NORTH OTAGO NEWS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22600, 4 January 1939, Page 4

NORTH OTAGO NEWS

THE END OF THE HOLIDAYS MOST MADE OF THE OCCASION LARGE ATTENDANCE AT RACES Yesterday, for many-, marked the end of the Christmas holidays, and, favoured by bright sunshine, the most -was made of the occasion. The chief attraction for the district, the Oamaru Jockey Club’s New Year meeting, was attended by a very large number of persons, including many visitors from all parts of Canterbury -and Otago, The course was in splendid condition, and with large fields in the six racing events and two harness trotting races an interesting day’s racing was seen. The sultry day encouraged many to go swimming at Friendly Bay, and at the beaches along the coast. Many others preferred to laze in the shade of the trees. A progressive bowls tournament at the Phoenix green was almost the only sports programme arranged for the day, but tennns courts in the town were not without their players. The children’s playgrounds at the Municipal Gardens and at Friendly Bay were well patronised throughout the day. Many persons travelling by- train both to the races and returning home after the holidays kept officials at the Oamaru railway station busy. Special holiday and race trains carried their full complement of passengers. Taxi drivers also experienced one of their busiest, days of the year. With the race traffic and the large number of cars loaded with camping gear passing through Oamaru yesterday, the streets were unusually busy for a holiday. RECORD ATTENDANCES AT GARDENS PRAISE FOR GREENHOUSE DISPLAYS Record numbers of visitors throughout the holidays have inspected the Oamaru Municipal Gardens, which at present present an exceedingly attractive display. Although no count has been taken, the curator (Mr John Tait), in conversation with “The Press” yesterday, said that there was no doubt that the attendances were bigger than ever before. The gardens had been exceptionally well patronised, he said, and from what he haa heard the'people were delighted with all they had seen. A feature of the gardens at present are the displays in the greenhouses, especially the begonias, hydrangeas, and the hanging baskets of begonias. The hydrangeas, particularly, have created tremendous interest. The beauty of the greenhouse flowers ana the attractive arrangement of the displays have received high praise on all sides, several visitors from Australia remarking that it was the finest display they had ever seen. With the school holidays, too, the children’s playground has also been well patronised, and already has been visited by some hundreds of picnickers. SPORTS MEETING AT GEORGETOWN AWAMOKO ATHLETIC CLUB RAIN MAKES TRACK SLIPPERY A shower of rain early In the afternoon made the track very slippery for the Awamoko Athletic Club’s annual sports meeting at Georgetown on Saturday. The competition in all running and cycling events was keen, but because of the wet track the times were not as good as usual and the scratch men .had little chance of catching the front markers. There was a good attendance. At the conclusion of the meeting the winner of the main cycling event, J. E. Elliott, of Awamoko, was presented with the cup by Mr D. C. Kidd, M.P., and Mrs Kidd. The cup was given by the president of the club (Mr J. King) and a former president (Mr R. J. Elliott). Results: — Cycling One Mile Handicap—Pinal: J. E. Elliott I, A. S. Luxon 2, J. Halvorsen 3. One Mile and a Half Handicap—Pinal: J. Loper X, A. Luxon 2. J. H. Newlove 3. Two Mile Reunion Race—J. E. Elliott 1. Running 100 Yards Georgetown Handicap—A. Crampton 1, E. A. Houston 2, J. P. Nash' 3. , 880 Yards Peebles Handicap—F. N. Newman 1, I. Geddes 2, A. E. Fagan 3. 220 Yards Awamoko Handicap—F. A. McLean I, E. A. Houston 2. J. P. Nash 3. One Mile Ngapara Handicap—Geddes 1, Newman 2, Neill 3. 440 Yards Handicap—McLean 1, Crampton 2, Nash 3. Field Events Throwing the Hammer—T. McPhee 1. J. Quinn 2, O. Turnbull 3. Distance, 95ft Sin. Putting the Shot —T. McPhee 1, G. Kennington and O. Turnbull (equal) 2. Distance, 36ft 9in. Tossing the Caber —Ledingham (3ft) and Fraser (2ft 6in) (equal) 1, J. Nimmo and D. McPhee (equal) 3. Distance, 34ft XOin. Piping and Dancing Marches—W. Milne 1, H. Grant 2, L. Ramsay 3. Highland Slow Airs—W. Milne 1, L. Ramsay 2, A. Hamilton 3. Seann Triubhais, under' 16—M. Robertson 1, B. Allington 2, B. Burgoyne 3. Sword Dance, under 12— J. Smart 1, H. Dalgety 2. B. Burgoyne. 3. Highland Fling, under 12— H. Dalgety 1, B. Burgoyne 2, J. Smart 3. ' Sailor’s Hornpipe, under 16—M. Robertson 1, B. Allington 2, T. Mills 3. Irish Jig, under 16— B. Allington 1, S. McCormick 2, B. Burgoyne 3. . Irish Reel, under 16— B. Allington 1, M. Robertson 2, J. Smart 3.