Harriers.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 164, 22 August 1903, Page 19

Harriers.

The Wellington Harriers, though only a young body — this is their first season — have already done much towards the restoration of true amateur sport. Their energetic committee are now responsible for v, hat promises to be one of the liveliest athletic undertakings yeti attempted in this city — a teams road race. The conditions of the race are that teams of four men each, representing different football and athletic clubs, compete ni a road race from the Post Office to the Patent Slip and back. Each man is to wear the colours of the club he represents, and is to travel the full distance of the course. As a nuid pio quo, thei Harriers offer nine medals — four gold medals to the winning team, four silver ones to the second team, and a special trophy to the man putting up the fastest time.

A number of the clubs have already notified their intention of putting in teams, and, altogether, the idea has "caught on" to such an extent that the success of the project is assured, and Wellington may soon see something like a hundred starters making for the Patent Slip in a desperate hurry, to uphold the honour of their clubs, and incidentally to annex the coveted bits of gold.

It is rumoured that Miss Elsie Moore is engaged to a very wealthy Englishman, a frequent visitor to Her Majesty's theatre, in Melbourne. * * * That play of Kipling's, now doing duty in a London theatre, has no female parts in it. He is a clever playwright who can make a girlless drama '"gee." » * * Bland Holt keeps bull dogs. His ' leetle dawg," Smasher, who frequently turns up in Blands street scenes, recently took a prize at a Melbourne show. * * * One of the Australian singers Mho has come to light since the Castles girls found they had voices is called Peerless. The name should not handicap her. * * * In reply to ai query as to whether "Mice and Men" and "A Country Mouse" were by the same author a brusque actor-manager merely answeied, "Rats'" * * * Miss Ethel Kndght-Molliison, round here with the "Are You a Mason" people, is a clever dramatist. Among other pieces she wrote a version of "Peg Woffington." * * * An idiot threw a cracker among the audience, in Auckland City Hall, one recent night. It struck a boy in the eye, and it is feared he will lose his sight by this "joke." * » * Mr. Kyrle Bellew will shortly apoear before the public in the role of novelist. The author has nearly completed a book, which will be published in New York in the autumn. * * * Mr. and Mrs. Brough and company have been engaged by Messrs. Wheeler, of Capetown, for a South African season. It is quite on the cards that the company may visit Australia. * * * Victor Kelly (late of Kelly and Ashby the "bounding billiardists") is with Harry Rickards' company, in Adelaide. Ernest Fitts, at one time a member of the Pollards, and more recently of Dixs, is also there. * *■ * The author of the latest volume in the Pseudonym series, "A Ne'er-do-weel " is Miss Valentine Hawtrey, daughter of Mr. George Hawtrey, the actor. Miss Hawtrev appears in pnnt as "Valentine Caryll." * ♦ » Mr. J. C. Williamson, as is well known, recently allowed himself a playing part. He is doing a character study in "Cousin Joe," which happens to be an old-timen- that used to travel under the name of "A Rough Diamond." * ■* * Mr. Claude Whaite, formerly manager for Mr. P. R. Dix, is bringing a variety company to Australia and NewZealand. The company, which is said to comprise many first-class artists, will do a tour of India and the East before coming here. * * * Mr. Walter Kirby, who went to England recently to complete his studies, has had his voice tried by Signor Alberto Randegger, the well-known voice trainer, who was greaitlv pleased with its quality. Mr. Kirbv has commenced the study of voice production under Signor Lorenzo Valentin.!, formerly of the Paris Opera. * * * ' Nellie, I'd give something to kiss you," startled the house, at a. lecent performance of ''Mice and Men " in Sydney. It was just when Nellie Stewart was donning her hose (her back to the audience, of course) after lendenng 'My love is like the red, red rose." Nellie laughed, and her guardian (Harcourt Beatty) smiled * * * Williams and Walker, the stars of George Musgrove's new and successful show, "In Dahomey," now booming at the London Shaftesbury, are a refined and young edition of Pope and Sayles. Williams and Walker have fine voices, dance well, and act in a breezy style, full of humour and laughter.