EIGHT HOURS' LEAGUE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 290, 7 December 1896, Page 3

EIGHT HOURS' LEAGUE.

ANNUAL CARNIVAL AND SPORTS

President. Rev. Shirley W. Baker, LL.D.; Vice-President, Mr John Fawcus; Treasurer. Mr C. S. Vf right; Judges, Messrs C. Chappell and A. Rosser; Referee. Mr Fraser; Timekeepers. Messrs G. Read, F. Macwanenria, and Adam Brers; Starter. Mr F. Edmonds; Sports Secretary, W. Andrew McCulloue;li; Saneral Secretary. Mr J. Cr«amer.

Favoured by a beautiful day, the Eighb Hours Leaguo Annual Gala md Sports proved a great success on Saturday afternoon, Tko heat was pleaaanily tampered by the light south-easterly brooze blowing through the Domain hollow, and a moro perfect day could hardly have been wished for an outside gathering. Cloao on 5,000 persons wore presstat, and they were provided with an excellent and varied programme of amusements, for outside the lengthy programme of sporta, which formed tho radii feature of the gala, there were numerous side ' shows, including sports for the children, a children's floral fete, and last, bub by no means least, a representative baby enovr. The gatheriag was admirably managed, everything being gob off well to time, a fact; duo to the untiring energy shown by the largo Committee iv whose bands tko arrangements were left, and in no small measure due Co the hard work of the bports Secretary, Mr W. A. JVlcCuliougfti, asid tihe General Secretary, Mr J. Creamer. Hunter's Band played a number of selections in their usual good stylo during tho afternoon. The eporfea were in the highest) degree interesting, the handicapping in most of the events leaving nothing to be desired, resulting aa ib did in close and exciting finishes. Somewhat more careful attention to the details of the running and cycling could, however, have been desired, for in starting the men very generally encroached somewhat ea their starts, and jostling in many eases took place ia the running events, which had there been a closer watch kopb on the races by an umpire or jomo person in authority would undoubtedly hare resulted in a great number of the competitors being disqualified. Protests wera numerous, bub only two were considered after the programme was concluded, namoly that in which T. Pardington protested against Campbell and Hendry, who were first and aecaad respectively in the one mile cask cyclists event, on the grounds of fouling i» the abraighb, in which case fcha protest was upheld, and that by W. W. Aulsebrook against R. A. Dexter in the three mile amateur event was dismissed. The protests tbab como up for dacision to-morrow night are against Arnobfc, winner of the Dsmonßtration Handicap, on tbe ground of insufficient performances, and for running inside a post, and ona entored by Arnott accusing Wakeford ef starting ofl" McDonald's mark. All interested are requested to attend. Some of the performances were good, and the times appear to be somewhab too fast. The Demonstration Handicap was won by W. Arnott, who scored firab in the 180 yds event, and first in the 220, thus gaining 10 points. M. Freeney took second placa, with 7i points, and Brierly and McDonald were a tie for third place with 2£ points each. The teat performance of the meeting was, perhaps, the Amateur Half-mile, in which McKeao, from scratch, won after a great race in 2min 1 1-Sth »ec, an exceptionally fa»b time, while R. Oiiphanb's performance in the 150 yards, covering the distance in 16* ec from the »ne yard mark was also highly creditable. The best of the cycling events was the final of the halfmile, which G. Honning only won by halt a wheel in lmin 10 2 sth sees from Gunson and Harper, wao were a tie for second place. A part of tbe sporfei programme greatly appreciated by the children waa the races for their special benefit, contested iv a corner of the ground under the supervision of Mr G. Rhodes. A pleasing section of the programme was the floral decorations of the children of pets, carts, etc. In many of the exhibits the moat commendable taiite waa shown. Master Sydney Lendrum was awarded first prize for the besb decorated animal, the p*ny ho rode being decorated very nicoly. Miss Cans waa awarded first for the mosb original floral display, for a wreath in which the flowers were very nicely blended, and received a special for bouquets, in which Miss Isabella JNeiil was placed Crab. The other prizes awarded wore : Beafe decorated girl. Miss Ida Young (Fairy Queen); mail cart, Miss Bertha Kidd ; tricycle, Master John Somerset!; hoop. Miss Eileen Maaon. Other prizes were awarded to Miss May Dixon, decorated aa daisy, and a little girl, Alias Lizzie Molloy, very nicely dressed and decorated as buttorcup. Monsignor Walter McDonald gave several special prizes in this 6ectioD. The baby shaw, needless to state, proved, moro eapecially bo the feminine mind, a *ource of greab attraction. , Some two dozen iafanba, varying in agre from four to twslve months, and each, undoubtedly, the finest) child of its age over seen, were ranged out on the little pavilion, with their mothers or nurses, in rows, and to the average malo undoubtedly appeared very much of one pattern (with the exception of one good-natured locking little half caste) the most noticeable feature of which was the frantic yella emitted by tbe majority, in some cases intermittently, and in others almo«b incessantly. The position of Mesdames Rule and McConnell, and Messrs Dixon and Johnston, who undertook the judging of this collection, was nob an enviable one, but apparently they carried out their labours successfully, for no complaints were raißed aa to their decision, although there is bub little room to daubs that each mobher just as fondly imagined her child the bent as strongly before as afterwards. The awards were made as follows :--Mrß Sandford'a child, eleven months old, 1 ; Mra Mainland's infant, four months old, 2; Mrs Harris' child, thrao months, 3 ; and Mrs Waymisubh's child, four months, 4. A special prize wan awarded the little halfcaste, Robert William McKenzie. The results of the races, contested after we went to press on Saturday wero as follows :— .„„ , -nr i Apj-rk-ntices Handicap, lOOyda.—Final heat: W. H. McLaughlin (6yd*), 1; F. T. Smith (7yds), 2; R. Campbell (6yda>, 3. Smith looked lika winning till close on the tape, when McLanghlia came up with a greab dash and obtained she judges r«rdicb by about a yard. Thkee Mile Bicrciiß Handicap (cash cyclists).— B. Backboard (100yri«), 1; £■ Pardington, 2. Time, Smin 32sec. R. Hendry and A. J. Campbell, after a capital race finished first aad second respectively, bafc were disqualified for jostling entering tho straight. Ham1 mile Handicap (amateurß). —J. McKean Scratch), 1 ; E. Sutherland (23yds), 2 ; A. E. George (10yds), 3. Time, 2aain 2 l-sfch sec. McKean, who ran a wonderfnlly well judged race, passed the mea after going about 600 yds, and although Sutherland pub in a strong challenge, McKean came away again in the Bbraigb» and won by close on thirty yaEiGHT Hours Handicap (third diekance), lOOyarde.—Fir^fc heai: J. A. Tnte, 4Jyds, 1 • J. McDonald, scratch, 2 ; R. Anderson. 9iyda, 3. Time, 10 2-sth sec A close r»cV Second beak : R. H. Lawford, Byds, 1 • TV D. McPike, 6iyds, 2 ; F. B. Hardy, 6vd«, 3. Time. 10 2 5tL ccc. Won comparatively easily. Third heab.. W. H. ArnotK 6yd«, 1; M. Freeney, 74yds, 2; D. Tomlinson, 4yds, 3. Time, 10 1 -sth sec. ArnofcDWon by aboiib a y*rd. Uinal: W. H Arnotb, 1;-J. McDanala, scratch, 2; R." H. Lawford. Byde, 3. Time, 10 l-stb sec. Arnotfc won oo the post by a quick dash, which landed him at the tape a yard in front of McDonald. Seoo«d distance,

