GYMKHANA AND FLORAL FETE

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 37

GYMKHANA AND FLORAL FETE

EARLY SETTLERS AND MOTOR * , ASSOCIATIONS.

In any British community a well-con-ducted gymkhana can hardly fail to be a success. Early on Saturday afternooi\ there was a procession of crowded outgoing trams to Tahuna Park, which, in spite of threatening ikies, presented an attractive holiday appearance. There were old settlers. There were early settlers and late settlers; and all the generations were represented in the good-humoured expectant crowd thai flowed through the gates. The events did not all relate to gymhkana, and the function was styled "Otago Early Settlers and Otago Motor Association ■ Grand Floral Fete and Motor Gymkhana." There were floral events, decorated horses, children in national or fancy dress, motor events, and the usual serio-comic races that find such favour with the public. A large marquee was made resplendent by containing the floral exhibits. Herein were bicycles with spokes interlaced with bright ribbon and their frames hidden by flowers. Go-carts similarly treated became too beautifully ethereal for use in this muddy world. Dolls gazed in waxen amazement from fairy peramubulatora exuding blossom, and even a hoop was a thing to gaze at. The two prettiest things in the marquee were a decorated bicycle exhibited by Miss E. Findlay and a go-cart (Miss A. Hudson), which formed a setting for a mass of geranium. 6weet pea, and fancy grass. Miss Findlay' ■ bicycle (a gentleman's) was an artiistio colour scheme of scarlet ribbon, scarlet geranium, and pale green creeper.- MissFindlay relinquished her prize in favour of the "Old Identities." Moving here, there, and everywhere were flower girls ; also * wee maidens decked out a« a Maori, England, and Britannia. Britannia, we know, is a. rather ha,ixlvieaged lady inclined to stoutness, who si la at the back of halfpennies: and to see little Miss Edith Carter, with her helmet, shield, and trident, made one consider the advifiability of taking her photo and sending * copy to the Royal Mint as a suggestion. The totalisator shed* was turned into a depot for cut flowers and buttonholes, and here Mrs Eden Bowler, the two Misea Burt, the Misses Allan, Fryde, Gibson Smith, and Ross made trade remarkably brisk in epite of the place being rather out of the way. Four little girls from Girton College, driven four in hand with reins of pink and green ribbon by another little girl, made a charming picture that danced round the grounds like * sunbeam. A fruit and lolly tent flourished under the management o.£- . Mrs Campbell, ably assisted, and close at hand was pitched a large marquee. This wa6 for tea, and the business , f done here was amazing. Mrs Hayward was in charge, and the work done by the ladies assisting from noon till6 o'clock was admirable. The assistants were too numerous to mention individually. The table decorations were creditable. A striking character study in costume was that of the wife of an old settler. "Ah," muttered a group of old identities, nodding their heads at the close-fitting sunbonnet and quaint old skirt, "jusft what the women used to wear," and "It takes 60 years off one's 'life, this does." The impersonator was Mrs Kelly. Sha was four years of age when she, with her father (Mr Duckworth) and mother came over in the. 6hip Mary in 1849. The judge was another old identity. Mr L. Lshiglands. " They tried to tell me Bob Duckworth came over in the ship Philip Laing," he 6aid, when he had given his decision. " but, bless you, I knew better than that." What perhaps recalled the pact to the elders ' more than anything were three young L.dies who had apparently walked straight out of the early Victorian era. They wore gowns dating back to 1829, and flat'bonnots tied tightly beneath the ohm as was the fashion with the belles of 50 years ago. They wore quaint bodices and priceless old, shawls; crinolines, f ringings, and hair lockete. The hair was smoothed flat in semi-circles on each side of the forehead wtih the parting disappearing in the middle under the quaint head-drees. The striking contrast between ancient and modern fashion as the "old timers" moved amid a modern multitude may be imagined. The three young ladies were Miss May j Reid and Miss Marion and Miss Elsie Tavlor. They were dressed by Mrs Radcliffe Taylor. Then there were the motor cars— big. shiny motors that 6ped on in arrogant silence, and little motors that fussed ana barked and coughed. The first event was "Heads and Posts." The heads and posts were ranged round the barrier, and the motors came on like living creatures eager, and palpitating. The driver made a backward cut with a singlestick as he shot by. and either knocked off a head, or nearly wrenched his' arm from its socket ana threw it among the crowd. In the steering competitions moto-s wound a tortuour course between barrels, first backward ana then forward. The steering wae, on "thfl whole, good. , . Musical chairs furnished the publio with, a view of ladies leaping from care that had not stopped with the muisc and raeinft for chairs in the centre of the enclosure. Competition was of the keenest, and th« event proved popular. Sash and bow-tying was an illustration of the proverb " More haste, lees speed." A? car dashes up to where a lady is seated. The driver ties a sash round the lady, who puts a, tie round his neok and makes a bow* of it. They then drive back to the start< insr point together. The event styled Avoid Danger Steering

