ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATIONS. CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 12, 20 March 1902, Page 19

ST. PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATIONS. CHRISTCHURCH.

(By telegraph, from our own correspondent.) March 18. The celebrations, for which so much time and energy had for months past been expended, took place yesterday. Sports were beld in Lancaster Park and in the evening a national concert was given in the Canterbury Hall A close half holiday was universally observed in the city, and the green flag of Ireland waved from many prominent public building's. Shortly before noon the city was reininiled of the day's pr >ceedin«^ by the band of the Burnham Industrial School parading in Cathedral Square and marching to Lancaster Park. Oa their arrival the gates were opened to the public and soon afterwards the programme was commenced. Derry'a Brass Band discoursed music on the lawn during: the afternoon, the Burnham Bind being 1 stationed in another part of the grounds where the children's sports were held. There was an attendance of about 3000 during the afternoon, Amonsr tho^-e present were his Lordship Bishop Grimes and a number of the clergy, his Worship the Mayor and Mis. Rhodes, and m uiy prominent citizen^. The weather in the early part of the afternoon wag tine, but threatening, until about half-past three, when steady rain set in from the south-west, marring to a considerable extent the enjoyment ol those present. The sports' programme wai, however, conducted to a finish, terminating at 5 p.m. An enormous audience attended the national concert in the Canterbury Hall in the evening. Recalls were frequent. During the interval his Lordship the Bishop made some appreciative remarks concerning the day's celebrations. The following were the results of the various events of the sports gathering — Cycling —One mile handicap (amateur): VV. G. Hawthorne ], G. Standring 2, D. M. Rodgers 3 ; tims 2min. 8 2-sjecs. One mile handicap (boys) :F. Slandring. One mile open handicap— First heat : J. Bain 1. R ,T. Cooke 2, J. M. Fairbairn 3 ; time 2min. 9sec. Second hrat : V. Ritchie 1, E. J. Ritchie 2, A. Watson 3; time 2rnm. 14 3-.">sej. Two mile amateur handicap : D. M. Rodger 1, H. Lindsay 2, S. Boyd 3 Two mile bump handicap :J. Bain 1, R. J. Cooke 2, E. J. Ritchie 3. Athletic events.— 4 loyds Handicap : W, Moyes 1, A, P. Cox 2, F. T. M. Kis»ell 3, time 5 4-."> sees. St. Patrick's Handicap : The winner of the Handicap was L. McLaughlan who scored l."> points, W. Dacre being second with 7 points, and W. McColl and A. E. Phillips (equal) third with 3 points each. 100 yds Handicap (amateur).— First heat : J. H. Worgan 1, A. 0. Keating 2, time 10 1-5 sees. Second heat : R B. Strange 1, W, H. Moyes 2, time 10 1 1-5 sees Third heat :H. S. Williams 1, F. S. Harley 2, time 10 3-5 sees. Fourth heat: W. Wallace 1, F. E. Drake 2, time 10 4-5 sees. Final : R. B. Strange 1, J. H. Worgan 2, W. Wallace 3. Public Schools relay race : East Christchurch 1, Normal School 2, Marist Brothers' School 3. Children's sports — 50yds race (girls under eight years) : Eileen Malahan 1, Eileen Newton 2. — 50yds (boys under 14) : J. Davis 1, H. Jackson 2. 50yds (girls under 12) : C. Quinn 1, M. Graf ton 2. — 100 yds (boys under 1G) : Hooper 1, Roden 2, Sneehan 3. — 50yda hoop race (girls under 14) : M. Grafton 1, A. Turvey 2.— Burnham boys' race : Howies 1, Gillon 2, Peterson 3. — 75yds race (girls under 12) : E. Ashworth 1, E Murphy 2. — Three-letrged race (boys under 14) : Ziedon and O'Brien 1, Goodall and Davis 2.— looyds (girls under 14) : G. Bowen 1, C. Bedford 2 One mile handicap (amateur) : W. F. Simpson 1, A. L Jonee 2, W. C. Flewellen 3. 200 yds handicap (amateur)— First heat: A. 1). Woigun 1, U. B. Strange 2, A. O. Keating ?,. Second heat: W. Walhcp 1, F. S. Harley 2, E. W. Cardale 3. Final : E. W. Cardale 1, W. Wallace 2.

Irish jig (adulta) : R S. Thomas 1, W. Manning 2. Sailor's hornpipe :W Manning 1, J. lleeves 2. Tug-of-war teaina from the Stand's Track Catholic congregation and the lligh'an.l Rifi '8 competed, the former winning.