THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2167, 14 December 1875, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1875.

The love of athletic sports, more particularly those to which the term " amateur " is applied, which since the year 1864 has increased to such a very large extent throughout England, seems also to have affected this colony/and if a healthy wish to excel in manly-;exercises be-ifostered thereby, and no inordinate desire to sacrifice more important.duties to the ambition which success begets be engendered, we think that all should be pleased that a movement which has done much good at home seems likely to find favour here. We say advisedly that at home the pursuit of amateur athletics has done much good, and of this we think there can be no question in. the minds of those who are really conversant with the facts. ..-. It-is well known that injLondon, and in the large towns there were" literally thousands of young men employed in business, banking houses, and law offices during the day, who, when their day rs work was over, had nothing to do in the way of exercise except perhaps an aimless walk through crowded^ thoroughfares, which rather wearied than relieved the already tired head. Cricket could not be played except during a portion of the year, and I then only on Saturday afternoons, or at the best only by a few of those who happened to live in the immediate neighbourhood of a cricket ground. Bowing, owing tothe> difficulty of getting the same crew together at the same time, had also disadvantages aud drawbacks, aud it was felt that somethiug in the way of provid-

ing proper exercise was wanted for those who could neither bo always playing cricket, nor yet -rowing. When running paths and Jrunning',?jsround3 were introduced, this want w.aa jno longer felt, and thanks to the annual meetings of tl\p v < Amateur Athletic "'Club, the frequent; gatherings of" the London Athletic Chibf and other similar societies, thousands,6B--young men, who, duringieight months of the year, had nothing Id do in this way, are both amused an d strengthened; for it mjisfc be reme^ib^^^ who actually excel in running and jumping are benefited by these grounds,, but ;.als6i the numberlessothers—^thgir.Jric,njd| and j; . acquaintances—who, if they do not run and jump themselves, take yet a lively: interest in seeing their friends do so, and constantly walk out fo ? se ; e how,|they,.|get on in their trainffig and practice, jpo ths|t without showing at length—which our space forbids—how greatly athletics hare conduced both to the health and pleasure of a great number of young men, we think that we are fairly entitled to assert by even .the. little, that ; we^ .have,,sajd, ;that these sports have produced these advantages at home, and therefore they, may, if properly practised and judiciously supported, tend to produce the same advantage here. Hence we. aro glad to see that they are likely to'be more practised than they have been ; and thafcjhej- are ( likely, to be. so, he judge, frbiflvivhat we see and hear. Not only does Mr :Gfaham of; Ellerslie announce sports to take place at his grounds this Christmas .to. do*so rip, doubt by; fife' success which attended his last efforts—but; the North Shore Rowing Club also hold an athletic meeting, and offer as we are most pleased to see they do, prizes for youths and boys. Besides thiis, too, we notice that the pupils of the College at Nelson are to have sports with a pro-, gramme of 22 events, and other.; schools and institutions will, we doubt not, follow in the wake rof thesei '■ These last two. circumstances -—the offering prizes' to boys, and the institution of athletic sports at our schools—we are more particularly-glad to see r - because a desire for honest out-door recreation once fostered in the young will increase with growth, and many spare hours be devoted profitably, both as regards health and the pocket, to these which would otherwise- be spent^-— or misspent—in; |he billiard room and public house. It is quite certain, however, that all will not be brought to look at these things with the same eyes as we ourselves do, and some there are who after manner-of Dr Skey (and unhappily Thackeray in a minor degree) predict nothing but ruined health, insidious diseases, and speedy death to all those—or at. any rate part of those — yyh.6 go in for this'sorts of thingi The. New Zealandl Herald has taken up the •cry, and in a short paragraph in its issue of December Bth, having for its imrne-; diate import the decrying those who expect boys "to run a mile during their contest," tells astory of a race, which the writer of the paragraph saw, at Dolby, in; Queensland, where cf three boys who entered "one just got to the half-mile post when he fell in a fainting condition,", another collapsed about three hundred yards further on, and the winner after being placed uuder the immediate care of a medical man,.subsequently died, with one of bis companions, of' heart disease; The picture is gloomy enough indeed, but wholly insufficient to!prove the "result which the Herald would fain have us draw, viz., that no boys of. 17 or 18 years old ought to be expected to run a mile. In the first place, no one—whether man or boj—ought to run any race without first being examined by a medical mau to see whether he be fit to run or not; and secondly, he ought not to run a mile race unless properly or at least decently trained. Amateur athletics i are of course liable to be abused as well as all other things under the sun, both by an injudicious participation in them, and also by an undue devotion to them ; that is, we mean devoting to them more time than the would-be athlete 1 can or ought to spare. But it is not the abuse of athletics which we advocate, but the use, aud, moreover, the judicious use of. them ; and to say that any ordiharyEnglish or Colonial boy of .seventeen or eighteen years old, soursd in wind and limb, cannot with very little trouble and no after inconvenience to himself easily: run a mile race by a little judicious practice and ordinary training,. sllow.s, that the writer of the paragraph in question is as ignorant of the use of athletics as -lie can -well be. Boys should be taught to run and jump in a proper manner, in the same way that they should: be taught; every thing else in reason; they will -never be any' the worse for it, and the chances are that: they will be a good deal better. Besides, though a mile race to the terrified ; eye of the New Zealand Herald seetiis a 'dreadful thiDg, it is not so, and the actual exhaustion caused by it is, except in-a vei'y' few cases, not nearly :so great; as that! caused by a quarter of a mile " race— which is to our mind the hardest of all dustances, for the simple reason that.a man to run a " quarter must keep hard; at it all the time, whereas ,in a< mile race, after haying; .once settled; ..into his stride,%he is running,' ; generally; speaking, well ;; ;within .hiujself funtjj the! last turn for home; 3£:bpys, wlieiityiQung,, are taught to; feel an interest, in : these sort of thinge-rrand 1 hey will nqtrtakia'aa; interest unless.they see ■ those 'older;th¥n; themselves do so^-afid if that interest; be i restrained to preventitpassing due bpufldii," and so becoming"' either hurtful? tb?"tl|e; health or prejudicial to the stddieff; iffwilli no doubt tend to add 7 both-raa&liiSess; io the character, and strength and-"energy: to the mind as well asbjjdjr. !; ; ,

