HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 456, 15 March 1909, Page 6

HUTT AND PETONE NEWS.

(FROM OUIt SPECIAL RErOUTER.). « "ALL ON A SUNDAY MORNING." THE SEA-FRONT AT PETONE. Tho Sabbath breaks very peacefully' over Petono. By sunrise most of tho blackberrying parties aro out of tho town, and well on tho road to Upper Hutt or to the Wainui Hills. Before morning church, tho sea-bathers have left tho beach, and tho sands aro deserted. Not for long, however. As tho morning passes, the non-church-going public, appear in twos and threes along tho esplanade. Some go a-fishing, from tho wharf, whero the catch is chiefly herring, and sparso at that. Others, tho owners of sailing craft, sort tlioir gear, and hoist as much canvas as tho prevailing southerly will permit. Others aro for rowing; others, who pride themselves on fleotfootcdness, or who are thinking early of tho winter game, use tho sand for training purposes. They aro all hero: tho lounger and tho cripple, tho well-to-do citizen and tho toiler; the novel-reader and the artist. On tho wharf thero gather, as yesterday, a scoro who wear tho regulation neck-to-kneo garment, and ono or two who don't. They disport themselves in high-diving between tho fishing lines, and in fancy and straight swimming.' It may happen, as it did yesterday, that some mischievous onlookers chooso to toss all the carefullyspread clothes into one immense heap; but the swimmers care little, for, they say, "Is it not Sunday, the only day when wo are our own masters; free from the restrictions and monotony of our daily, round?" Under tho lee of a shod, near tho inner i'end of tho wharf, is another group, numbering upwards of twenty. Their occupation is, perhaps, not as excusablo from the Sabbath observer's point of view as that of wharf bathers; they aro having a littlo gamble. AVith a fresh southerly blowing tho sand up the many streets that lead into the town, it may happen that a boat is overturned, as happened yesterday. Tho rowing enthusiasts dread the persistent and stormy southerly, for their shore has no protection, and to go out in it is to risk a wetting, to say nothing of violating club rules. Yesterday, half a dozen swimmers put their powers to some uso in securing an outrigger which had sunk, and iu rescuing its drenched occupant. Further round, at the pipe-bridges, the scene is similar. Cyclists, and walkingparties, bound for l'oncarrow, stream over tho stiles, and fishing lines drop from every rail of tho bridges. This is something of Petono on a Sunday morning. A CROWD, A BAND, AND A PROTEST. The crowd which gathered .at. tho corner of Jackson and Nelson Streets, Petone, shortly i beforo 11 o'clock on Saturday night was ready for any diversion. And when tho Salvation Army band camo along, with a procession of torches, tho demonstration was like a red rag to a bull. Citizens .who had just como by train from 'Wellington joined tho throng and listened eagerly, in anticipation of "sport." The mob was quiet and orderly, but careless, and in no mood to hear stirring and pointed addresses. Tho remarks of leaders in tho torchlit ring met with a rapid firo of reparteo from bystanders. Tho music of tho band was also received with open hostility. After marching up and down tho main streot for a few minutes, the band and its followers, among whom wero two women, ietreated to tho barracks. The crowd waited at tho cornor of Nelson Street. Soon after tho band had left tho street, ono of its mombers, a well-known townsman, appeared at tho corner again, and his arrival was heralded by shouting and cheering. All was still, however, when a J.P. uttered a word of protest at tho conduct of tho band. "Have you no feeling for tho sick," ho asked, "that you parade tho main street' at 11 o'clock on a Saturday night?" The baudsman had not'thought of that, ho said. Ho was told that ho should not have been a party to such demonstrations. Tho J.P, further pointed out that the band was contravening tho by-laws by playing in Jackson Street on any but a Sunday night. Thero was no further argumont, but with an assemblage of four score closo by, apparently bearing him no goodwill, the bandsman availed himself of the escort of three police constables on his walk home. Tho othor members of tho band were unmolested. SWIMMINC AT LOWER HUTT. A couple of swimming events wero held in tho river abovo tho Hutt Bridgo on Saturday afternoon, and were watched by a largo number. Except for a couplo of groins, tho river at this point could not bo bettor for swimming events, and the course is within closo viow of tho bridge. The first event, tho long dive, was keenly contested at tho :isk of sevoro discomfort to tho participants, end the assembWgo found it good to speculate as to whero competitors would "como up." Tho fifty yards handicap was a closo race. Tho results were: — Long Dive.—W. M'Menamin, 1; F. Jenness; 2; D. Jenkin and H. Alexander (dead heat), 3. Also competed: E. Alexander, A. H. Tockcr, and F. Silver. 50 Yards Handicap.—H. Alexander, Gsec., 1; E. Alexander, Gsec., K. Aekins, 9sec., 3. Also started: D. Jenkin, scr., A. H. Tocker, 4sec., and N F. Silver Bscc. ST. AUCUSTINE'S CLUB. The first half-yearly meeting of St. Augustine's Young Men's Club was held in tho club room,-Britannia Street, Petono, on Friday evening. Mr. F. A. Mason, vice-presi-dent, was in tho chair. Tho report stated that a number of competitions (ping-pong, quoits, etc.) had been held and had aroused considerable interest among members. Tho balance-sheet showed a credit balance of over £5. Office-bearers* for tho ensuing half-year were elected as follow: —President, llev. J. D. Russell (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs. ];\ A. Mason and J. Lee (re-elected); hon. secretary and treasurer, Mr. A. E. Pattinson; hon. auditor, Mr. W. G. Evans; management committee, Messrs. P. Hill, A. Bennett, R. Soutligate, and V. Lusty. Tho retiring' secretary, Mr. C. Andrews, was accorded a voto of thanks for his services. SAILING RACE. Boats of the Herotaunga Sailing Club ccmpeted in a race for tho secretary's trophy (value, one guinea) on Saturday afternoon. A stiff southerly wind made sailing difficult, and completely spoiled the handicapper's reckoning. Tho starts given wore meant for a day not quite so boisterous. A mishap occurred just prior to the race. Runa, which was entered, tried to wear, in order to avoid collision with another boat, and capsized. Tho course was triangular, twice round, and tho distance about six miles. Tho boats finished in the following order:—-Clara (12min.), I, actual time lh. 12min. 40sec.; Flying Scud (Srnin.), 2, lh. 14min. 50scc.; Gil Bias (GJmin.), 3, lh. 14niin. 3050 c.; Waiwetu (7min.), 4, lh. 15min. 3sec.; Iluia (scr.), 5, lh. 9min. 15sec. ! ; Moana (20min.), 6, lh. 43min. 45sec. JOTTINCS. An unusually largo amount of business has to be gone through at the monthly sitting of tho Petone Magistrate's Court this morning. Tho annual cutter race between Wellington and Petono ex-Navals, for the White Horso Whisky Cup, was again postponed on Saturday. Tho Petono crew proceeded to Wellington, but the full crew of tho city corps was not in attendance. A week ago, when tho race was to liavo been rowed, bad weather prevailed, and tho Petono cutter was lato in arriving in Wellington. A heavy southerly oil Saturday afternoon prevented all rowing in/Petone. The first heat of tho Club Double Sculls of tho P.R.C. was to have taken place; it will bo rowed this evening, if fine. Eight crows havo entered.