BLACKBALL PICNIC AND SPORTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 February 1901, Page 4

BLACKBALL PICNIC AND SPORTS.

Although the weather was wet on Saturday, still the Blackball people decided to hold their sports. The schoolhouse was used as a shelter from occasional showers.

At 10 a.m. the children assembled, and by 12 had got through a good lengthy programme of competitions. The most enjoyable (from a spectator's point of view) boing the bun-eating contest, which, caused roars of laughter.

The girls' skipping was also a very pretty event and attracted a good deal of interest, so also was the ladies' committee tug-o'-war. Of the men's sports, the wrestling and tug-o'-war were most interesting, and I think will lead to the revival of the sport here, as there are now two challenges by Hcaley's Gully men to pull any team in the district for a big stake, and for three brothers to pull any other three brothers on the Coast.

The sports were undoubtedly the largest attended and best ever held in Blackball, and although the weather was not encouraging, still over one hundred and fifty youngsters put in an appearance at the picnic, and did full justice to the good things provided for them. The afternoon proved finer than the morning, and the following events were won in good style, the handicapping being worthy of the occasion close finishes being the order of the day. Ladier' Committee Tug-of-War—Capt. Miss E. Green's Team 1.

Putting the Stone (14 lbs)—P. Daly 1 J, Horrack'2.

100 yards Handicap. —T. Daly 1, J. Bines 2, J. Allen :?.

Standing Flat Jump—K. Thomas 1, J. Muir 2.

Wrestling (collar and elbow) K Thomas 1, T Bogers 2.

Running Flat Jump—J. Allen and T Currie tie.

Running High Jump—S. Jones 1, J. Allen 2.

WreslliDg (Cumberland)— T. Bogers 1 K. Thomas 2.

Old School Boys' Race Allen 1 TTorrack2.

Bandsmen's Surpriss Contest J M'lntosh 2.

Tug of War—Healy'a Gully Team 1. Bun Eating Competition—Alex Leitch 1, J. M'Gilligan 2.

Skipping—Mary Whits 1, Mary Rogers 2. Boar Competition for bobs K, Thomis 1.

The thanks of the Sports and Picnic Committee are due to the Ladies' Committee, who so capably managed the children's sports and attended to the refreshments ; to the Blackball Brass Band for their generous and valuable assistance, to the contributors to the sports and picnic fund, locally, in Brunner, in Greymouth. and in Hokitika, and also to the gentlemen who assisted to make the dance such an unbounded success, at which over seventy couples tripped on tho light fantastic till midnight. With the help of the band a comic opera is under way, and to our number of good voices, there are already promised several who have proved their value at large centres in comic opera. Rehearsals will b 9 started almost at once by tho orchestra, and those who know Blackball will appreciate what that means. A 3 Blackball has already made its mark in operatic, brass and strings, the managers have now decided on hard rehearsals, and their show, of which you will hear more later on, will be able to compare favorably with previous musical entertainments on the Coast.