ASHBURTON GALA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 10532, 23 October 1925, Page 5

ASHBURTON GALA.

ATTRACTIONS FOR K3NDAY' SPORTS ON THE DOMAIN. GOOD PROGRAMME ARRANGED. Monday next is Laborir Day, the day / on which the people of New Zealand celebrate the principle of an eighthours’ day for the workers ; but to Ashburton it has a still more important' significance. It is the Big Day in Ashburton, the day on which the annual Gala is held in aid of the funds of the Advance Ashburton Association, which has done so much of recent years towards improving the town and its reserves. It is the day on which all Ashburton gathers at tho town’s greatest asset—the Domain, one of the moat beautiful parks in all the length and breadth of New Zealand—to watch the athletic and cycling champions of the district try conclusions with the chosen of Canterbury, to wander through the pleasant groves and along the flowerbordered walks of the park, and—which is after all the object of the affair—to spend freely in a. good cause. This year, it seems that the Gala will exceed the success of the Association’s previous efforts in every way, and the enthusiasm and interest which is being displayed by practically every section of the community augurs well for a gathering more enjoyable and profitable than ever.

The sports programme, which is one of the principal attractions, is a well varied and very comprehensive one,, and, the leading cyclists and-runners of Canterbury, both in cash and amateur circles, will be engaged. Despite the fact that other sports meetings are being held not so very far away, outside athletes of the .very finest calibre are competing, and if all those who have entered face tho starter, some excellent racing should be witnessed. In addition the usual children’s sports will be held and these too will be folfollowed with interest.

The side shows are again numerous and attractive, and a novel feature is the Museum of Curiosities. Ashburton lacks a museum, and in the ab-senc-e of such an institution in a town of this size, where some private collections are known to exist, there should be no difficulty confronting the promoters in arranging a most interesting display, which should prove a popu-

lar attraction. The Highland dancing, for which large entries have been received, will also be interesting and will attract & large number. The Gala will be continued in the evening, when the stalls and sideshows will again be open for business, and an added attraction will be the dancing on the lawn, to a first class orchestra, j The procession of decorated vehicles,, which starts at 10 a.m., will be bigger than ever before, and a great amount of hard work is being put in in this direction by those entering displays. There are many other features of interest which should combine to make the 1925 Gala the most successful yet held.