The Reporter.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XII, Issue 1, 4 January 1893, Page 4

The Reporter.

? New Year’s Day Sports.

Judges: Mr G. Taylor Superintendant of Juvenile Sports: Rev Mr McAra. Stewards: The Committee. Treasurer : Mr N. Adams. Secretary : Mr S. W. Maxton. Starter: Mr J. H. Sandford. Handicappers : Messrs Burland and Smart.

Favourable weather was again experienced for tbe “ People's Gathering ” on New Year’s Day. Kain threatened more than once to spoil matters—rain did fall in the ranges—but fortunately kept off. The warmth of the sun was tempered by an overcast sky, rendering the day very pleasant so far as the atmospheric conditions went. Everything passed off very pleasantly, not a single hitch occurring. Tbe only thing wanting to secure perfect success, and the greater enjoyment of the spectators, was the presence of a good band. Music would have added very greatly to the pleasure of the gathering, indeed, to those who bad no personal interest in matters the proceedings must have got a hit tame at times. Tbe attendance exceeded that of all previous years in Mr Harris’ pleasant domain, the recoin's at the gate totalling, we understand, £l9. Mr Maxton worked with great energy and success as Secretarv, being warmly supported by Messrs Sandford (starter). F. Flint, jnr., N. Adams, J. Howard, A. Srubbersfield, Currie, Groschinski, and W. Morris, senr.

Through illnes tbe Rev Mr Ensor was prevented attending to act as Judge. The amusement of the younger children was left in the hands of tbe Rev Mr McAra and Messrs Loclihead and Paan, who kept the little ones entertained thoughout the day. A large number of races were got off by them with the amount placed at their disposal. They are deserving of much credit for the zealous manner in which they amused ihe lesser lights of the rising genera'ion. One race was run right rilliml tho- wwl, L»n. GiurLa winning it easily, as he did a like event last year. The course was very rough in places, and some of the turns very bad, telling more against the scratch and middle distance men than against those given a good start. Still these latter also suffered. The Handicap resulted in a “boil over.” Mcßae, who was decidedly the fi'test competitor on the ground, had decidedly bad luck. From the manner in which he won the lOOvds Handicap he only wanted a clear run to have won the 120 and 220. He got shut in in one distance, and slipped at the start in the other. In tbe 440 he got away well, but two bad turns and getting blocked more than once were too much upon his handicap. We have a suspicion that he bad tbe field against him owing to a bit of injudicious boasting on the part of some of liipartisans, who held that Mcßae would win right out. easily, and that he could give any Kaikoura man 7 yds in 120. Had Mcßae gone out in tbe Mile he could hardly have failed to win. His condition and pace would soon have settled Renner and Cox, the latter was not fit, through inability to find time for training. The time taken is 30 seconds slower than when Cox won the Mile in 1891. ’lhree reasons are given for Mcßae’s abstention from competing, but no good purpose would be served by giving them publicity. The soreness will the sooner wear off. Even though Mcßae stood out the mile was productive of, as usual here, one of the most exciting finishes of the dav.

The winner of the Handicap has good reason to thank his stars for a change in the handicappers. Had it been otherwise he would not have got such a start in the 440 after having won a St Patrick’s Handicap. While almost every man who com eted on the previous New Year's Day was put back for bis running then, Maxton was left about “as you were.” Gibson, an unsuccessful performer, was treated harshly, being asked to concede the winner, a successful performer, syds in the 440. Handicapped on his merits, as disclosed in his previous running, Gibson would have won this year’s N. Y. Handicap, and it was hard luck for him that he did not, as tiis form is now known. Maxton and Gibson ran very gamely throughout.

