AT THE BASIN

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 152, 26 December 1923, Page 8

AT THE BASIN

WITH PIPE AND KILT

SCOTCHMEN FOREGATHER

A,DAY OF NATIONAL EVENTS.

To : day was the one chosen by the Wellington Caledonian Society and' the New Zealand Piping Society for the an- ! nual meeting in Wellington. The skirl of pipes coming from the Basin Reserve,' ; together with the constant string of : Scotchmen and their descendants, many j in kilts,, indicated the location of the !. gathering, and it was there that there commenced this morning a programme of national events, somewhat characteristic of the gatherings in which the con- i testants 1 forefathers, have -'gloried in Scotland in a period of centuries. There '. were-present everyone from the youngest child, confident of his or her success, to i the veteran of years past who, in his na- ! tional dress, watched with brightening ! eye the competitions in which he had in ', the past participated. , i By noon there was every promise of a i success that has not been excelled in | Wellington in past gatherings of a simi- i lar nature. In all the events there were I excellent entries, piping and dancing'; being features as usual. Weather condi- ■ tions were delightful, though the southerly wind was' slightly chilling. The Basin Reserve was in beautiful condition. The best pipers and dancers in New Zealand are competing. C. :c. M'Doriald, of Wanganui, New Zealand champion piper, and winner , last year of the Dewar Shield, i s again competing, together with the veteran, J. Morrison (Wellington), and lan Kelly, who made hio first appearance, and is the youngest pibrock piper competing. The. dancing section was made the-more interesting by the first appearance locally of W. Suther-' land and D. MacLennan, both of Dunedin. Both were brought out.by the Southland ; Society -to teach dancing and each is a champion in Scottish events. The officials were as follow:—Patrons, His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe/Sir John P. Luke; referee, Mr. R. W. M'Villy; marshall, Mr. A. C. Kitto; judges—track, Messrs. H. W. Thomp-son, A. T. Da vies, J. N. Millard; judges—field, "Messrs. J.'Sharp, W. H. Jones; clerk of■', course, Mr.. J. W./ Heenan; timekeepers, Messrs. W. Ballantyne, W. D. C. Todd; marksman, Mr. E. A. Shaw; handicapper, Mr. A. C. Kitto; bicycle, stewards,, Messrs. T. H, Oates, G. H. Hall; result steward, Mr. G. H. Hall; Press stewards, Messrs. S. Hall, V. Hugo; starter, -Mr. J. C. Cusack; judge, pipe music, Mr. M. A. M'Leod; judges—dancing,. Messrs. N. Mackenzie-Forbes, •C. J. Fulton, and A. Munro; piping stewards, Messrs. T. ! A. Macdonald and W. Smith; dancing stewards,.Messrs: J. Ross, 1!). Young, D Clark,; W. M'Kee,'and J. Fleet; treasurer, Mr. J*.. A. Burns; secretary, Mr G. W. Jenner. . ; J''

. Results available at the time of going to: pi:ess were as follow :—

880 Yards Handicap.—X. R. Goddard (65yds) 1, F. Sullivan (15yds) and F. Hobbs (50yds), dead heat, 2. Time, lmin 59sec. ■-.-•.

Dancing (girls 12 to 16).—Highland Fling:': Jean M'Lachlan (Wellington) 1 Ruby Ford (Albury) 2, Edna Year (Wel-J lington)' 3. Piping.—Pibrpc'k: C. C. M'Donald ■ ("Glengarry Gathering") 1, R. Thomson, Wanganui (" Pesperate Battle "V 2,j £?' Kdly, Wellington- (" The Glen id Mine ) 3.

Dancing.—Sheauntriubbhas : Jean ■M'Lachlan (Wellington) 1, Edna Year (Wellington) 2, Thelma M'Kenzie '(Wellington) 3. . . 6