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SPORTS AND PASTIMES. (WRITTEN FOR THE "WEEKLY NEWS')

I in i*< | in n«* < h.iinjuim-, \, Inuli arc losiisLmi tlu 1 K'|uit ition ol tin- >*oiili Isl.ind. niilpn ticulii ly ot Auckland, went smith a lew «l i\ > ago, Mr. AVatfc having despatched hw p.ur — lonn,i and Xgaro — to Dimcdin, while Mr. Walton v/ill probably t.ilif .1 tiim byway of (Jroymouth, with Yatloiina and Kingfisher. On tho West (-'oast last year Yattorina carried everything before her, after having shown not very brilliant form at our AucTdaml meeting, f>mt ns she lias lately gone better than earlier in the year, I anticipate hearing of her again clearing the board. Mr. Watt's pair have sought something more pretentious at Duncdin, where [ hope they moy bo hoard of successfully, especially if they are in better condition than they wcro two months ago. Parawhcnua is a "great leathering horso, and al.vays appeared to me to ho able to run better under a heavy woight than under a light impost ; a little Southern money would do Auckland good, and relieve the South of some of that plethora of cash of which we have heard so much. At the samo time, as this is a province in whioh every man "knows a little," what wo do get hold of not unusually finds its way intp tho bank, and is there at lowed to fructify until some "dead certainty" is got hold of. Tho Waikato races have terminated voiy succossfully, but without any very great surprises, except that tho Don ran the Belle so close for the Turf Club Handicap. The race appears to have done tho Don up, as he was beaten by Tui for tho Waikato Stakes, and Tui has not exhibited any very great Erotensions to form as yet. IslertrtM was to ave been sold before tho first race, but I havo not heard whether he has changed Hands or not. A yachting club was formed a little while ago in Liverpool, having for its principal object, a reformation in the measurement of yachts, tho present system being considered objectionablo by several yacht OAVncrs on tho Mersey. Tho gcntlemon forming the association restricted the limit of size to ten tons, and assumed tho title of. the Liverpool Model Yacht Club ; their propositionsiminediately involved thorn in a war of -words .with members of other yacht clubs, which correspondence was duly;- made public. So far, no definite result has been obtained, but tho correspondence alluded tOTather tended to open the eyes of the uninitiated in ] yacht- ■ racing. In reply to a correspondent Mr. Grayson, the secretary, of the Club, giveB the following facts as having como within his personal knowledge. A member of the Cheshire Yacht Clnb had a boat built, nominally for shrimping purposes (she was actually used as a shrimper), and this craft bo entered and sailed in many of the club matches, winning various prizes. This, of course, annoyed other members, who did not like their p'ct yachts to bo beaten by a shriinpcr,and they caused her to bo remeasured, when it w.is found she was 1 \ inches too bro.ul to be classed as a 10- ton yacht. To bring her within tho prescribed limits, she was beached and three-quarters of an inch dubbed off her sides, which complied with tho clubs lcquircments, Lut destroyed he»- carrying capacity. Now comes the most extraordinary part of the proceedings in connection with her, and they show that there is as much " jockeying" in yacht as in horse-racing. I quoto Mr. Grayson's words : — " They were knowing jockeys that had to do with her. Thoir»next move was to reduce her measurement still more by making her larger. This was done by adding levoral feet to her counter, so as to enable them to rig up a small jigger mast so far out as J;o allow the old boom to swing, and thus make her a. yawl. As a yawl her measurement was T ton's, and of course she was allowed;in a time, race tho difference of time allowed between a 7-ton and a I0-.ton yacht." The samo writer then refers to a 10-ton yacht which was so crank it wouldn't sail until four tons of lead had been worked into the keel, and says that • a builder on the Mersey had a 10 tonnor on hand, which was to have six tons of load worked into hor" keel and garboard strake. It is some consolation to think that, in Auckland, op shipbuilders do not endanger their reputations by the manufacture of such " sailing machines." It has lately been • announced that an Auckland eleven -will not visit the Waikato' this year. I htfpe this is incorrect j the Wai{ kato team came to Auckland last season, arid surely we "can return „ $he'i compliment, and find our way up country. < If wd canjt it doesn't argue, very strongly in favor of the spirit of the Auckland cricketers. Judging from experience, the Aucklanders would meet with unbounded hospitality anil a "Warm reception." While on the subject of cricket, a rather novel idea has been started in Now South Wales, that of a ladies', cricket match for getting up ' funds for a church. The competitors numbered nine a-side, with one gentleman who acted as wicket-keeper for both sides. The weather being warm, too much exertion was avoided by shortening the distance from 22 yards' to 1 8 yards . Lower Goulburn topk tho wickets first and were 'disposed of for 15 runs by the Emu Vale" nine, -who, in* their turn put together 22. The second try of tho Lower Goulburn resulted in 15 more, and the Emu Vale then won the match with the loss of only ono wicket. Financially tho match was a success ; scientifically it was not. I observe it is the custom in Melbourne for tho different clubs to play for a challenge cup. This might equally as well be done here, the various teams being handicapped, so as to bring them as nearly as possible to the samo "fighting weight, and it would also servo the purpose of bringing out tho promising players of the province. The Hainloy Gun Club selected a team last week to represent them in tho Waikato, and mado arrangements for inaugurating tho " science " of pigeon shooting for the coming autumn. The recent pigeon match, in the Waikato between that club and the Waikato Gun Club, was pretty easily won by the former, but the pigeons wero out of condition from their journey up. The Hamley Club was represented by Messrs. R. Wynyard, Swindloy, S. Morrin, E. Jones, Clarke, Aiken and I. Gwynne. Somo good shooting was shown by Messrs. Morrin and Aiken, who each scored 13 out Of 14, while for the Waikato Mr. Cox and Captain Morrison, with ten each, wero "the highest scorers. Some observations wero made at tho dinner afterwards, which .Young Auckland would do well to lay to heart. In the course of his remarks Mr. Marks (the umpire) commented on the advantages to be derived from manly sports, and said "it was better than hanging over bars, playing with barmaids, and indulging in offominate amusements." So it is, and less expensive too. Wo may not all bo able to follow the hounds possess a gun, but thero are plonty, of other sports to discover our pltioK and improve our muscle. In an active and thriving colony, let it notboaaid we area "nation of shopkeepers," with an eyo to one chance only. Except there is a good long rise a pigeon has not much cliance, if ho " towors" the momentary hesitation the bird makes before deciding which way to jly 'in fatal to J him, while if lie turn to the right or left, j there is an easy shot ; porbapshis oeat chance | with a long rise is to go straight away, and with a short one to fly right at the ahoofcer, in which case he may get off, or, if struck, is blown to smithereens, and thus saves himself a lingoring death, and ' annoyance to the gunner, by dying "just outside the boundary." A match which recently was shot in America, shows that this "sport" or "amusement," whichever you like, is in favor thero. Tho stakes were 10,000 dollars, tho conditions of the match, CO birds each, 30 yards riso, 80 yards boundary, and tho Rules of the English Guu Club. Tho competitors Messrs. Livingstone and Buttress used 12-bore double-muzzle loaders, by Grant, and the, betting was 10 to 8 on Livingstone, who, justified the confidence of his backers by Killing 33 to his opponent's 29'. , Writing of ! pigeon shooting me to the recent aquatic exploit of a well-known pigeon shot, Mr. Reginald Ilorbert, who, for the trifling wager of £1,000 (£300 forfeit), backed himself to row from Maidenhead Bridge/tion-'^tho 1 Thames, to Westminster Bridge in' 12 hours. Having had a boat

