THE HASTINGS FIRE BRIGADE ANNIVERSARY SPORTS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5108, 3 January 1888, Page 3

THE HASTINGS FIRE BRIGADE ANNIVERSARY SPORTS.

[OWN COBRESPOTJEXT.j

The above sports and competitions, which were held yesterday on tho Hastings racecourse, came off very successfully. The programme announced that 11 o'clock was the time that tho sports would commence, but lonsr before that time n large number of people had assembled and took up rositiors under the grateful shade of trie large willows around the pond. After the boys 1 nice wan run, a steady .stream of people ciime through the racecourse gates for more than an hour, and at about half-past twelve o'clock more than 1000 people were grouped for tho most part under the trees that make the vicinity of the racecourse pond tho most delightful pictiic ground in the province. If tho secretary of the H.B. J.C. had only heard half of tho expressions of adminitiou which were bestowed on him yesterday by it gratified public who were feasting , under the delightful shade of the willows ho ought t<) liave felt highly gratified. During , tho time tho events wcro being" contested the fair sex (of whom there wore many) had a number of games of thoir own in full swing, including rounders, French tig, and Inst, but not least, enjoyed kiss iv the ring. The latter game never lulled for want of players : tho girls scorned to be determined to lay in a stock of kisses for tbe coming year. The merry-go-round of Mr Adamson was woll , . patronised during the day. Mr R. Vauarhan had ft very nice luiK-heonlaid under the grand-stand, and did fairly well, considering everyone came provided with eatables of some rort. The tub race, from an amusing point of view, was the race of the day ; the laughter that the several competitors caused by their attempts to balance their cranky crafts without capsizing caused loud roars. After a long time was spent by the competitors iv tumbling in and out of their tubs, a Maori lad got away by himself and padulod his tub with his hands thelcngthof the pondftndwontheraee. Mr Percy, after a tedious voyage, obtained second place. One darkey of American decent, called " Billy," and who ie adopted by tho Maoris, caused great fun. Billy could not manage the tub balance, and not to bo beaten, ho swam the length of the pond on top of the tub and not iv it. During his voyago he kept up a running fire of jokes, to the great enjoyment of those on tho banks. The Hastings Band in full uniform kept tho public in good humor during the day by playing a number of nice selections. Towards the evening the baud played dance music, which was taken advantage of by the. lovers cf the light fantastic. The judges, committee, starter, and time-keeper worked hard during the day, and gave general satisfaction, not a hitch occurring to spoil the proceedings. Secretary Beck, by whom the bulk of tho work was performed, was a host in himself, and carried out his numerous duties in a manner which deserves the greatest praise. The courteous and "obliging ciiretaker of the Hastings race-course, Mr T. Coghlan, also desarves v meed of praise, as everything that \raswantetl4o forward the dnyVejxirt was placed ut the disposal of the committee by him. The numerous events were well contested, and the local Brigade yesterday proved themselves - 'no contemptible rivals in the different competitions in which the credit of Hastings wns kept well to tho front. About 7 o clock saw tho end of the programme, and the large crowd loft for their different destinations. A block vote was given yesterday that tv more successful sports or a more enjoyable day was never before spent on the Hastings racecourse. Below uro the results of tho different j events:—

Buys' Handicap, under 14.—1st, Watorburv wntch, Neagle: 2nd, special prize, .Wells.

Girls" Handicap, open.—lst, album, E. Piitcrson ; 2nd, special prize, A. Stubley.

Maiden Race, 200yds.—1st, silver cup, pvesente by Mr J. Vercoo, C. Steevons; 2nd, £1, L. Anderson.

Engine Practice, for one man.—lst, special prize, presented by Mr H. O. Caulton, Keith {'61 2-.Hh sec) ; 2nd, flower stand, presented by Mr 1). Simon, Smith (37 4-.) th sec); 3rd,"Brausch (38 l-Oth sec). jiach mini was fined 2 seconds.

H.V.F.B. Anniversary Handicap, in three heats of J"i9, 300," and 40? yards; tirst prize gold medal or .£■'/ on in ca.<h, senoud prize silver medal or £2 2s in cash, third prize £1. First heat.—lst, M. Sullivan (oyds); 2nd, («. Clareburt (Syds); 3rd, M. IJyous (.scratch). Second heat.— jst, M. Sullivan f 10yds); 2nd, G. Clareburt 14yds); 3rd, Mi tyous (scratch). Third heat.—lst, M. Lyons (scratch); 'liii, "W. Johustone (20yds ; 3rd, W. Bennett (10yds). Sullivan thus won tho handicap with two points, Lyons coming second with one iir.st aud two' hirdu, ami Clareburt third with two seconds.

Firemen's Race, 200 yards.—lst, Meerschaum pipe, Smith; '.'ud, gold ring, Brausch.

Engine Practice, for five men, open to all Brigades.—lst, special prize presented by tho Mayor of Hastings, Spit team (43 2-oth sco,); 2nd, vtiluo for £'2 2s, presented by Messrs H. Williams and Sons, Hastings team (15 2-sth ecu.); 3rd, vis-luy for £1 10s, presented by Mr J. Myers, Napier team (.37 2-sth sec). Each team was fined six seconds.

Mile Walk Handicap.—lst, £1, A. Tolley (scratch) ; 2nd, .CI 10s, M. Murphy (00yds). Mile Handicap Rtido. —lst, horse valued at £0, P resented by Mr E. JBroughton, 11. Blako (SOyds); 2nd, £2 10s, C. Brausch (50yds) ; 3rd, special prize, L. Anderson (SOydsy. Handicap Hurdle Ruco, MO yards, 10 flights,—lst £3, P. Scbley (12yds); 2nd, £1 10s, C. Siddlesi'.iyds). Hurdlo liaoe in sacks, hands tieri, hurdles 9 inches high.—lst, .-CI, Goldsmith (Maori], 2nd, 10s, Siddlt's. Swimming Match.—lst, £1, Goldsmith (Maori) : 2nd, 10s, Simpson. Hurdle Bace for boys under 10 years.— Ist, album and 10s, Barry ; '2nd, value for 10s, lioaeh ; 3rd, pair of bantams, Collinire. Tutf-of-Wui'.—Prize, €1 10s, won by a Maori team that lieat easily a Hastings uud

a Tomoana team respectively. Tub liace. —Ist, meerschaum pipy, i}uii.can (Mulatto); 2nd, special prize, Bartlett (Ifaori). Yesterday's holiday concluded with an Ethiopian entertainment in the Town Hall in aid of tho Brass Band uniform. A large

audience was present, and imancially speaking, the entertainment was a success. The perf.,noe>:s (ltd their best to amuse those present, but owfnjf to tbo heavy day's programme goneOudtigh, they seemed for the most part futigubtL IS. Bush, Hodgson, Lowe, afld Fuzssard—werii the chief performers In a long programmes and if they did not give/satisfaction it was through no fault of theirs. After the perfonnaueo a danco was indulged in until the sums) J hours. -4