NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1896.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9303, 2 January 1896, Page 5

NEW YEAR'S DAY, 1896.

The New Year holiday was favoured with grand weather, the day being a perfect New Zealand summer one. The cricket match, with its unlooked-for termination, created a good deal of excitement. Had it been expected tbat the match would have taken the tnrn it did, no doubt there would have been a larger attendance than was the case. The Lyttelton Regatta, of course, was the great centre of attraction, and a very large number of visitors proceeded to Lyttelton by the different trains. The weather was lovely, the events went off well, and everyone was delighted. The firework display in the evening attracted a large number of visitors, and was a very good finale to a very successful day. At Tinwald there w__s raciug, at Rangiora and a*. Dunsandel there were sports. The trams were well filled both to New Brighton and Sumner up to a late hour of the evening; the pleasant summer weather inducing many to take a trip to the seaside resorts. Tbe ball to tbe New South Wales cricketers ab the Art Gallery, whioh was very successful, and the. Greenwood Company at the Theatre Royal concluded the New Year holiday most satisfactorily. At Timaru the chief attraction was tbe Caledonian snorts. The weather was very fine, and 3000 were present. Macpherson won the half-mile bicycle race and one and a half mile, R. McKenzie the ten mile, and Dorm tho one mile.

(PBESS ASSOCIA-1.-T TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, January 1. The New Year was ushered in very quietly, the streets being almost deserted by one o'clock, though up till about eleven they were densely crowded. To-day fine weather was enjoyed for the holiday, and every advantage was taken of it. Both lines of railway carried crowds of excursionists to various places along their routes, and the Tarawera took 800 on an excursion to Picton. The chief attraction in town was the Caledonian Society's sports, which were very successful, the attendance, despite counter-attractions, being quite 6000. The following are tbe results of the chief events at the Caledonian Sooiety's sports. The bicycle races were uninteresting owing to the bad handicaps :—l2oyds hurdles—W. Arnott, owes 10yds, 1; S. Courteuey, syds, 2;W. A. Jillett, Byds, 3. Time, 18 2-sth sec. Mile handicap—G. Dwan, 30yds, 1; K. Tucker, 70yds, 2; J. Chase, 50yds, 5. Time, 4min 50sec. Two mile bicycle handicap —F. Muir, scr, 1 ; H. Smith, 150 yds, 2 ; G. Jeffreys, scr, 3. Time, smin 44sec. 100 yards flat, amateur— P. Pownall, Byds, 1 ; A. M. Stuart, 4yds, 2; W. F. Larkin, syds, 3. Putting the stone—Thornley, 30fb 3_in. Vaulting with pole—Power, 9ft lin. Four mile bicyclo handicap— H. Smith, 300 yds, 1 ; F. Muir, scr, 2 ; G. (Jeffreys, scr, 3. Time, lltniu 32 2-sth sec. Two mile walk—L. O'Brian, scr, 1; C. Dunford, 90yds, 2; J. Jillett, 80yds, 3. Time, 16aiiii 28 2-sth sec. Handicap, 220 yards, amateurs —W. Larkin, 12yds, 1 ; M. Herbert, I2yds, 2 ; F. Pownall, 10yds, 3. One mile bicycle handicap—F. Muir, scr, 1 ; H. Smith, 60yds, 2; S. Lucy, scr, 3. Time, 2min 45sec. Wrestling—Thornley. Five mile bicycle—Smith, 360 yds, 1 ; F. Muir, scr, 2; S. Lucy, scr, 5. No time. Grand handicap, 100,"200, 440, and 880 vards—R. A. Gilchrist (15 points) 1, J. VV. Pike (9 points) 2, E. Woon (6 points) 5. Gilchrist ran iv tine style, and wou the 220 and 440 yards with Byds aud 12yds respectively, and was second in the 100 yards with oycls. J. McGregor scooped the pool in dancing, and J. Fra.cr and D. Campbell were the chief pri__staker3 iv bagpipe music. 440 yards handicap—M. Herbert, 15yds, 1; J. McGuire, 15yds, 2; F. Pownall, 12yds, 3. Time, 53soc.

OAMARU, January 1. The Caledonian gathering was largely attended to-day, the weather being beautiful. Tho competition in the various events was not so groat as last year, but the circling and running produced good fi_ish-3. The 200 yards handicap was won by Smillie, the 440 by C. Brown, and the half-mile by T. Mcl_taii. The mile walk fell to W. Craik, with Marsh second and Leslie third. .The result of the one mile -bicycle race was .Lawson 1, Barker 2, Manchester 3; of the two mile bicycle race, Barker 1, Stamford 2, Body 3; of the three mile bicycle race, Barker 1, Lethaby 2, Body 3. In the teat bicycle race for two distance?, for £20, the first distance was won by Barker, Stamford 2, Lethaby 3.

! DUNEDIN, January 1. Beautiful weather was experienced for the holiday, which so far appears to have passed off without au accident. The number travelling by tram was very large, while 'buses ana drags inuumerable conI veyed picnic parties to various favourite resorts. The Caledonian Sports were largely attended, and were very successful. McDonald, Gisborne, won both distances, 100 and 350 yards, in the Caledonian Handicap ; Aitcheson won the two mile bicycle I roadster race; and Bell the two mile bicycle events. The water excursions were ! largely patronised. INVERCARGILL, January 1. The weather was fair to-day, although cloudy, with a puffy northerly wind, which made the dust fly about. The Caledonian gathering was the only holiday entertainment in town. The attendance was large. Some fast times were made in the pedestrian events, but there is a doubt as to tbe track being the correct measurement. Deegan topped 10ft 9in in the vaulting.