BANK MANAGERS IN BARROWS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21534, 25 July 1935, Page 14

BANK MANAGERS IN BARROWS

HEREFORD STREET "DERBY 5 * MORE THAN £IOO COLLECTED If bank managers, wearing particoloured jockey-caps, should ride down Hereford street on an ordinary sedate and businesslike afternoon, the only conclusion would be that a sort oi contagious lunacy had swept through' the banks. But good motives and! a popular fancy for seeing prominent citizens perched ridiculously in wheelbarrows made all the absurdity of ithe "banking wheelbarrow derby" yesterday the very best of good fun. Even the managers themselves, as they jolted and swayed in their unsteady chariots, smiled spasmodically between jolts. x For more than half on hour before the race was timed to start the street was crowded on either side between Manchester street and the Bank of New Zealand corner. Every office window "was filled, with spectators, and a number of people had gathered on the top of the New Zealand Express Company's building and the Epworth building. There was plenty of entertainment for the waiting crowd. The inevitable fleet of obsolete bicycles was out, manfied by collectors in fancy dress. A scarlet tractor rumbled and stuttered backwards and forwards, from which collecting boxes were held out to those on the footpaths. Good Organisation The completeness and efficiency of I the organisation of the race and its preliminaries were a credit to the committee which is in charge of the campaign for the Commerce and PubiService Queen, Mrs Herbert Hill. Although there was some delay in starting the race itself, the crowd seemed well content to stay to watch the antics of the collectors, and before very long coppers began to be tossed into the street. Before the race the competitors paraded. the '"propellers" wheeling the empty barrows and (She passengers walking alongside with collecting boxes. .Members of the St. Andrew's College pipe band headed the parade, but the principal music was supplied by the engine of the tractor. Immediately before the start the tension and excitement grew to such an extent that it seemed probable that bookmakers had been busy in the crowd.

"They're Off!" Apparently some of the competitors were giving trouble at the barrier. However, all the barrows got away well and were in full career down the open street. It was obvious with only 100 yards to go that the race was already won by the Bank of Australasia. The manager of the bank, Mr A H. M. Waning, sat his barrow heroically while Mr J. S. Todd pushed him at a" gallop to the finishing line, a ■/.'inner by several lengths. Mr P. L. Port'-r- ißank of New Zealand), propelled by Mr Callanan, won a hard tight for second place with Mr G. G. Littlcjohn, manager of the National Bank, propelled by Mr H. L. Jamieson. Those who "also ran" were the manager of the Commercial Bank, Mr H. H. Rodd, propelled by Mr A. V. Taylor, the manager of the Bank of New South Wale;;, Mr J. E. Astill, propelled bv Mr L. H. Williams, and the manager of the Union Bank, Mr J. M. Saunders, propelled by Mr L. G. Parke. After the race the winners were presented with a placard bearing a challenge from the Tramwaymen s subcommittee supporting the Manufacturers' Queen to a game of marbles to be played in the Square on Saturday, July 27. "Prizes" were*also presented, and it was announced that each manager had been fined £1 for riding hi Hereford street in an unlicensed vehicle without a permit. The starter ot the race was the Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., and Cr. T. Milliken was the judge at the finishing line. The amount collected was £lOl /s lid, but there are further subscriptions to be received, including payments for scats at windows. The fins.l total is expected to be approximately £llO. Expenses were less than £1 10s-