ATHLETICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 8, 10 June 1913, Page 8

ATHLETICS.

• A SPECTACULAR DISPLAY. OPENING OF GERMAN STADIUM.

By Cable —Press Association—Copyright. Received 9, 10.15 p.m. Berlin, June 9.

There were thirty thousand spectators at the opening of the stadium, despite the fact that standing room cost two marks (2s). General Podbielski greeted the Kaiser and Empress on behalf of the 2,250,000 athletics affiliated.

The Imperial Committee of the Olympic Games released ten thousand military pigeons, bearing to all parts of Germany the Kaiser's motto, "Ever ready for the Empire's glory." Thirty thousand athletes, bearing a thousand banners, then marched past, saluting the Emperor and crying "Hail!" Ten thousand gymnasts followed, with twenty thousand cyclists, four thousand footballers, and also lawn tennis players, runners and skaters, and finally eighty-five hundred Boy Scouts and five hundred Girl Scouts. Displays followed of women's cluh swinging and \yall-scaling by guardsmen.

The Kaiser stood for two hours returning salutes.

TERRITORIAL GYMKHANA SPORTS MEETING.

I In our advertising columns attention is drawn to the first annual Territorial j gymkhana sports meeting to be held under the auspices of the Egmont A. arid P. Association on the Show Grounds, Hawera, on Thursday, June 26, in Winter Show week. The gymkhana has been inaugurated by the A. and P. Association with a view to giving interest to the Territorials and cadets, and will bo the first of its kind held in Taranaki. The fixture will not be by any means a local function, as the programme embraces all Territorials and cadets in military area groups 8 and 5, the whole of Taranaki, the King Country, and down to Palmerston. Companies will therefore be well represented, as free railway passes will be granted those men competing. Throughout the classes the Association are giving valuable trophies, and in the case of company events or teams, challenge trophies are allotted so that the same may be installed in the various recreation rooms of the Territorials and competed for annually. The three military bands will be an added attraction, and all companies will assemble at the Hawera railway station in uniform on the day of the gymkhana in order to march with the massed bands to the showgrounds. The trophies will be presented to the winners in the evening at the Winter Show by his Worship the Mayor. The programme provides for both infantry and mounted events, including as it does tug-of-war (intercompany), Balaclava melee, tent-pitching, marching, tent-pegging, best turned-out mounted man with troop horse, Territorial or cadet, Lloyd-Lindsay, bugling, relay race, physical drill * and mounted jumping. There will be great amusement afforded in cock-fighting, tilting the bucket, boot race, pillow fighting on spar, wrestling on horseback, bun°and pop race, and the obstacle race in fancv costume, ("liven fine weather, the gym- j khana slieuld be a very interesting fix-1 ture. I