OFF DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1060, 24 February 1911, Page 8

OFF DUTY.

ANNUAL DEFENCE PICNIC. .. Yesterday was- an off day at the Genera] and District Headquarters Offices of tho Defence ' Department. Everybody, from tho General Officer Commanding downwards, was off duty.' The "oaks" of tlie various offices .were "sported," arid if , the foreign foo had called, he would have been told "not at home." The day Was the occasion of tho annual departhiimtal picnic. Beautiful, weather pre-, yailed, and all concerned spent h most enjoyable time at.Dny's Bay. The Janie Seddon was requisitioned for the transport of tho picnickers, tho main detachment of whom sailed at 3 o'clock in tho morning; The steamer then returned for the Commandant of the Forces (Major-General' A. J. Godley, C.8.), and his staff, who went -on board at 11.30 a.m. • An excellent luncheon was served in tho pavilion, and the General was welcomed to tho. gathering by Mr. ■F. B. Mabin, financial secretary to tho Department, who niado a felicitous speech, appropriate to the occasion, and General Godley briefly replied. : A capital sports' programme was arranged, and carried out successfully. Among those present, in addition to the Commandant,-were Colonel A. W. Robin.C.8., Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the Forces, Colonel E. W. C. Chay.tor (Commanding the Wellington District), Lieut.-Colonel J. T. Burnett , Stuart, D.5.0., Director of Military • Operations and Intelligence. Major J. E. Hume, R.N.Z:A., Major T. W. McDonald (Junior Cadet Department), Captains G. S. Richardson, J. E. Duiean (Instructional Staff), R. J. Seddon, S. V. Trask, and other officers. " The following are the results of. .the sports events:—'. .• Shooting.—Men: Sergeant-Major Rose, 1. ladies: Jlrs. O'Sullivan. 1; Mrs. Mabin,.2. Judging Distance Competition.—Men: Captain Smith, 1." Ladies: Miss Driscoll, 1. : Ladies' Nail-driving* Competition.—Mrs; Trask. 1; Miss M'Ca'r'dle, 2. : Headquarters Handicap, 75 yards—Fennessy, 1. '. .- Stores Handicap, 75 yards—Lieutenant Silver, 1. • t ■. s • Spinsters' Race.—Miss O'Sullivan, 1;. Miss J. O'Sullivan, 2. 1 Married Ladies' Race. —Mrs. Fordyce, 1: Mrs. Staridish, 2. ' i ' Sack Race. —Sergeant-Major Rbse;-'.l; Williams. 2. - ! . v Relay Race.—Coady and -Hopfcinson. > Lazy Stick.—HoDkinson, 'l; ,Coady. .2. Tug-of-War. (10 men aside).—Htadauarters team won (the'team- 'included General Godley, Colonel: Burnett-Stewart. Colonel, Robin,. Captains Richards:© -tand, Seddon). > I. Ladies' .Swimming Race.—Miss O'Sullivan, 1; Mrs. Post, 2. , A cricket match played, between teams representing the Headquarters and Stores was won- by the'latter. ■ ■ ' _ ,' '. v' ; On the trip home in the Janie Seddon tho prizes were presented to the winners, by Mrs. Gcdley.