THE NEW YEAR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1681, 3 January 1888, Page 2

THE NEW YEAR.

At ushered in .r very ‘ quietly, . doubtless owing to New Year’s Day falling on a Sunday this year. On Saturday-night the 5 streets; were' well pedestrians; but the shops wire not decorated. About 10 i 'o’clock, the Volunteer Brass Band assembled in accordance with their usual custom on ,jf|sw 'Jear^.^ye^and proceeded into the country,, i where, ’ they visited different residences and played a numher of selections throughout the night. Shortly after 11 o’clock tfervices Were commenced in St; Saviour’s Anglican and the Wesleyan Churches, and at the* Salvation Barracks, which were continued until shortly after 12. They were well attended. At 12 o’clock the bells at St. Saviour’s and the Presbyterian Churches were rung, a few crackers were let off, and a gun or two was fired, but nothing farther marked the occasion.

Little or no display was made at Geraldine to mark .thfe ? advent of the New Year. Beyond the spasmodic letting off- of l a few Chinese crackers by small boys no display of fireworks was indulged in. On Monday the town was almost deserted by the inhabitants; ;■! A very, large number went by rail and road to Timaru, while a great many went to the Good Templars’ picnic. The town bore quite a deserted appearance during the afternoon, scarcely anyone being visible. Some two or three picnic parties visited the bush from Timaru and elsewhere.

At Timaru on Saturday evening the usual, services! were 'conducted in several o£ the churches, and were largely attended. The New Tear was welcomed very quietly. Two or three rockets were sent up, a few crackers let off, and a : gun fired. A great many. people, assembled ,at the breakwater and in the street)*, ’ but before one o’clock all had dispersed to their homes. \ A nor’-west wind which prevailed made things rather unpleasant. ‘ '

The New Year was ushered in at Wellington with’ grave • quietness, hardly a rocket being fired either from the shipping or the shore. At twelve o’clock the ships’ bells rung, but alter that silence reigned supreme, '.and at 1 o’clock the streets were deserted. ' At Dunedin there was the' usual display of fireworks, crackers, etc, The streets were crowded , all, the evening. Everything passed off in a most orderly manner, the police h aving nothing to do. Not a single .arrest was-made. t '‘ i%

1 At Christchurch the year 1888 was welcomed very quietly, in fact, Inspector Pender remarked that it was the quietest advent of a new year on record. The ringing of a peal' on the Cathedral bells, and the letjting. pff of some crackers by boys was all' that marded the event. 4

THE CALEDONIAN SPORTO. Peesident —Mr Eobert Ferguson, j Yice-Peesidents —..Messrs J. Fraser and Ti Henderson. ! Dibbctoes—Messrs : W. Evans, A. Sinclair, D. Sfcukrtj ;, T. E. J ones, 0. Palliser, W« (Qunn, A. J. Quelch. A. Q-. lii’derson, T. Jowsey, J. Bruee, J. Mqrray, J. Burnett, J. S. Keith, Frank Cameron, T. G’Driscoll, and E. Mackay. Official Handicappee—Mr P. Bell (assisted br Messrs T. E. , Jones,.. Frank Cameron, :»nd W t . G-unn)f /Hoir. Teeasubbb—Mr J.Gv Macpherson. Seceetabt—Mr S. Davies The thirteenth annual sports’ gathering ( of, the S juth Canterbury Caledonian, Society commenced yesterday on their grounds at, Patiti Point, near I imam. The weather during; the morning Was dull and threatening, and at one time rain fell, hilt ! m the afternoon the sun shone,, out with great brilliancy and left nothing to be desired, The attendance appeared to be as large as at any previous gathering- under the ftqiljjices of the Society, and thq sports were an unqualideel suQ?e?s, The results were as follow?; | Horizontal, Bae Prize, Trophy value ;61 10s. 4 Bdton; .ii ... • -■••I 1

Thbowing 221 b Hammer (Handicap) First prize, £2; second, £ls. J. Sullivan . A, Mcßeth ••• 2 Four entered- ’ Bagpipe Music in Costume (Pilbrochs) —M.C.C.S’s. prize and first £4; second, £2; third, £l. D. Campbell ... ••• ••• £ R. Munro ••• ••• 2 Bagpipe Music in Costume (Marches) First prize, £4 ; second, £2; third, £l. ... D. Campbell < * ..* "' I E. Munro ... ... ••• ••• 2 100 Tabds Maiden ; Race First .prize, £2; second, £1; third, 10s. T. Petrie ... ... ... ,- * J.McCullough ... 2 T. Kyne ... ... Putting 221 b Stone (Handicap) ■ First prize, £2; second, £l. J. D, Chalmers ... ••• ••• 2 Four entered. Best Deessed Highlander Man (At own expense)—First prize, £2; second, £1; , D. Campbell ... ••• ••• * J. Lyon ... ... ••• 2 Best Deessed Highlandee—-dot undee 12 (Own Costume)—First prize, 10s; second, 6s. Gunn ... ... ••• * F. Adams ... ... 2 Geand Caledonian Handicap—First . prize, £10; second, £5 ; third, £3. ! -- < Winners of Heats, 10s. Placed ; men in distances: Fust, £2; second, £l. . . First Distanck —l2O Yard*. First Heat. D. O. Mcßeath, 7yd* ... ... 1 C. F. Cork, 2yds ... ... ... 2 :■Second, Heat. X McCullough, 9yds 1 W. F. Hobbs, 7yds ... ... 2 . Third Heat. j. Thompson, 6yds ... 1 T. Nicholls, syds ... . ... ... 2 VV , . < Fourth Heat. •-G. Strachan, 4yds... .i., —1 ‘ H. B. Austin, 6yds 2. Second Distance -350 Ysrds. First Heat. V. 0. Mcßeath, 16yds ... ... 1 W. Little, 12yds 2 Second Heat. J. McCullough, 24yds 1 W.F.Hobbs, 16yds ... ... 2 Third Heat. J. Thompson, 16yds 1 ,T. Comey,l7yds ... ... ... 2 s Fourth Heat. , . G. Strachan, 11yds ... 1 J. Harold, 16yds .;. ... ... 2 Third Distance—22o Yards. ' ' First Heat. D. C. Mcßeath, 12yds ..1 ... 1 W. H. Little, 9yds ... ... 2 1 Second Heat. J. McCullough, 16yds 1 W.F. Hobbs, 12yda 2 i Third Heat. j; . T. Nicholls, 9yds ... ... ... I i J. Thompson, 11yds ... ... 2 1 Fourth Heat. ] G. Strachan, 7yds ... 1 < J. Harold, 12yds ... ... ... 2 i Fourth Distance—44o Yards.

