HOLIDAY GOSSIP.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3078, 28 December 1878, Page 2

HOLIDAY GOSSIP.

The turning of the "first sod" was a great event for the Thames. No doubt we scored one. Auckland and Waikato would hare liked to see the railway started from the interior to the Thames : We want to have the railway made from here. The question was mooted long before the Hamilton people had any conception they would hare a railway at all, but there nerer existed a doubt that some time or other we would hare a railway from Thames through the district we may call our own. Eren in Auckland, I hear, the proposal for Sir George Grey to turn "the first sod" was ridiculed, and the more credit is due to those who so successfully convinced the Minister for Pub lie Works, and subsequently the Premier. We hare not a spark of jealousy regarding Waikato, but the people there (or some of them) hare no doubt done their level best to work a point on us, by trying to make use of the agitation that has been persistently carried on here for years to get the railway constructed. I am sure Thames people< will forgive them, especially as the Minister for Public Works has rather snubbed them in regard to their advocacy of Waikato's claims for a commencement of the work there.

Holiday making has been the order of the day since the turning of the first sod.; Eren Auckland people have admitted; that the Thames can show them the wayj to do things. No matter.' Auckland and Waikato will be fain to .confess that the! decision of Ministers His ! right. : The; Thames Valley line is our railway. If there had been no Jine through Waikato the; Thames Valley railway would hare been made some time or other. It was a matter of time, and if we connect with Hamilton, so much the better for i Hamilton. :

..Talking pf holidays, we come to sports, and what strikes one is the necessity of having a public recreation ground handy to the town. The Borough's recent purchase is too far away. What is to be done in the meantime? Well, purchase a piece of Noke Noke and lay it oat for sports. The owner would surely make liberal terms, as it would enhance the value of adjacent lands. Why doesn't somebody take the initiative. If it were done, all demonstrations like that on Boxing Day might be made central and accessible to all comers.

The "K'reet card" was a feature at the sports on Boxing Day and yesterday, and will be again to-day. I remember a rather smart thing io this line. A printing firm in Dunedin, on the occasion of the first Champion Kace, purchased from the stewards the right to print and sell the correct card. Another firm had competed for the privilege bat-were outbid. What did they do ? They printed a large number of cards on the one side with a local song composed by a well known Australian old identity yclept Jim Mulholland. On the race day they had out a number of what our American friends would call "bummers." These were stationed at various points on the line of route to the race course. After several ineffectual attempts one of these managed to negotiate the purchase of the authorised " K'rect card," Forthwith he posted home. The card was cut into little bits, and a number of compositors in attendance soon put the entries, with "names, weights, and colors of the riders, 1' into type. Just as soon a large number of cards were printed, and a whole host of runners were despatched to the race course with " Dorling's Correct Card of the Races," selling the same at a shilling as against the modest sum of half-a-crown demanded by the agents of the steward's card. It was a smart trick and took immensely, old turfites being taken by the Hame of Dorling, familiar, I believe, to most people who have witnessed a " Derby."

Can anybody explain why the Thames Scottish Band'did not turn out for the benefit of the Hospital ? They could not be supposed, to be on shift on Boxing Day, but they didn't turn out to play on Demonstration day. Perhaps some unpaid accounts in connection with hospitalities to recent distinguished guests may have had something to do it. Is the Scottish Band a volunteer affair, or is it an organisation to make money P When their next benefit comes off people may make further enquiries.

Nobody who saw this Thames in holiday attire as it has been for a week past and probably will be for another week, would conceive that there was anything like depression. No doubt people hare come out " strong." , Our. Auckland visitors hare said so. They gave us the palm for getting up a demonstration, and if they had put in an appearance on Thursday and Friday they would have been equally glad to admit that in our own tinpot way we can be unanimous in

combining to make the holiday season at least locally enjoyable. .

Some of the knowing ones grumbled at the handicaps of the races yesterday. They couldn't have done better for the gentleman who undertook the thankless office, and if any of them can mention an instance of a Imndicapper who gave universal satisfaction, I am willing to make a sacrifice of myself by taking the office at our next race meeting, and if I don't make it hot for some of them who grumbled at the weights because they were interested in a half-crown sweep, they will never profess to be influenced by a desire for good racing.

Not a single fight during two days! What ia racing coming to ? Well this, that Thames can show an example to older communities when the angry pas* sions are not allowed to rise so much as to necessitate a single battle or appeal to arms. Well done Thames! All honor to the people who can meet in thousands without an attempt to mar sport by creating sport of a kind which could only result in disfigurement of one another's frontispieces.

The singing of the National Anthem and Mr Grigg's New Zealand Song at the proceedings on Saturday last, when Sir George Grey inaugurated the Thames Valley Bail way, calls to my mind a composition by " Old Practical," which that thoroughly good old colonist and genial settler used to sing at " mess " and other convivial gatherings in and about Drury in the years 1863 64, when the war was on. " Old, Practical" had no aspiration! in the direction of making his a national anthem, and I cannot say that it would compare with Mr Bracken's composition, but it had a patriotic ring about it, and, if I remember rightly, was set to the music of "Rule Britannia." Perhaps some of "Old PracticalV friends may possess a copy of the words. If so, let them publish them. Ido know that there was something in the refrain about " Hail New Zealand," and of its being a land of the free. Mr Bracken may in time to come be considered the Laureate of New Zealand, but Old Practical certainly must have place as being amongst the earliest in composing a song, a hymn, or anthem in praise of his adopted country. Peace to his ashes. „•_. ■-. •s,- »

There is considerable amount of what A. Trollope calls " blow " in the above paragraphs, but the weather is warm. Mistletoe.