220 yds, fiaal. VV. H. Arnotb, Byds, 1: M. Freeney, 13yda ( 2 ; Tabe, 9yds, 3. Time, 23seca. A great finish resulted in Arnobb winaing by a yard, and thus winning the handicap, having secured the most points over the three distances.

Three Mile Bicycle Handicap (amateurg).— R. A. Dexter, WOyds, 1 ; \Y. W. Aulsebrook, 200 yds, 2 ; G. Houaiug, 200yda, 3. Time, 9min 1 4-sth sec. Harper, Gunson and Smith wero leading after the first milo, and Thompson, Wilkinson and Brook at the second, but entering on the laab two laps ib was seen that the race lay between Henning, Dexter and Auleabrook, who had been gradually catching up their handicap, and Dwxter provißg tho smari.Bdt in the spurt in the latter half of tho last round, woa cotnierbebly by about 15yds from Aulaebrook, svho jußt defeated Hopining by a wheel. A pretaat eaterad a^ainßt the winner by Aul^obraok on tho grounds of jostling was diemiflsod.

loOYds Handicap (amateurs). — First heat: A. Moncur, 6iyda, 1; F. Roberts, 3^ydß, 2; F. Barßoa, ecratch, 3. Time, 16 2-5 sec. Moncar and RobarL!) mado s jjroab race of i^i over the latter half of the distance, the former winning by about two feet. Socoßd hear : R. Oliphanb, lyd, 1 ; C. J. SchnßHer, G^yids, '2; P, M. Thomson, 4yds, 3. Time. 16 1-5 aec. Fiaal : R. Olipbanfe, 1; C. J. Schnanor, 2; A. Moacur, 3. Time. 16aec. OHphstat jusb got up in bime tc defeab Bchnaeur by a few inches on the post.

Half-mile Bicycle HANDicAP(aaaal>ours). —Final: C Henning;, 60yda, 1 ; J. H. Gunson 90yds. \V. J. Harper 90yds, 2, Time, linin 10 2 5 see. Henning took the lead sohio 200 yd» from home, bub ho had to pub forth bis best efforts to maintain it, and eventually only won by a little under a wheel from Harper and Ounson, who tied for second placo." Bicycle Slow Race (cash cyclists'), about 250vds. Lust maa is» Bakes first) prize.—H. Young, 1 ; S. B. Gslaton, 2, IT. Young proved far too slow for his oppenoncs and came in lasfc with the greater nose, Gelston, some yards in front of him, b«ing second. 120 Yards Hdudlks Handicap.--W t. D. McPiko, owes 7yds, 1 ; W. Arnolt, owes 14yde, 2 ; A. Arnii^ar, owes 6y(lsj, 3. Time, 20soc. The raci> was a poor ene. I.OOOYds Handicap.—W. McMillan, 33yda, 1 ; E. Hall, 20yds, 2 ; W. Turner, 55yds, 3. Time, 2'min 2480 c. Smeardon, the litnir man, kept) the lead for ona round,, bub McMillan and Hall fouphb out the last round, tha former winning by about 10yds, while Taraer was tha os!y other competitor to finish oub of a largo fioM. Comic Costume Race. — This event:, which created greab amueemenb, vraa won by T. Purdington as 'an Iri«hccaa, with J. W. Callfiway (a bear) second. 600 Yards Handicap.—W. Goldsmith (Farquhjur), scratch, 1 ; W. McMillan, 20ydg, 2;S. C. Murphy, 16yds, 3. Time, Imia 15 2-abh sec. Farquhar won somawiial easily. CONSOLATTON HANDICAP, 220 YARDS. —A. Paaraon, 1; i\ E. Hardy, 2; T. Bpee., 3. Time, 25eec.