TUG-OF-WAR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1635, 30 December 1912, Page 3

TUG-OF-WAR.

JHE CARNIVAL CONCLUDED, SUCCESS OP CHKISTCHURCH TEAMS. All-.Conim: Chrlttchurch No. 1. Twelve' Stone; Christchurch No. 2. Footballers: All Blacks. Tho series of tug-of-war tournaments, which have been conducted by Hay wards, Ltd., were concluded in the Town, Hail on Saturday night. Tho final bouts were exciting, and very keenly contested. is was expected, the Christchurch men won the All-Comers' Championship, but in order to do so they had.a very strenuous struggle with the Napier Gasworks Team. The work of both of these sides was perfectly organised, and perfectly controlled by the rival captains, but the Christchurch men were the heavier and the more powerful. In Class 2, the class lor 12-stone teams, Christchurch also scored a win; This team was composed almost entirely of. very young, vigorous men, but their staying power and sternness was thoroughly tested by the bout in which they beat. flalcombe by an inch and a half. In this contest it .was,certainly the excellent judgment of Captain Hennessey that-enabled the southern men to will. Indeed, a great deal of the credit for tho success of both Christchurch teams must be given to Mr. Hennessey. The Football Tournament was ended by the All Blacks winning from Halcombe Football Club by default. It was announced during the evening that Messrs. Haywards would show pictures in the Town Hall on New Tear's Night, and that then the medals won by tho All Blacks would be presented. The Christchurch men's medals aro to be presented at the company's Christchurch theatre. All-Comers. Christchurch beat the New Zealand Express Company by fifteen inches after, a grim struggle. They forced an advantage of two inches at the first pall, and this they gradually increased by a series of tugs until, when five minutes had gone, they had eight and'a half inches in hand. In spite of the game fight put up by the losing side, who always responded generously to their, captain's call, the Christchurch men were able in the end to establish the lead of fifteen inches. The big battle of the night,, the one which was to decide the. All-Comers' Championship',, was between Christchurch, and Napier Gasworks' teams. Christchurch had had an unbeaten record, and Napier had been, beaten once, but as against this the 'southern team had' already had one pull earlier in the evening against the New Zealand Express Company. Christchurch were fortunate enough to snatch four inches at the word "go," but the Napier men, by straining their utmost, got.back two inches. After Napier had exhausted themselves by a rapid succession of tugs, the heavy Christchurch team, lifting as one man, gained two more inches, and held the advantage. Presently they increased it until they had a foot to spare, after five minutes. ■Napier struggled desperately in the latter half of the bout, but they could not do' more than shake the Christchurch men, and make the rope quiver. Christchurch won the bout eventually by, fifteen inches, and took the championship.

The Twelve Stone Men, Hunt, Cottrell met. Halcombe, and the bout was the more interesting by reason of the fact that each' team was credited with "one pull, one win." It was a desperate struggle for five minutes, but Munt, Cottrell snatched an advantage of about an' inch at the outset. This was reduced to half an inch, but the Wellington men never, wholly lost their, lead. At five minutes they had still only one inch; but from that out they gradually increased their advantage to inches. Christchurch beat Munt, Cottrell by 184 inches. Neither side gained the, slightest; advantage when the strain went on, arid ;; w.hen finally the southerners,gained an, inch, Munt, Cottrell's men pulled the' Tope' back to the level mark again. Then after two minutes the fresher'side began, to draw away—for the Wellington; men had just had a hard battle with Halcombe. :At five minutes Christchurch had' nine inches,, and they increased it inch by inch to 185 inches at 10 minutes. The .most stubborn battle of the night, and the ■ most interesting one, was the semi-final of Class 2, between Christchurch and Halcombe. The country team, had half an inch the better of the .first pull. They increased their advantage to 2i inches, and Christchurch struggled the harder. It was not until after five minutes'had gone that the combination of the well-coached southern team began to take effect, and even then the bout had gone 1i minutes before the referee called "dead! level." For a minute and a half the little, white mark on the rope oscillated over the mark on the platform, either side gaining a fraction of an inch in turn. In the last minute Christchurch, by a succession of desperate tugs, established a lead for the first time, and when ten minutes had gone they wore winners by about an inch and a half. Christchurch defeated Munt, Cottrell's .team with surprising ease. Munt, Cottrell gained two inches in the first pull and increased it.to three at once. Christchurch pulled.the ropo back to the neutral mark in three minutes, and after this they won as they liked. In five minutes they had gained 4J inches, and in 5J minutes U inches. _ Captain Hennessey turned round to his men and told them to take tilings easily, but apparently with one consent the team decided to end the bout, and in 6J minutes they had pulled their opponents .over, literally tearing the rope out of the hands of the Wellington, men. The Footballers. "All Blacks" won from the Halcombe Football Club by default, and took the football championship. Following is a summary of the results: Class I.—Christchurch beat New Zealand Express Company;' Final: Christchurch beat Napier Gasworks. The championship therefore went to Christchurch. Class ll.—Munt,' Cottrell beat Halcombe; Christchurch beat Munt, Cottrell j Christchurch beat' Halcombe; Christchurch beat Munt, Gottrell and took tho championship. ■ Footballers' Class—The "All Blacks" won from Halcombe F. C. by default.