There were ten entries of flowers for Hie prizes for the best bouquets, Miss Lizzie Williams being awarded first hobors, Misses Winnie and Amy

Herbertson gaining second and third respectively. The results of tbe several events are as follows, viz,: 1. 120 yards Maiden Foot Race, Ist prize £l. 2nd 10s. Entrance 2s 6d. F Gibson ... ... 1 C Wilson ~ ... 2 J Burrell ... ... 3 G Palmer and Silvias also started ; won a bit easily in 13 3-ssecs. 2. 120 yds Boys’ Handicap, under 15 years, Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. W Melhuish, scr., ... 1 T Cooke, Byds ... ... 2 A Morris and A W Renner dead beat for third place. W Palmer and Archie •tenner also started. Melhuish went through his field in less than 50yds and won very easily by 3yds, Cooke about the same distance ahead of the next. 3. New Year’s Handicap, of £lO ; Ist prize £4, 2nd £2, 3rd £l. £1 to winner of each heat. Ist heat, 440yds i A Maxton, 27 yds ... ... 1 F Gibson, 22yds ... ... 2 F G Renner. 20yds ... ... 3 GS Mcßae, scratch; Bert Smith, 12 yds ; P Morris, 10yds ; E Harmon, 15yds ; Turnbull, 22yds ; C Wilson, 27yds; H. Breekels, 30yds ; H Sylvius and G Palmer, 35yds ; also started.

The whole field beat the pistol, Mcßae being the greatest gainer, and he soon bad the thtee nen nearest to him beaten. The middle distance men, in their tutu, settled the limit men near the turn into the straight Maxton going very strongly won easily by 3yds, with Gibson about 2 in advance of Renner. P Morris, Mcßae, Wilson, Breckels and Silvius pretty well in a bunch. Timet 52 2-5 sec. 2nd Distance : 120yds i A Maxton, 6yds ... ... 1 P Morris, 2yds ... ... 2 F Gibson, 6yds ... ... 3 Mcßae, scr; B Smith lyd, Harmon 4, Renner 5, Wilson 7, Breckels 7, Silvius and Palmer 10, also startedA lot of fiddling at tbe post saw Mcßae slip, and nearly come to his knees, Morris smartly away, Harmon and Gibson nearly caught. A good race resulted in favor of Maxton by a good yard, with “ Mcßae” placed third, though he never got even with his field. The mistake was made through the Judge deciding first and second, leaving the assistant tape-hold r to place the third man. After considerable hesitation Gibson was adjudged to have run third, though this was, also, an error, Gibson being fourth. Time: 12 3-5 sec. At the finish of this distance Breckels Was bsdly spiked in the foot, through an impetuous spectator rushing forward to give tbe winner his clothes,,causing a fellow competitor to tread Upon tylreekets. The penalty of this piece of fo lishness should, according to the law of retributive justice, have fallen upon the offending spectator and not upon a competitor. There are cases where spectators have suffered for like offences, sustaining fracture of an arm or ribs. We hope that more consideration will be here given hy spectators to competitors. The crowding in upon the course was not so bad this year as previously, but, still, it was bad. Third distance ■ 220yds. A Maxton, 10yds ’ ... ... 1 F Gibson, 12yds ... ... 2— Sylvius, 20yds ... ... 3 Mcßae scr, B Smith scr, P Morris 4, Renner 8, and Wilson 10yds also started. This was an evenly contested race, thoush Maxton again won comfortably, with Sylvius a splendid third. There was very little between the other starters at the finish. Time: 22 l-ssecs.

Result of the Handicap : A Maxton—3 firsts ... Ispts F Gibson—2 seconds and I third 7 ~ P Morris—l second ... 3 ~ F Renner—l third ... Ipt

4. Three Legged Race. Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. 100 yds. Entrance Is. Cox and C Haswell ... 1 Breckels and E Harmon ... 2

Powell and Close were first past the post, but were disqualified for a verj’ deliberate piece of jostling and crossing.