is a useful one. Dummies are thrown on to the track without warning, and cars mast avoid them. ' In the motor paddock stood a fine 1+ h.p. Vulcan, very aTtistically decked with dahlias, chrysanthemums, and greenery; J and from, as it were, a bower of bloom J beamed the well-known countenance of the j city' eleotrioa.l engineer. Mt Stark** was the best decorated car on the gorund, but arrived too late for the judging. Another oar, profusely decorated, sent^team curling through the greenery and blossoms, which more than half concealed it. Some of the spectators believed it to be on fee, and one gentleman, as the smoking mass of vegeta- * tioh swept past him, remarked: "It reminds me of that bunrnrng bush in Genesis that burned and burned, yet was not consumed." IThe Diabolo Competition was ohiefly remarkable for -not taking place. The proceedings terminated with a two-mile motor race. The gymkhana and fete were art all-round success. The * substantial ■sum *of '£116 was realised in cash, in addition to the money taken at the tea and refreshment stalls. The various events passed uIK without * hitch, and "the delays were of short duration. The conduct -of the wbolfr affair -re- - fleeted credit on fee bob..' secretaries " (Messrs L. langlsnds and BL V. THirfcon) nod on the Committee of Management. PRIZE LIST. FtOBAL Events. Child's decorated toy perambulator, wheelbarrow, ht tricycle. Thirteen «ntries — J. Fulton 1, Marie » Major 2, L. Mitchell he . Decorated horse oi pony. Eight entries — Miss Galloway 1, Miss L. M'Caw 2. Decorated go-cart. Five entries — Mrs A. Budaon 1, Mies G. Watson 2. Decorated Bicycle or motor bicycle. Nine txrtries— Miss E. Findlay 1. Miss J. Nisbet 2. | Decorated motor oar. Six entries — P. K. Saxgood 1. Dr Tulton 2. Decorated team of four children from any one school. Two enteies — Girion College 1, St. Andrew's Collegiate School 2. Decorated lady's parasol. Fifteen entries — Leslie Le Cren'l, Miss Ruth TZhorpe 2. j Lady's decorated hat. Tw'eaiy entries — • Miss K. Rickard 1. Mrs Sturdie 2. j Decorated basket. Ten entries — Mrs Stzonacb. 1. Mrs A. Hudson 2. Child's decorated broop. Fifteen entries — Miss H. M. MoTlison 1. Mrs Brittain 2. Most original flsral exbibi^ Eight entoimtr—Mrs J. B. Dick 1, Mmb E. Txwin 2. Child or children in national drees. Four entries— Miss A. li'Grath 1, Mias vE. A. Carter 2, Miss G. Nicholson he. Most original Teoreaentetion of ->»n early settler. Tbree entries— Mrs Kellv jfase Duck\fCf&) 1, Misees' A. Meld mhd M. A. Taylor <e*ml) 2. Motob . Evsaras. Heads mud post (Turk's hssfl)- for motor J caw. Thirteen «ntr'ies— T. Sinclair (dement- , T^lbot) 1, P. B. Sargood (Argyll) «nd Dr B. E." d* Lwiieur '(HxHHfeer), *gu*l. S. Motor <*r steering competition, '-tor fourge«£«d «nd two-seated -cars ; cars 4e be driven t ' forward or .backward between barrels or flagged sticks. Eighteen entries— Large cars: Stewart McLean (De Dion) 1, Cooke, Howli % jon, and Co. 2. Small cars: C. J. Fox, $hußnix) 1, B. K. Stedragt (D&rxacq) 2. jfotor c*r potato race. Fourteen entries—

Acton Adams (Humber) and^ Sir J. Mills (Dailmer), equ«3, 1, E. .E. Stark (Vulcan) 2. Musical chairs, for motor oars. Fifteen ■■entries — Cooke, Howlison, and Co. 1, Sir J. Mills 2. Rescue race for motor cycles. Two entries — W. J. P. M«Oulloch (S«urdlea) 1. Saab, and bow-tying. for motorists. Thirteen entries— P. 2L. -Sargood 1, T. Sinclair 2. Avoiding danger steering, for motor oars. Fifteen entries— T. Sinclair (Ci«ment-Talbot) Motor car obstacle race. .Nine .entries — Dr B. E. de Lautour (Humber) 1, T. Sinclair (Clement-Talbot) 2. Motor enr race, two miles. Three entries — Cooke, Howlison, «ud Co. 1, T. •Sinclair 2. Time, 4mdn lOsec. In this -event, owing ix> the unsurtability of the track "for motoring, the Bpeed of the cars was limited, and tiderace, inatead of being a contest; w*s more in the nature of an -exhibition of road motoring.