Association-Copyright ,(Rec. July 17, 11.10 p.m.) London, July 17. • K. Arnst, the world's sculling champion, who is to row Barry at the end of the month, ha? had a slight attack of dysentery during the past few days.

RIFLE SHOOTING.

• " KOT/APOPE CUP. ' . JBt Telegraoh-Prcw .Usoeiation-CosyrieM . (Ifee..-July 18, 0.15 a.m.) London, July 17. Thi shooting fcr the Kolapore Cup at t.he Birley Rifle, meeting resulted:— England,-.750 points ..' 1 Canada, • 746. points .....'2 Guernsey, 725 points ,3. India, 721 points 4

" BEN HUR."

A FINE SPECTACLE. "Ben Hur," a spectocnlar drama adapted from General Lew Wallace's book. Cast:— Ben Hur ■••• Eric Maxon Mes'ala- I*onard Willey Simoiiides Kardlcy Turner Arrius .- W inter Halt Itdcrlm A. Ktyan Drusus •••■ Leslie Victor Balthazar J. B. Atliolwooil Malluoh Oa-rteton Htunrt llortator l)Q.vd Irwin SanbaUat «• Chalmers Esther Dorothy IJix Ins Owen nurratiKh; Mother of Hur Vaiiirhan Tlrzah Alma Phillips Amrah Alma Yaughan Tt is n long time since the playgoing public of Wellington Ins been treated to n play of the spectacular .importance of "Ben Hur," which w:w presented to a well-packed Opel-a House last evening. It was not to be expected that the glowing literary quality of General Lew Wallace's fascinating romance would qr could lie adequately conveyed in the confines of a couple of hours; as n matter of fact the language in which the piny is written does not at all times conduce to fluencv in the dialogue where lliiency is required, and it nt the snnle time inffcts the actor with a desire to "elocute passes which .are purely conversational in their nature. To make amends for such shortcomings in tho literary and acting quality of the play, the art of tho scenic." artist mid producer have been brought, into pi Ay, with the most felicitous aid of a mus-ic score composed by Mr. Edgar Stillman Kelley, the gifted American composer, and most creditably do they do their work. The thread of the storv, winding through a series of really magnificent tableaux, is quite sufficiently wel preserved in the play to those acquainted with Wallace's romance, and Ihe departures that are made are almost necessary in the compilation; of the dramatic version. First there is shown I lie meeting of the Wise Men in the desert, and the star in tho cast foretelling the-birth of the new King. Then follows the housetop scene, where Ben Hur accidentally loosens ii tile whie|i injures the noble Gratius whilst riding through the streets of Jerusalem at the head of a lioinan legion. Young. Judah (Ben Hur) is con-, demped to the galleys, and his. mother and sister are immured in prison for the dread offence.. Wliilo at his ortr three years later, Judah is singled out for consideration by the Tribune Arrius, and when the galley is sunk ill n cla-sh with pirates, Judah manages to save the tribune • from drowning. In return he is made his heir, and on the death of Arrius, Jniinh- returns to his own country, rich and a soldier, to search for liis mother and sister. There in Antioch he once more nteefs Messala, the arrogant Koman and false friend .of his youth, Siiuonides, the stow'ard of his father's great fortune, .and his friend Ilderim, the generous; Mcssiihi is the favoured driver for the great chariot race to be decided at the stadium in the Grovo of Daphne, and, hearing this, Judah resolves to offer himself as driver fo Sheik magnificent team of Arab horses. After a trial-the Jew is'accepted as driver, enormous wagers are made, the race, is run. and Ben Hur is proclaimed the victor in the r same breath as Messala is beaten to the earth. Beu Hur, being advised of his great inheritance by the trusty Silit.onkies, resolves then to devolo his life to the salvation of his country and' the search for his mother ami sister. Through the offices of the faithful Amrah, Ben , Hur finds his long-sought-for. relatives in tlis leper'caves of the Vale of Hinnom, but in the agony'of' his awful discovery relief comes with tho healing touch of the Nazareae, and the play-ends with a chorus of praise siing by the multitude picturesquely arranged on slopes of the Mount of Olives. Side-lights oil the main story concern the voluptuous yearnings of Iras, the beautiful daughter of Halthasar,-and in nice contrast the cool chaste love ./of , Esther (daughter of Simoiiides) and lieu Hur.- -Ak previously hinted the scheme of things in the romance-is too-big to bs altogether eatii.-fnct'orily ' eoinprcistd into dramatic form nnd still retain the intensity and vivid colouring, but still there is enough 1 to hold the attention us the visual -elmi'in of the production works its silelli . The scenery, from tho brushes of itsssrsi. T,. Board, John Gordon, M". Littie, and, W. It. Coleman, is quite impressive, and - on' occasions, as, for intance,.'tho galley scone, Ihlerim's tent; and the Orchard of the .Palms, is most hhppily and cleverly conceived. The chariot race, too, was quite exeitint,'. • • Tilers is a very even,standard of acting involved in the performance. Mr. Eric 'Maxon has all the verve, spring, and Impetuosity of the,youthful Ben Iltir, and acts tensely and "sincerely, but the. e?S9nj tially declamatory dialogue nf the pvt. rather overtaxes his vocal capacity. 'By far the best-written and conceived part is that of '.Simoiiides, of whom Sir. Enrdley Turner gives e faithful iind wsllconsidel'ed portrait, reflecting with artistic restraint the wisdoln arid generosity of the character." Mr. 'T,roivard ; AYillav made a handsome and vigorous Messala, and Mr. Arthur Styan was robustly picturesque ps ilie " eeiiM-oits. Among theminor role«. Mr. J. B. Atholwood was effective as Balthasar, Mr. Leslie Victor e.s Driisiis cleverly supplied the 011? fleeting touch of comedy in"Hie play, and Mr. . Carleton. Stuart was well suited as Mallueh.. Miss IDorothy ! Dix .presented .-a distractingly pretty picture as Esther, but was too cold nnd;pa«hn|pss to realise temperamentallv the love-sti icken Jewess. Tt was as thoueh her grand, passion for Judah was securely Melted in, cold stovage. On the other hind Miss Gweir Biirroughs'»■ somewhat po-eful acting itf Iras was free nnd itneonftned enough, and she threw, herself with abandon into the exotic love' scene in the Orchard of the Palms. Later her work-was marred bv a tendency to. shrewishness where traeic scorn and contempt were railed for. Miss Susie Vaughon was wholly satisfactory as the mother of Hur. Miss Allll n Phillip* crept, into a corner of the picture as Tirzah, and Miss Alma' Viulghan was well suited as Amrah. -Two striking effects are included in the production, the representation of a stDrnito.«??d sea. and the descending shower of irolc'en light, intended as' the emblem of the Divine presence. A callable orchestra, under (Terr Slapotfski did justice to the beautiful inu«ie which was only bo often rendered, inaudible by the buzz of small talk in the audience. 1