SPORTING.

Taihape Daily Times, 13 February 1919, Page 4

SPORTING.

HAWERA RACES. FIRST DAY. HAWERA, February 12 Following arc the concluding events:— Meremere Hack Mctallum 1, Hallow 2, Eiopai 3. Egmont Cup—Afterglow I, Dusky Eve 2, Depredation 3. Ladies’ Purse —. Spinifix 1, Khartoum 2, Master Webster 3. ■ Egmont Stakes Gloaming 1, Desert Gold Croesus $. Coesiisf felt interfering with Desert Gold. Won by two and a half lengths. Time 1.14. Waipapa Hack Perfect Day 1, Tiranga 2, Philomela 3. Whareroa Welter Paddington Green 1, Active 2, Hyginas 3, HAWERA RACES POSTPONED. HAWERA, this day. Cery heavy rain has fallen since midnight, and there is no sign of it clearing. The second day of the Egmont meeting therefore has been postponed till to-morrow. wrecked coalfields. 0 The v latest ijlews received by the French Coal Mission in Loudon illustrates the set purpose and ingenuity with which the Germans wrecked the coal mines of Lens and other districts in Northern France. It is clear that the coal supplies of Prance can hope for little alleviation from this: source for many months, and that Prance must in the meantime depend upon the output of the British mines and upon the sacrifices of the British public for much of the coal she needs. In wrecking the mines tho Germans worked with thoroughness. Throughout the coalfield of the Nord there is. above an impervious stratum of clay, a vast area of water-impregnated rock, as it wore a sponge, called in places “Le Torrent, ’ a ceaseless cause of anxiety to the miners. The Germans, by dynamite charges skilfully placed, destroyed the “tubbing” or shafts which held back the water, and "The torrent poured into the workings. Then, to render the work of repairing "more difficult, they blew in the shafts. It is useless to try to pump out the mines until the breaks in the tubbing have been located, and the news which has reached the French Mission confirms the estimate of M. Loueheur. 'the Preach Coal Controller, that it will take, according to the measure of destruction, from two to five years to restore the coal prduction of the Wrecked mines. British forces having entered the great Mons-Charleroi coalfield, the Belgian Coal Department in London is awaiting information as to whether the Germans have spared the mines there, hut even if they are intact there is no hope that Belgium will have any surplus coal for France for a long time yet.