5. 100 yards Handicap, Ist prize 15s, 2nd 7s 6d. Entrance Is. G S Mcßae, scr, ... ... ] A Maxton, syds ... ... 2 F Gibson and F Cox syds, dead beat, 3. Mcßae got all the best of the start, by fullv 2yds. and won easily by 2yds in 10 4-ssecs. W. Morris 3, E. Harmon 3, G Palmer 9yds, also started.

6. Boys’ Hop, Step and Jump, Ist prize 7s 6d, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. Peoples 1, Eaton 2, Jones 3.

7. 120yds Hurdle Race, 6 flights, 3ft 6in ; Ist prize £l, 2nd 10s. Herb Smith ... ... 1 F Gibson ... ... 2 0 Paap ... ... 3 C Wilson, A Wilson and C Tapp also started. Herb Smith fenced very cleverly, and held his field safe from the first hurdle, winning by 3yds, Gibson like distance in advance of Paap. Time : 16 2-5 seconds. 8. Wheel-barrow Race, Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. Groschinski I, Veitch 2. A dozen competitors. 9. One Mile Walking Race (handicap), limit 9 min ; Ist prize 30s, 2nd 15s. W Barrett, 20yds ... ... ] C Prince, 50yds ... ... 2 F Powell, scr ... ... 3 These were the only competitors. Barrett overhauled Prince within 400yds and won by quite 100yds. Powell about 15vds behind Prince. The fairness of the Walking of the winner was questioned by many, and though it was decidedly open to question tbe roughness of the ground contributed somewhat to his uneven gait. Prince, on tbe other hand, walked with tbe greatest fairness and was cheered as he finished. His style was much admired, as it always has been here. Time : 7min 54 2-5 sec. 10. 100yds Sack Race, Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. Archie Renner 1, 0 Tapp 2, A W Renner 3. Six entries. The spectators were much amused to see the 10-year old youngster beat the men. 11. Wrestling (Cumberland), Ist prize £l, 2nd 10s. B. Gilling and P. Poharama divided first and second money. Three other entries. 12. Obstacle Race, Ist prize 15s, 2nd 7s 6d. Alf Wilson ... ... 1 C Papp ... .;. 2 J Barrett ... vi ... 3 A Howard, S Clark, and FI Smith also competed. A very even contest between the placed men. 13. One Mile Handicap, Ist prize 40s, 2nd 20s, 3rd 10s. F G Renner, 35yds ... ... 1 F Cox, 10yds ... ... 2 C Prince, 60yds ... ... 3 These were the only competitors General disappointment was expressed at Mcßae and Powell not going out, as the contest between Cox and the Clarence men was looked forward to with considerable interest. Ihe race was run very slowly for four rounds, Renner and Cox satisfying thenießves with getting close up to Prince, the 0i?,.8r of starting being maintained. The three Competitors were in a bunch as “ last roundt ’ was called. Cox then ran up to Retried arid tne pair shot Ahead, tmproy'ing considerably. It was, indeed, a racg-between them for quite 300yds, and Renner just won by a foot, he and Cox being qjhe done. Prince, though outpaced, finishAd comparatively fresh.” Cox made a mistake in not going to the front earlier, had he done so he would have won. Time : smins 20secs. 14. Throwing the Hammer, Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. J Smart, 72ft 6in ... ... 1 E Harmon, 66ft ... ... o 15. Running High Jump, Ist prize 10s, 2nd ss. Entrance Is. C Paap, 4ft 4in., ... ... 1 H Smith, 4ft 3in., ... ... 2 Paap was not pushed. 16. Consolation, 150yds, (for those who have entered with mt winning), Ist —prize 20s, 2nd 10s, 3rd ss. Entrance IsC Paap, 10yds ... ... 1 W Morris, 3yds ... ... 2 G Wilson, Byds ... ... 3 B Smith scr, and A Wilson lOyds also started. Davidson scr, P Morris scr, and Sylvius Syds not start. Paap won, all out, by quite 10yds. Though Morris was adjudged second, Wilson really ran a dead heat with him for second place.