BLUE SPUR SPORTS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 422, 2 January 1875, Page 2

BLUE SPUR SPORTS.

1 <>* This annual gathering was- held yesterday at the Blue Spur township, and though the attendance was hardly up to former years, a goodly number of visitors from Lawrcn.ce, Waitahnna, and the surrounding distji'icfs payed tho hill a visit . during the afternoon. There was a counter attraction in the shape of a children's picnic in an adjoining paddock, ancl a number of people preferred a quiet lounge on the green sward, watching the children at play, to the dust and turmoil on the hill. Most of the events were poorly contested, owing to the scarcity of athletes; the counter-attractions of the Coledom'an Gratnes- at Dunodin and the li'T- v ">g drawn away our local, -pedestrians. • The wrestling made up for the shortcomings in the other events, as several of the competitors engaged werp men who had gained prizes in good company. The struggle between Richard Tyson ,and a Cornishman named Andrew was well worth witnessing, Tyson being thrown after a severe contest for the prize. The management of the games' was entrusted to Messrs. Kendal and Corrnaek, and they' carried tho programme through in a manner that gave satisfaction to all concerned. The following wero the winners of the principal events: — dfiuoiT Match (18 yds.)— A. Stevens," 1 : W. Mills, 2. ETrNNisfflior, Step, and Jump. — J. Davison, 1 ; R. Orr, 2. 200 yards Foot Race. — J. Davison, 1 ; G. Hall, 2 ; R. Orr, 3. Puttiso the Heavy Stoxe.— -H. Harraway, * 1; R. Gunn, 2. ' Rusxisa Flat Jump. — L. M'Millan, 1 ; R. Orr, 2. .-'.«• Wrestiis^. (Collar and Elbow.)— F. WedlakoJHH_ =^,;Andrcw divided-tlie first ' and second/ prizes.— R. Tvson, T.'Cousiris, A. Coj-mackj J. Cousins, E. Varcoe, J. Kitto, and J. Davison also contested this event. * Mr.jJ.j Farrer acted as umpire, and his decisions gave every satisf action. * - * i *,; — ; • #■ American Humour. — A recent work qn^fothern California, and Oregon, says that sin occasional flash of broad humour enliven, some of the land circulars and advertisements of the latter State. The writer says*; " I found one on the hotel table headed ' Homes," with the following sample : 221 acres, four miles east of ''Siiverton ; frame house and a log house :/cah*live m'either); log/tarn ; 20 acres in /cultivation ; . 60 i'acrep,i; timber " ; lanfl ; balarico pasture land. J \ well watered. We wili sell tint! place for 1,675 • dols. Will throw in a cook ,. stove 3 and all the household farnitmp; consisting of a frying-pan handle andi&broomstick ; also a cow and a yearling calf ; also one bay heifer ; also 8.400 lb. of hay, fhinus what above named stock, have consumed during the winter; also, 64 bushels of: oats, subject,, sp the above-mentioned diminution. If sold, . we shall, have left on our hands one of thje driest , and ( ugliest-looking «»ld bachelors this side of the gravd, which we will cheerfully ,shrpw, in, if at a^acceDtable to the pii'rcfisaser..' k Old' maids and rich widows fife r , requested ,to give their particular, attention to this special .offer. Don't pass.it by on the other side." 1 'An ingenious invention , says the * ' Scientific' American," had lately been tested on the, Vandalia Railroad, Ind., which records the motion r of railway cars. There is a locked iron box attached on one side of the car and containing a clock. The 'mechanism of the latter causes a small drum, on which is wound a- sheet of paper, to travel at a constant rate. With the axle, by means of rods and gearing, a- pencil touching this paper is connected. As the pencil is moved slowly ; aqroas -the paper, by its mechanism governed by the axle, and as the paper is slowly moved forward,, the pencil point inscribes a diagonal line back and forth; The' paper is ruled in very small sections, every 'fourth lin<j being dotted and representing.one mile ;so that, supposing the cargoes a mile in four minutes, 1 theUine will Across- just "four- sections diagonally from one dotted line to the next one. If the car stops, the^ftie orosses the paper directly and shows the number of minutes that the train is at rest,