St. Patrick’s Day.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3438, 18 March 1920, Page 5

St. Patrick’s Day.

SPORTS ON THE O-VAL. In the organisation of sports gatherings the people of the Taihape district have again proved themselves second to no community in the Dominion. To proclaim the gathering on St. Pa-trick’s Day, 1920, -held under the auspices of the Returned Soldiers’ Association and the Taihape Hibernian Sports Club, a great success does not fully disclose what was achieved. In no section of the lengthy NO- - was there" ‘sllSPi°ion 0f fail‘ ure, in fact,‘ the word success W 35 written visibly over the Wh'ole Of the large Recreation "Ground from start to finish, Climatic conditions might have been to _t,he .committee’s precise order, so -pleasant were they; the attendance and interest of the general: public could not well -havegbeen greater or-better, and it is doubtful whe-‘ ther the general management did not‘ reach the highest possible runs Cf human acquirement. ' On the ground were side shows, all of which appeared to the doing a thriving business, and the parking of motor cars testi-Q fied to the presence ‘of a very large number of country settlers. The management of programme events v~".ls particularly good; Mr E. M.cLaughlall had an almost impossible task with an unprecedented display of the bush- ! man’s art——chopping and sawing. A larger, -finer, or more interesting display of that skill required in removnig ‘ the virgin bush and opening up land; for production, -has not been given in 1 Taihape, and although it is said that? ‘bushmen are very hard to please, the. adjudication of the judge, the general’ management and provision for .per-: fectly fair competitions, several of the competing bushmen made it a special duty to compliment the management on itgsuccess. The entries for all chopping and sawing events were large, and the times in which the Work was done were particularly good. The horse events disclosed that even the competitors were out rather for sport than winning prize money, consequently, .some of the hurdling was rather of the comic kind, and the humourous hunters were responsible for much merriment. The athletic events were managed and supervised by Mr W. McLennan, a sports veteran, and as the handicapper appraised the possibilities of competitors fairly correctly, there were some exciting finishes in the running ‘events. The young people were not left unprovided for and some large fields and excellentjinishes were witnessed in both boys’ and girls" races. The secretary, Mr E. Lenihan, had a particularly arduous day, hardly finding time to leave ‘his table for lunch. But it was: to such close devotion to duty that left not a single regret, or fly in the ointment at the end of the day. The inner man was well provided for, and this fact discloses that the supervision of the teaband luncheon had anticipated an extraordinary demand by the stock of provisions laid in. In this connection Mr Mart. McLaughlan and his assistant Frank Mcsweeney excelled themselves, giving no occasion for any one to complain of inattention, and it may be remarked that eatwbles supplied Were of the best. A very pleasant surprise was the reappearance in public of the Taihape Municipal Brass Band, consisting of from fifteen to seventeen players, under the baton of Mr Hartley. The playing of the band‘ was remarked upon and some old bandsmen were very complimentary. The chief fault was that the programme wasvnot long enough. Many hopes were expressed that the band would make its appearance much oftenerin the future, The game of golf has got a very secure holdgon Taihape district residents, judging from the remarkably large number of competitors in the golf-putting. Mr J. Mortland who had the management of this Dart of the programme must have just about put up a record as the reeciver Of entry fees; what he took Would "materially enhance the dayffs takings from all sources‘. The combined Soldiers and Hibernians are to be heartily Wflgratulated on the excellent daYs ‘entertainment provided. There “'35 01113’ one small accident 79901193, that was of a little fellow, W.hO Climbed a tree to get a better ‘new; When the ‘branch broke, letting the I‘_itfle chap d°WDa from which he sustained a broken arm. He bravely gilt up, walked home and reported to 8 Parents“ who l)TOmD’tlY secured a doctor's help,

CHOPING AND SAWING EVENTS. 12IN;. OPEN CHOP: First Heat; CHOP: First Heat.——H. W. Thompson .1, B. Herkt 2, S. Woodward 3. Time 1.5. Second Heat: W. Gregory 1, Percy xsfirith 2, J. Beardsley 3. Time 1.3. T .-d Heat: W. Green 1, J. Cameron 2, H. Woods 3. Time 53sec. Final: W. Green 1, B. Herkt 2. W. Gregory 3. Time «58 2-ssec. 12INr OPEN CHOP: First Heat:

r Percysmith 1, W. Gregory 2, M, Wll. liams 3. Time 34sec. Second Heat: Green 1, M. Bennett 2, J.’ Cameron ‘3. Time 36 2-ssec. Third Heat. F. LH. Thompson 1, J. Bird 2, A. A. §Townshend 3. Time 45 4—ssec. Final: Gregory 1, W. Green 2, A, A. jTownshend 3. Time 33 I—ssec. A 15lN. UNDERHAND CHOP: First. Heat: W. Green 1, J. Beardsley 2. W. Gregory 3. Time 58 3-ssec. Second Heat: S. Woodward 1, J. Bird 2, W. Peck 3. Time Imin. 7sec. Final: J. Beardsley 1, W. Green 2. S. Woodward 3. Time Imin. 6sec. 12IN. MAIDEN CHOP: First Heat: M. Williams 1, T. J. Williams 2, Torrey 3. Time 43 2-ss=ec. Second Heat: Percy Smith 1, P. T. Becker 2, H. J. Nicolle 3. Time 39 1-ss‘ec.. Final: M. Wiliams 1, Percy Smith 2, P. T. Becker 3. Time 32 2-ssec. ’ SINGLE-HANDED SAW (15in log): E, Torrey 1, S. Woodward .2, A. I Clinton 3. . DOUBLE HANDED SAW (15in log): ’ J. Neal and W. Gregory 1, A. Clintonl and mate 2. W. H. Reynolds and G. Cosford 3. I MAIDEN SINGLE SAWS ‘A. Footel 1. J. Neale 2, G. Cosford 3. ‘ ATHLETIC EVENTS. 100 YARDS HANDICAP: A, E. Joblin 1, E. A. Bellise 2, G. K. M-c-Allum 3. Twelve started. 220 YARDS HANDICAP: A. E. Job- 1 lin 1. E. A. Belliss 2, G. K. McA,llum 3. { Ten started. I