The anniversary £e# meeting of the Shortland Wesleyan Sunday Sphool will take place; this; evening in the *Ghurch,j Willoughby street. Tea will be on the; table at 6 o'clock. After tea a public! meeting will be held, when the Bey. J. Crump will be in the chair, and addresses will be delivered by the He vs. K. Laishley and J. T, Hinton. j

Thrke was a clean sheet at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning.

Thkbb was a concert given in the Good Templars' Hall,Jl£Rolleston street, last night in aid oifne Piano Fund of the Northern Pionec.r Lodge^ Uhe prorffii^mni^,wfeba, JK\ m%H ifcafflhgsp.iand him yrivo wel WndeM, iheT.sool strohmiirof tHtt G,66S;l:Templlf b&jr fe(iing s ci>^id^ a^ly "ii)iierea.aied H^y the/aiifckindl*>* >feiTCTli; iof'JVlisses Hunter and Mason, Captain • Bichards and others. We hear that a ] great deal of the success which now ', seems-to follow th« concerts given-bythe^! Good Templavs is due to the unflagging i ;;Mergy)!andr .aisplftyed IbffMr f fT| ] Bell, to whom as an acconapanist, the ' TnenYbgrs^^^Ee^liW'^riri^ debted. V^'7ir-;{I I 1

