MILITARY SPORTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1901, 29 March 1880, Page 3

MILITARY SPORTS.

The sports in connection with the Easter Review, announced so beheld on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s ground, took place on Saturday afternoon. During the early part of the day there appeared threatening indications of troublesome weather, but the ominous clouds cleared off as time advanced, and the weather proved all that could be desired. Owing to the haste in which all the arrangements were made, from the limited time at the disposal of the committee, some confusion was experienced, as to when the sports were to commence, this being increased by the unwonted appearance of numerous volunteer companies with their bands, marching in various directions, during the day, which offered inducements to the public to follow. The result was that very few visitors appeared on the Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s ground till after two o’clock, and the great body of the military arrived after that hour. Then the people began to crowd in, and by three o’clock the ground contained a numerous concourse, which may be gathered from the fact that £136 were taken at the gates. The Volunteers arrived in contingents at different times, and on entering the ground were dismissed. The band music provided was of a character calculated to please in the highest degree, and there were a great many sources of amusement open to the public, such as are always to bo found on occasions of the kind, and of which full advantage was taken by a largo number of those present. The booths also did a good business, but the proceedings were peculiar for the absence of anything in the shape of rowdyism. With regard to the sports themselves, the the remark above made respecting the hour of starting would also apply, inasmuch as it did not appear that any arrangements had been made as to carrying out the programme, owing most probably to the want of sufficient time for preparation. The result was a kind of ambiguity about the proceedings which tended to mystify the general public, however much entertainment may in the end have been extracted from the surroundings. The first event came off shortly after two o’clock, and consisted of a Cavalry Tournament, for a prize of £5 or trophy of equal value. There were several entries for this contest, in which a good deal of interest was taken, and a largo crowd surrounded the competitors. The conditions wore —each competitor to start his horso at a gallop 30 yards from post No. 1, and continue to gallop to a point 40 yards beyond post No, 8 ; time 20 seconds ; points to count one for each neck cut through ; one for each ring taken with the point of the sword passing through it ; three trials ; ties to be decided by one trial. The result of the competition was as follows : —Trooper Berry (of Christchurch), 1, with 19 points ; Trooper Compton (of Ashburton), 2, with 9 points; Corporal Walters (of Christchurch), 3, with 8 points. The Artillery Gun Dismounting Competition was the next event on the programme. Prize of £5 each, or trophies of equal value. There were throe contests, and the result in each instance was as follows :—Six-pounder Armstrong, the D Battery, of Wellington, took first place, as against the H Battery, of Nelson. In the 24-pounder howitzer competition Christchurch and Oamaru took part, the former being the victors, and the Christchurch B Battery won first place in the competition with the 12 pounder Armstrong. Bayonet Exercise —Conditions : Team to be composed of twelve men only from each company—Prizes, £7 10s and £2 10s, or trophies of equal value—Christchurch Engineers, 1 ; Dunedin City Guards, 2. The North Dunedin Rifles entered, but did not compete. The 100 yards Race was won by J. H. London, of the South District Rifles, Dunedin, Sapper Anderson, of the Christchurch Engineers, taking second place. It was a capital race, and was won by about half a yard. The Tug of War next came on, being the only other event oh the programme attempted, as the hour was so late, and it was not completed, the remaining heats will be pulled off to-day on the Racecourse.’ At about half-past five o’clock the people began to leave the ground in crowds, and the volunteers, according to arrangement, wont home in irregular order, they having been dismissed till an hour decided upon for reporting themselves in the evening. The Volunteers leave for the Racecourse this morning by rail, that is, all except the Artillery, the first train starting at 10 a.m.