I..I II in i i .H\ I" 1 lll(l "' ( i-* 1 "". ulll( '• ""'.V \\,i"!u.l 'l)!ln , li<" I 1 "'' bnn-ulf nndi r tin.- < ii.'.'f .n.i I In', tin- i li;iiii|>inii sculler, and, ula'ii it i .inn' t" tin* <l.iy .ii>i>oiulc(l, lie com plitul the distance -17 milt's 7 fmlon^s in 10 hoill-.Uld :IO seconds, UH llldlliystopp.l<,'(s .lL tllO \. 11 Kills lodes, &.(' , lol IL-Ilisli incuts, the ai.-tii.il tune lie w.is in the ho.it homy ~t\ lunii-8. Doei alalkmg is likely to lii-ruiiu- .i u-ilil.v in the south, for m Ot.i£<> <i Ah 1 . iMeKcll.u has succeeded in l>rin«ing a lino buck ol •200lbs weight to book. 13ut if the deer in Ota^o exhibit the aamc somnolence they .no said" to show in Nelson, whore they sleep on the roadside, it doesn't argue very forcibly in favour of the skill and caution so requisite ill deer-stalking. Another addition to the " sciences" is that of angling; trout-fishing in tho Avon, in Canterbury, is an accomplished fact, but judging from the restrictions placed upon the places whero you may fish, the framcrs of tho angling regulations m Canterbury were very old disciples of Izaak Walton; if they arc one half as "artful" with tho fly as they have shown themselves to be in barring tho best parts of tho river to the licensed angler, it looks very awkward indeed for tho progression of trout in that province. Touchstoinj;.

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18750227.2.23

Bibliographic details

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5465, 27 February 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

Word Count
1,707

SPORTS AND PASTIMES. (WRITTEN FOR THE "WEEKLY NEWS') Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5465, 27 February 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPORTS AND PASTIMES. (WRITTEN FOR THE "WEEKLY NEWS') Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5465, 27 February 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

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