We have to hand a Provincial Govern-! ment Gazette published yesterday. It is i notified that re-entry has been made by; the lessor on the ground of the Ballarat; and Eising Sun Goldiiining Company.A return is published showing thej'ocejpjts ■ .an^^penditu^e Bolrds fortne year 'enoing"3t)tb.i June, 1875. A number of notices underi the Highways Acts.,appear, and statement of the affairs of the Kuranui Goldminingi Company. 1 Tjp ICSmbii|t|e,ioff the£j£aua|ranga! School i©iltricCiav'eiJß JedMpon Friday, 17th instant, as " breaking up " day, and school duties will be resumed on the 17th January, bftJy^a^dnM'tlirQliday beingl given this year. It is intended to award: prizes at the Girls' School, and to give thejboys ajday's optingribout .».,fortniglrt after the reassembling when the holidays; are over. To-provide funds for these objects Mr Grigg, honorary secretary of the; School Committee, went out yesterdajrjind; ) collected in> al.'shdr't ti'me"V*£ M eVy*re'sp^e|t-1 able sum, and also a number of donatfons! for pfizesj of whidhl ttie' following ■> give's; particulars:—Dr Fox, 21s; Mr J. E.; Macdonald, 20s ; (MjriG.ibb.pnsj -21sf; /Mr Souter, 2Ls; Mr Airey, lOs 6d ; Mr Macnab, 10s; Mr Grigg 10s ;Dr Kilgour,; 10s ; Mr Heron, 55.;,-Mr C. Cox, ss; Mr; J. Allaway, 5s ; Messrs Veale and Hud- j son, ss; Messrs Hopcraft, McCullough and Co., ss;;;;l.ißi,'\4s; Mri B.^Bagnalli;4s ;| Mr Severn, ss; Messrs Wilkinson and; Horton, : ss; ,Mr J. Hudson, 2s 6d;;Mr Douglas, Sis* 6d; fi'iends per Miss HaW-j ,den,. 10s ;, balance from last year, per Mr 3; 'TTrithiafafe,; 4?.'6d. Mr Koennau, mottled: kauri work-box; Mr J. Cocks, six wax-| dollaurand;;other"toys; Mrs Unthank,! toys; Mr Driver, scissors, &c.; and; sundry vplumesof ;books from Mr Burra'Mr'Jeffers.onj Mr Mason anil Mr Weeks.' These amounts will bo further supple-: mented by sums collected by the teapliers, in which we have no doubt the residents; of the Kauaeranga district will evince their accustomed liberality. The interest already displayed in this movement war-; rants the hope that the prizes for girls; and the treat for the boys will be such as; to enco.ttragj^em M*i^^PAecjaJien,, ...of their studies when the time for work j again comes round. : ,< ;;;Y

A New Zealand Gazette Extraordinary has been received. It .contains the Governor's |>proelsmation' dissolving the^ General Assembly ; warrant for the issue' of writs for election of/\aew parliament;) proclamation fixing Wednesday, the 2nd; day of February nex&las.Jthe 'day for thei meeting of the new parliament; warrants! abolishing ■certain; polling place's and ;ap«! pointing others. The following; are thej polling placesl for'the Thames' 1 District^—-i The Resident Magistrate's. Cour.t Jlouse,; Shortland; 'Fleming aiid Steph'erisoti's; Store, Hastings, Tapu r Creek; ...The. Warden's" Court House,' "Mackaytown,! Ohinemuri; Mr George .White's , ; Q id Store, Mercury Biy;" The Eesicleht Magistrate's Court House, Coromandel.

