TELEGRAMS. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPORTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 130, 29 November 1909, Page 2

TELEGRAMS. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPORTS.

CHRISTCHURCH, 27th November. The annual sports meeting of the North Canterbury Public Schools' Amateur Athletic Association was held at Lancaster Park to-day, and was again remarkable for the enormous number of competitors and the large attendance of spectators. The day was moderately fine, but a strong easterly wind was experienced. T^ie programme of the sports was a most elaborate affair, and included practically every known variety^ of athletics, and the youthful competitors,, especially the girls, entered into the contests with refreshing zest. Some of the events brought out enormous fields, entries of from 50 to 100' being nothing uncommon. The. da;/ opened with a military marching competition, and then followed the initial heats in the big fiat ewntß, together with the jumping and other contests, which occupied the whole of the morning. The afternoon was devoted to 'the finals of events partially decided earlier in tho day, and the day's activity culminated in massed displays of club and dumbbell exercises, and scarf and flag drill. The programmo concluded with a march-past by the^ cadet battalions. DRIVING <FIRST PILE OF WAIAU 1 BRIDGE. •CHRISTCHURCH, 28th November. The Hon. T. Mackenzie, on Saturday, drove the first pile of the Waiau Bridge, in the presence of. a large number of setlers from the districts interested, including representatives from Marlborough and Christchurch. The Minister stated in his speech that it was intended to continue the »Waipara-Cheviot line to the bridge. He was waited upon later, at M'Kenzie (Cheviot), by a large and representative deputation, whi&h urged upon him the necessity of the South Island Main Trunk being completed, and the Minister undertook to place their representations before Cabinet. In the evening he was entertained at a banquet by the South Island Main Trunk" Railway League. AUCKLAND A. AND P. SHOW. # AUCKLAND, 28th November. The attendance at people's day at the agricultural show yesterday was about thirty thousand. The gate takings were £1158, an increase of £172 on last year. The weather was beautiful, except for a few heavy showesss, The champion Border-Leicester ram was sold for twenty-seven guineas,' and the champion stud Shropshire for twenty -five g«ineas. Some yearling sHorthorn bulls, exhibited by Mr. Taylor, Te'Awamutu, \ver6 sold for various sums from twenty to thirty guineas, and a Jersey from Mr. Thomas M'Kenzie, Feilding, was sold for twentyguineas. FRUIT AND .POTATOES. DUNEDIN, 27th November. Early supplies of new season's fruit from Central Otago is causing a decline in prices. Best strawberries sold this morning at tenpence, others at sevenpence. .. Cherries are selling at tenpence. New Peninsula potatoes bring twopence a pound, and Auckland-grown sixteen shillings per cwt. FATAL ACCIDENT. INVERCARGILL, 27th November. Robert M'Donald, married, aged 35 years, died at the hospital last niuht from injury to his head caused by a Hying winch handle while working at the Hedgehope sawmill. He leaves a [ widow arid four young children. A MISSING MAN. CHRISTCHURCH, 27th November. The police authorities are unable, to obtain any trace of Arthur Clarkson, missed early this .week. He was last seen by Detective Fahey, when he said he was going to Oamaru, thence to Auckland and Wellington, but no trace of him has been found in either place.