THE CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2083, 8 January 1870, Page 2

THE CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

The games to day commenced at two o’clock, at ■which hour there must have been dose upon a thousand persons present, and as the day advanced tho number increased, until at four o’clock there were over 2,300 on the ground. The events on the programme were very slowly got through. Wo give an account of the proceedings up to four o’clock. Foot Race, 130 yards, heats. First prize, L2; second, LI ; third, 10s. There were some nine competitors, Boag got the lead and tho others followed him closely. When half the distance had been traversed Boag increased tho distance between himself and tho others, and they never afterwards got a chance to oomo up to him. Smith was good second, and Murdoch third. Time, 17} seconds. In the second best, Boag got an excellent start, and maintained the lead throughout, Robertson being an indifferent second, and Murdoch third. Time, 184 seconds. Smith and Robertson then ran off for second place, and the former won easily. Youth’s Race, 200 yards, heats ; 2ft hurdles. First prize, LI; second, 10s ; third, ss. Some fifteen youngsters stripped for this event, but there was not much interest taken in the race until the final heat was run. Then there was a fierce struggle between a very little fellow, named Bennett, and a lad twice his size named Campbell,. The little fellow got a alight lead, which he continued until almost the last 20 yards of the distance, when for nearly tho whole of the remaining distance they run neck and neck. But a yard or two from tho winning post, Bennett managed to push himself forward and caught the judges eye first. A lad named Scott took the third prize. Ruesiks Lor* L«ae.—First pme, L2; second, LI. This waa easily woa by Murdoch. He first jumped some 18 feet, and none of the others came within several inches of him. Ho had another trial,£and jumped 16 ft. 6 in. The second prize «u taken by Stephenson, who jumped 15ft. Bin. Velocipede Race. Ono mile. First prize, L 3 ; second, L 9. There were only three competitors, and the race lay between Murray Thompson and Stewart, who both rode tricycles. The former got inside place and the lead, which he continued throughout. To call it a race in tho proper sense of the word is a farce, because there was no attempt made to change the relative positions or to increase the speed—in fact, ono could have walked as fast as the velocipedes travelled. Time, Bmin. 25see. The following is the award of the judges as to the competitive examination of the school children ; and it was signed by Messrs John Hay and John Hislop: — “Having examined carefully the written papers, and given a numerical value to each answer, we agree in placing the competitors thus : Agnes Park, South School (No. 46) Ist prize. Lucy Lambert, do (No. 3) 2nd prize. Jane Cook, do (No. 27) 3rd prize, and as the numbers of competitors, 2 and 400 (Eva Spedding, South School, and Andrew Kerr, North School), respectively, we would recommend a fourth prize of LI, to he equally divided among them. We may be permitted to remark that the answers in history on the paper of 46, and those on the “Cottar’s Saturday Night” of 3, are of superior excellence, and discover great diligence and careful study. The elocution on the part of the female competitors was excellent, and we regret there bad not been a separate prize for this, as some of the recitations of the unsuccessful competitors wore superior to anything we have ever heard from pupils of their age. We would recommend that the examination paper he printed in some of tho principal uewspapers of the Province, and from the capital and accurate report of the Dunedin papers of the proceedings of the first day of the games, wo presume they will be quite willing to give the particulars of the intellectual contest, so that the scope and nature of the examination may be better known, and the number of competitors largely increased, by next year. Wo would also further venture to recommend that, if it should be decided that a similar examination should take place annually, the subjects of the examination should be fixed early in the year, to afford ample time for specific study to intending competitors.