The, Rev. Mr J^ark, fiead teacher.of the Kauaeiianga Boys' School', having resigned the position, .Mr Octayius A. Field, who has for - some month's been assistant teacher in the school, has received the ajipointment,of head teacher. Mr FielddJ^a Jieacfier j^long Experience and holds a first class certificate from the Victorian.Boajrd of -Education.? jiWehavei no doubt that under his direction the | Kauaeranga Boys' School will be well conducted and lose none of ; it%efficiency.:B \ ! Theke iyus a.' fall, meeting of "the! committee" of the ' Mechanics' Institute; held ; in the 1 yesterdayheveji-: ing. Mr -Severn,; one lof :the! vice-; presidents, was calledftq ithe-chain A' letter was read 'announcing" a subsidy of, £50 made over tp the Institute; by;the(Superintendent. '■ -Ituwas/icesolved; that the thanks of. the.Jhstitute be sent to the Thames Dramatic ; Club' for late* enteijtairiirierit , given by them'in aid of the funds, and; further, that ticlfets" admitting^ to the; privileges of members fqr'btie be sent to each member of the club.- It was also resolved that, there being a balance of ''£35 ;'ia hand" after all the liabilities of the Institute, thafcMe: Library Committee -ibo-i empowered to spend the sum of £30 in books., A subcommittee^ consisting of Severn, F. W. Paul, Bagnall, and. J. Head was formed to consider Hhe f advisability of holding an exhibition of manufactures,: objects 6f art 'and other mtercst'ing"suljrjects some time^ in March next..vTWebe*r that already 'silver medals have'been premised as. special .prices shoukl it.heieihibition take place! ' L r *'

We heai 1; that! fthe. p.erforniapce given by the Thames Cricketers while on their late visit to Coromandel.iias resulted so successfully, in a financial point of view, that the Coromandel..Cricket,.<2lub, ; ..for Ayhp^e^b'enefiii'-ihV^rfbJmance^^as given, have a fair balance in handraffcer paying all the club's debts including some " heavy" ones from last year's accounts. This is, satisfactory.:.: >-t . .■> w[ :qi/j.

The instiiac'fc of theJfewfoundland dogs to save a drowning;, person (says the Graphic), 7 has been, somewhat- painfully tested by. aii, ilnl.ucky, !Ei"ehcblnian. v' He was walking in the country with a friend, who possessed amagnificent/J^ewfound- !;- "land, and inc&u'tibusly 1, questioned | v|he truth of the-animal's'sagacity. Thedog's master, • vexed mt\ the; slufi-rqasj; fiptt" his favorite, gave, hjs friend, a push and knocked him ijito" .'£f 'shallow , river. "Tutk" imm.edia°teljr ''^nfl. seizing 1 one of the tails-of tße inherited "mail's" cbit, commen&B&fa '/swim.; for }$j& Unfortunately >: atptli^r'^^ewfo'ui&la&dV trotting; along the": side of the river,; saw the affair, and also came to the rescue. Dog, number two seized the other tail of the coat and wished to swim back to In*. f masfers ' " Turl£."'l%ld;^s| t3kha "^ruggled,^or 7«^ side^ a^sls?6mLer of; tne coat cyied in^vain" for help^' fit jlast; the coat gaye way, and each Newfound--land swam proudly'home wijli a piepe of cloth in his mouth, so that " Turk's '* master was obliged to pluugo in himself to save his I'rieud.

" Atticus " writes in the Melbourne Leader :—" I recollect once having my hair cut by a fashionable hairdresser in Parift.ivSt^Wcas shown into a room and asked ip a-piiair. Presently a gentleman entefcfiM looked at me from various stood as if Jjj|g|efee| !?g|ing to |c^m/M|tny time wag prejipus|| SWafdon|Mob^Bf, I am not the * air'lfe|^Jsl^r t' t- Alphonse,' h^^kjdfj OT'iß'tnan in the orthodox costume j of the craft, who just then entered the ■ room,' ala Laviarknc' The meaning of ,i^bM ™^^^ j named after the great poet would best i|,su]tmy ; ;par&iitet'style of manly beauty, i"A*similar incident occurred the other day I to be photogr^pbi§d,., rf Q-He was looked ; over and over halWa^dozeh times, and was asked if he wanted to be" taken' alar Rent- \ 1 brandt. ' Oh, dear no,' was the reply; 'I' ; only want an ordinary cabinet.' " ; ! Gejlts' iClot6*sl WdyeveVj^ Mscri^tion ] : of Dyeing and Cleaning done on the | shortest possible notice at the Thames' i Dyeing Establishment, corner of Holies-1 I ton and Richmond streets.— Advt. i