■First Heat. D. G. Mcßeath; 20yds ... ... 1 W. H. Little, 14yds 2 Second Heat, J. McCullough, 30yds ... ... 1 W. F. Hobbs, 20yds 2 Third Heat. J. Thompson, 20yds ... ... 1 T. Nicholls, 16yds ... 2 Fourth Heat. G-. Strachan, 12yds ... ... 1 J. Harold, 20yds ... ... ... 2 The final heats of this race 'will be run to-day. Amateue Bicycle HaneiMf cap—Trophy, Talue £2los. First Beat, A. Haigh, 120yds ... ... ... 1 Cullman, 20yds... ... ... 2 Second Heat. Peters, 185yds 1 McDonald, 10yds 2 ' Highlaed Ebel in Costume (Mei) First prize, £3; second, £2; third, K -£l. ■ ■ E. Munro ... t ... ... ... 1 '“■■jotPhipps ... ... ... ... 2 JVBanks ... 3 ■Faulting with Pole— -First prize, , £2los ; second, £l. McAuliffe, 9ft Bin ... ... 1 J. McKay, 9ft 6in ... ... 2

Hoßkuiß,Sftsin... ... ... 3 ' 440 Yards Handicap Hubdle Race —First prize, £3 ; second, £2; third, £l. T.Nicholls, 16yds .... 1 C. F. Cork, scratch ... ... 2 J. Thompson, 18yds 3 Bwikgletbke—First prize, £1; second, 10i. •—Dalton ... ... ... ... 1 "OssfACiE Race (once round track) First prize, £2 10»; second, £l. W.F. Hobbs ... ... ... 1 James ... ... 2 Highland Fxing in Costume (Men) First prize, £3; second, £2 : third, " £l. : R. Munro ... ... ... ... 1 J. Banks ... ... ... ... 2 0. Phipps ... ... ... ... 8 3-Mils Amateub Bictci<e Handicap r-Prize, Trophy, value £2 10*. —McDonald, 25yds 1 A. Haigh, 135yds ... 2 Hiohiandxbs* Eace (in costume); once round*—First prize, £1 10s; second, 10s. -Kirk ... 1 —Reece ... ... ... ... 2 ' Maiden Wbestiino (Cumberland stjle)—First prize, £3; second ... ;jsl 10s ; third, 10s. J. Walsh ... ... ... ... 1 Connolly ... ... u ... 2 Taylor ... ... ... 3

Tossing the Cabee—First prize, £2; second, £l. J. Tilley (Maori) ... 1 D. Chalmers * 2 1 Mile Walking Handicap—First prize, £4; second, £2 ; third, £l. E. Tremaine, 195yds . 1 J, M. O’Connor, scr ..i ... 2 880 Tabds Handicap—First prize, I £4; second, £2 ; third, £l. T. Nicholls, 45yd5... 1 W. Hobbs, 50yds ... 2 X Saddler, 50yds ... 3 Ghillib Cailum (Swoed Dance) in Costume (Men) —First prize, ; £3; second, £2; third, £l. J. Banks ... ... , 1 0. Phipps ... ... 2 E. Munro 8 ; Some other events had not been competed for when our reporter left.

i ANNIVERSARY PICNIC.

The anniversary picnic of the Welcome Eetreat Lodge, 1.0.G.T., Geraldine, took place yesterday, in Mr G. J. Denistoun’s paddock, Peel Forest, kindly lent by that gentleman for the occasion. The sky in the morning appeared somewhat overcast, but about twelve o’clock the sun shone out brightly and the heat became almost unpleasant. A start was made for the rendezvous about ten o’clock—traps and vehicles of every description being pressed into the service to convey the pleasure seekers thither and it was reached about eleven. The spot was about as good a one as could be chosen for such a gathering, being a grass paddock skirted, by an open and exceedingly pretty bush that afforded grateful shelter from the too fierce heat of the sun. Arrived on the ground, a start was made with games of every sort. The coppers were also set going and preparations made for lunch. This was served about two o’clock, in a shady spot, and was heartily appreciated after the drive. The, edibles were supplied by Messrs j. Williams and Son, whose name is a sufficient guarantee for the quality and quantity. Lunch having been fully discussed games and sports of every description were commenced, rounders, “ drop-the-handerchief,” “ two-and-threes,” and numberless other games being gone in for with great zest. An excellent programme of races for old and young was also successfully carried out, liberal money and other prizes being given. The Geraldine Brass Band, under the leadership of Mr T. Sherratt, were on the ground, and their excellent music contributed not a little to the enjoyment of those present. The attendance increased as the day wore on and during the afteanoon there must have been between three and four hundred persons present. .After indulging in a great variety of sports and games a start was made for home in the cool of the evening, the picnickers arriving back shortly before dark, and: ; all apparently having thoroughly enjoyed themselves.