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Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1924, Page 2

Tiik Tailteann Games which are in progress in Ireland just now are something akin to the Grecian Olympian Games. It is claimed by students of ancient Irish history that the Tailtoann Games wore instituted almost 2.000 years before the Christian era, and that the first record associates them with Queen Tailte, wife of King F.ocluudh MocF.re, the latest Birboeq

monarch of Krinn. In those far off days the games consisted of every sort of contest exhibiting physical endurance and skill, as well as literary, musical, oratoiial, story-telling, sing-

ing, and other competitions. The games have now been revived to assist in celebrating the advent of Irish lieodom and independence. They are non-political and non-sectarian in character, and are subsidised by the Daii -Kireann, and there aie great hopes elitertained that the sport may succeed in uniting factions where other means have failed. Spent, like music, has it.s charms and it is imped the games will be an aid to the breaking down of tiie barriers at present unfortunately, dividing the people. Spirited emulation in the field of sport, would be better than bitter affrays in a civil ii| rising, and if the (fames can avoid tile latter, the Hail is well advised to subsidise the meeting. At the least it is hoped a more conciliatory tone will be adopted by the fuel ions, and with greater tolerance the desired agreement among the people should he possible.

Wn .UKVKit tlie accomplishments of the round-the-woihl flight by aeroplane, it will not set a new record for speed in encompassing the globe, declares the New York •‘Times.’’ Already more than twice as much time has elapsed since the lirst of the Army planes left Clover Field. Santa Monica. California, as the holder of the world record took !nr his 21. Hid mile journey; and the air sipiadrcu is still far Iron) In,me. John llenrv Alears may rest at pane since it is he who holds the record, 'rime-honoured, indeed, is the •spoil of lacing for a record ill circumnavigation of the glolx*. Magellan, starting the game unwittingly more i..an four hundred years ago. established the lirst record in Ids three years’ journey. No one succeeded in disputing his title for more than dot I years. Then Captain \Y. J). .Seymour. in iS7li, made the trip in 117 days. Between the two record-making circumnavigators came Bhileas Fogg, the mythical hero of .Jules \ ernes story. 11l the world of make-believe he encompassed the globe in eighty days, in 1872. But even his record was broken when, in 1881), Nellie Bly. a New Voile newspaper icporter, completed the journey in 72 days (> hours 11 minutes and 11 .seconds. lii the following year George Francis drain substituted for Miss lily’s record olio of f',7 days 12 boms and .’5 minutes. Chniles Fitzmorris, in 11110, bettered this by almost a week; and two years afterwards llenrv Frederick cut the world's record to d I days 7 hours and minutes. Colonel Burnley Campbell in IPO7 took a little more than forty days for the trip, and in 1011 Amite Jaeger-Kchmidt, a J’arisian journalist, made it in a lew hours less. Mi Mears of the New Void; ’•Sun,” set out to beat this record in lOlil. anil established the 1 resent record ol d:i days 21 hours ltd minutes and •!-"> seconds, lie covered an average of dS7 miles a day and ol 2-1 i miles every knur. 'I hese journeys, w ith the cxi opt inn of Magellan's expedition, have been lie. oniplished by lightning changes from boat in train and train to boat. Air Meals' record seems .likely to stand for some time to eoine.

N'i:w Zealand is rather f.ottmiatc that at the head of it.s racing interests it has same grand old men who work tirelessly for the advancement of the spoil. In Sir (leorge Clifford at the bead of the New Zealand Bating Conference there is a sti iking example of til" class of men who have contributed so much to the purity of the tu;f. Sir (ieo:ge hits pHivcd a thorough s| ortsinan w hether as an owner, or as the exj criciii cd I’resident he is of the Baring Conference— the cinitro!hug hoily of the New Zealand turf. It has been noticed of late that ill some of tile criticism passed on the (laming Bill sane jibes have been cast ;;l die Cimleicnce and exception taken to same of tin- pic'ciA it lias But its | owers al'c exercised null for Ihe benefit and (ontiol of the spoil, and any excess or liberty would meet at once with public condemnation. The fact is that the racing parliament, as the Conference might he called, is used singly and solely for the advancement ol the sport, and it is impossible in east the memory over the past <niipli* of decades without realising what it has meant to the purity and advancement of the .sport by the careful and sustained direction of the Conference, of which Sir (leorge is the presiding executive nfliivr. Another of the/ grand old men to add lustre to the sport anil the government of the turf, is Sir I'M win Alitclicl.son. again roclectcd President of the A uckl.mii Chib. Men of this calibre, .sensed willi the responsibility of their positions.

assist to govern wisely and well and have added greatly to the prestige and patronage nf the turf in New Zealand.