BIG CHRISTMAŚ ATTRACTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1593, 9 November 1912, Page 7

BIG CHRISTMAŚ ATTRACTION.

GRAND INTERNATIONAL TUG-OF-WAR. . The sporting community and the public generally are promised a big attraction for the' Christmas and New Year in a tug-of-war carnival to be held in the Town Hall commencing on Boxing Night" and concluding on New Year's Night. This manly form of sport has recently experienced a revival all over the world, the latest carnival having been organised in Sydnev, where a Wellington team performed with credit. The promoters of the carnival to be held in Wellington ut Christmas are the Haywards' Enterprises, ■• Ltd., whose officials have had previous experience in managing affairs of the kind. The chief: attraction will \be the international all-comers' tng-of-war, in which teams representing the nations will' compete, but thjs will not prevent any team from entering for the chief event, as in this case victory will rest with tho strongest, no matter who they be. It is practically assured that England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand (Maori and pakeba) will while there is a prospect of Germany/Norway, and Italy also being. represented. Other bodies likely to be represented-,iri the big pull ore the watersiders, engineers," sea-; men, some of the trades unions, the tramwavs, .fire brigade, permanent force, and police, while it is possible that' the Civil Service, the railways, the telegraph lines- | men,-and'some of the larger private firms may enter. Outside;the "all-comers' ' pull there.will be: a contest for 12st. teams, in which the average weight of the team (of eight) must "not average more than l£st. each, which arrangement has been made, as itis well known that there aro plenty of good teams of the weight, who would be outclassed in a pull against a team, say, of 15st. men. 'This tug should attract a large entrj-. Then,, in response to .a request a contest is being provided for the football clubs,, not only in. Wellington,: but. from anywhere within. and without the district. For these contests the management is offering .£IOO ' .in prizes, as well as' gold medals for each member and the captain of the winning teams, while .runner-up and consolation prizes of a substantial character will be fjjiven. .As the Wellington drivers' team (which recently visited Sydney) is conceded to. be the finest team now in training in .the city, if not in: New Zealand,, it has been arranged that they shall not compete, but will challenge the winners of the "all-comers' "• pull on the last night of the contest .for a special prize of. ,£2O. A prize will also be .offered to'the person who judges .the,.whole of; the winning teams each night, arid for that.purpose each ticket sold to. the piiblio will "contain a form to be filled in according to the judgment of the purchaser. These tickets will be landed in at the 'door, filled in, the purchaser or user being made aware of the pulling team for that evening through.the press. Those.bodies, unions, and firms desiring' to form a team, may secure a copy of the conditions of the tug-of-war on application to Mr. Geoffrey Nye, care':of Haywards J "Enter-. prises, Brandon Street.