440 YARDS HANDICAP: E. A. Belliss 1, J. Kerr .2, A. E. Joblin 3. Eleven started.

880 YARDS HANDICAP: J. Kerr 1, A. Buckingham 2, H. J. Clemance 3. Eleven started. '°

ONE MILE HANDICAP: A. Buckingham 1, C. McAlinden 2, A. McKee 3. Nine started.’ 120 YARDS CHAMPIONSHIP: H. Eaton 1, R. W. Campbell 2, W. Munro 3.

SCHOOLS’ RELAY RACE: Buck-' ley’s team (Taihape) 1, Coutts’ team

(Taihape) 2, Paradinefs team (Tai--hape) 3. SCHOOLS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (16 and under): Buckley (Taihape) 1, Coutts; (Taihape) 2-, Hall (Taihape) 3. SCHOOLS’ CHAMPIONSHIP (13 and under): Dickenson 1, Tomlinson 2, Ashton 3. '

GIRLS’ RACE (16 and under): M. Kendall 1, J. Bosher 2, V. Jones 3.

GIRLS’ RACE (13 and under): E. Thurston 1. M. Kendall 2, J. Bosher 3.

HOP, STEP ‘AND JUMP: P, Norris (4-oft; 9m) 1. “

HIGH JUMP: P. Norrjs (sft 3in.) 1. M. Petersen 2.

FIELD EVENTS. GOLF PTTING. Mr Barkman won after a play-off with Mrs A. James, who had each completed the round in six. One hundred and eighty nominations _ STEPPING THE DISTANCE——D.. Webster 1. One hundred and -twenty’ nominations. . A - PUTTING THE SHOT—Whaki (33ft 7§in) 1, Constable Shearman 2. CUMBERLAND WRESTLING: M. \Vilsou 1. FIRE BRIGADE EVENTS-—Two men dry coupling: M. J. Bartosh’s prizes were won by Mr R. McClure and W. Adair, Junr; and the prizes’ dona—. ted by Messrs J. Mortland’ and A. Russell were won by E. Eaton and R. McClure. THROWING THE HAMMER: Constable Shearman (75ft lin) 1. HORSE EVENTS. MAIDEN HORSE JUMP: Mr T. Devane’s entry 1, Mr E. J, Andorson’s entry 2, Mr Te Pukc’s entry 3. OPEN HORSE JUMP: Mr W. Coogan’s entry 1, Mr T-’."'Troy’s entry 2, T. Bradley ’s en'fry 3. OPEN PONY JUMP: Mr Hepe'ri’§ entry 1, Mr Mudgway’s entry 2. Mr G. Murphy’s entry 3.

IRISH NATIONAL CONCERT. An overflowing house greeted the presentation of the Irish National Concert at the Town Hall last night, when Mr Hamilton Hodges’ company of talented musicians rendered a firstclass programme. The items comprised, in most cases, the choicest of Erin's national melodies, which were listened to with pleasure and delight by the large number of Irish men and women present. The character of the different numbers varied from grave and pathetic to the quaint humour typical ‘of “the distressful country,” and encore-S were clamantly demanded and conceded. Miss Cleo Fernandos was in good voice, and her various numbers were sung with feeling and precision. “The Hills of Donegal,” her initial effort, being an ac-‘ ceptable number, and she had to respond to an encore. She was equally successful in “The Minstrel Boy.” Mr Meates, who possesses a fine basso voice, sang with effect those old ‘favourites, “Off to Philadelphia” and “Father o’Flynn,-” the encore number “Simon the Cellar-er,” being a par-

’ticularly fine piece of Vocalisa-tiOIL Miss Eileen Driscoll delighted the !audience with “Molly Bawn,” which [she sang in a charming manner, also ithe rollicking Irish song “Rory O’More.” But her most successful effort was the pathetic ballad “The Irish Emigrant,” which she rendered with great charm and expression. She was vociferously recalled, and gave “The Dear Little Shamrock” very lfeelingly. Mr Hamilton Hodges was in fine form, and sang his various songs in his usual artistic manner, his rendering of “If I Were King of Ireland,” “The Song of the Rebel(’ and “Mary O’Neil],” being an object lesson in vocalisation, and he had a great reception. Mr W, W. Crawford confirmed the good impression he made on his former visit to Taihape, and the audience were very 10th to let him go. His first contribution‘ was a recitation “In Memory of the Dead,” which revealed an unsuspected note of pathos in his temperament. But it was h-umourous items which appealed so strongly. “Some Ideas: of a Girl,” was a capital character sketch, and the parody on the “Charge of -the Light Brigade,” was very funny. “Simple Jimmy,” was another humorous sketch which tickled the audience, and in response to an’ insistent recall he gave an, eccentric dance, which brought down the house. He had to repeat it, and it was with reluctance he was allowed to go. The quartettes, by Misses Driscoll, Fernandos, and Messrs Hodges and Mates were most enjoyable, the singing of

l“Killarney,~” “Come Back to Erin,” :and the “Last Rose of Summer” being excellent. The Masters Crawford contributed several violin and piano duets, which were warmly applauded. Mrs E. H. Queree played the accomlpaniments in her usual artistic and [sympathetic manner. The singing of !the National Anthem brought a very senjoyable entertainment to a close_ l --_____--__-_=_-_-.—._-:-_-.-