CHARITY SPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1906, Page 6

CHARITY SPORTS.

The Domain Cricket Ground presented an animated appearance last Saturday afternoon, when a large sports meeting promoted by the Auckland Charity Committee took place. The weather cleared in the afternoon, and though the ground was wet underfoot, a large attendance of children and a fair number of adults rewarded the efforts of. the officials. The selfish and unreasonable manner in which a large section of the crowd encroached on the ground rendered the work of those in charge of the displays exceedingly difficult as well as detracting from the spectacular value of the exhibitions so. far as people or the grandstand and inside the barriers were concerned. Sailors and marines from the warships, a party of veterans from, the Home as well as a large number of Professor Potter's pupils, and the band of the First Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles and the Onehunga Band were present, helping materially in the various displays. Pupils from the Grammar School, St. John's College, Prince Albert, St. Stephen's Native School and ■the Cosiley Training Institute, to the number of several hundred,' under the leadership of Professor Potter, gave highly creditable displays with dumbbells and clubs, horse and spring board, Roman rings, lance drill, also introducing the maze aud pyramids in a manner which reflected the greatest credit on both the boys and their instructor. A erew r from H.M.s. Encounter dragged a i2-pounder field-gun to the Domain, and gained much applause from the crowd for their smartness in running the gun into position, unlimbering, firing, changing the wheels of the limber and gun-carriage, and other evolutions included in field-gun practice. A squad of marines from H.M.s. Encounter and Pegasus, under Sergeant Wickenden, gave a feu-de-joie and also an exhibition of rapid volley-firing. Bayonet and cutlass drill by bluejackets and marines completed the display given by the naval men. Some very heavy and powerful terms took part in the tug-of-war. which was most strenuously contested, the pull-off resulting in a win for the Permanent Force A team against the Cox's Creek representatives. Keenest interest was centred in the woodchopping competition, in which E. and D. Pretty, the champion Taranaki axemen, were to take part. There were eleven competitors, D. Pretty, the limit man. having to give oOsecs, but but this handicap was considerablye increased owing to a mistake in the starting. The contest raised the utmost enthusiasm among the crowd, and the applause increased when E. Pretty drew level and finally severed bis log just ahead of G. R. Vincent, who beat the scratch man for second honours. Later on an exhibition chop was given by E. Pretty and Casey, the former cutting his 15 inches of kahikatca in exactly 60sees., Casey then' having liin left. Considerable amuse: ment was created by the obstacle racj, in which the competitors' progress was barred by sundry carts and waggens, the final obstruction being a row of sacks, through one of which each man had to pass. The runners plung ed in and came out amid clouds of v ividlvcoloured powders, which adhered to their perspiring face and produced a most grotesque effect. A squad of wrestlers from the Police Athletic G 7 .ub. under Constable Arthur Skinner, were to have given an exhibition, but ov ,-i nC r to the lateness of the hour thiS item was dropped. The officials j were: —Chairman, Mr-H. Tewsley; iitanaa-er Mr P. Quinlan; superintenden J „ gates, Mr C. E. Abbott; judges, i'/ajor Co'yle, Mr Geo. Hume, Sergeant-Major Shepherd; starter, Mr M. Foley; timekeeper, Mr Geo. Reid; handicapper, Mr F. H. Burbush; hon. treasure-/, Mr A. Atkin; hon. secretary, Mr A. Yy. Tatton.

The results of '„he competitive events are given below; —

Wood-ehoppin-g Competition (logs 15in in, diameter, upright chop).—E. Pretty, SOsec, 1; G. R. - Vincent, 25sec-., 2; D. Pretty, scratch, 3. Also competed: C. W. Casey (/ JS .), W. Schischka (255.), C. Harper (3CVi.) ; R. Butts (305.), R. Wheatley (405.) „ A. Collins (40s:), W. M. Lorn-? man (50/ i.), J. Peterson (505.).

Tttg-oi-War (10 men a-side), open to all-comers.—Permanent Force (B team) beat H.M.S. Prometheus; Permanent Force (A team) beat H.M.s. Pegasus; Cox's Creek representatives beat H.M.S. Encounter; Winstone's employees beat wood - choppers; Permanent Force (A team) beat Winstone's employees; Cox's Creek representatives beat Permanent Force (B. team). The pull-off was between the Permanent Force A team and Cox's Creek representatives, the former proving the better team, after a good contest. Obstacle Race, open to all-comers, about 300yds.—Gladding, 1; Wilson, 2; Smith, 3.