PICTON NOTES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 74, 29 March 1902, Page 2

PICTON NOTES.

(From our Own Correspondent.)

Picton is enjoying itself these times.

Cricket matches, football matches, miniature battles, afternoon teas, and

sundry.

The advent of the Fleet will be a milestone on the march of Picton's progress.

The officers of the Royal Arthur entertained.the Picton ladies at afternoon tea on Thursday on board the ship, and afterwards entertained the Koromiko school children, who were taken on board by the teacher, Mr Robertson, to view the ship. The children are not likely to forget the unexpected welcome accorded them.

The cricket match South v. North was played yesterday under favorable auspices, resulting in a win for the Noi'th men. The morning play was very poor, but during the afternoon both sides of the river put on a spurt, and the South, going in, worked over a century. North then had a pull-up game to play, the veteran A. Neal going in with the first and remaining there almost to the last. A. Jackson played a good game, and Watty went in for a fixture, but unfortunately hit a catcher and had to go. A goodly number of spectators were on the ground, and the Picton captain invited all the ladies to afternoon tea in Mrs Shoosmith's grounds. The game was a most* enjoyable one, , On Thursday morning early a large party of marines and bluejackets landed and marched through Picton up the Wairau Road towards the elevation, where they formed into skirmishing order, and spent the whole morning in drill. The weather was perfect, and the townspeople had a splendid view of the proceedings. The march back at dinner time was enlivened by the men whistling various well-known airs, taking the different parts and accompanied at the end of each verse by a variation on the bugle. All the visitors look upon Picton—which includes the harbor—as the place par excellence for the various drill which navals require. A skirmishing party on the heights of Victoria Domain on Wednesday was a most picturesque sight,

An all day match between Picton and H-.M.S. Mildura on Thursday resulted in an exciting iinish and a win by one run for the visitors. A wee middy and a bluejacket ran at every touch, and scored the required number for the warship team. They received an ovation afc the finish.

The Waitohis played a match with tho bluejackets on Thursday.