STAFF PICNICS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 28, 3 February 1930, Page 13

STAFF PICNICS

RAILWAY HEAD OFFICE. Tho Head Office of the Railway Department held its annual picuie at Maidstone Park last week, and, as usual, the event proved an outstanding success. A party of over a thousand members of the families and friends of tho head offico employees went by special train to tho favourite Hutt Valley playground and enjoyed a full programme of athletic sports and pastimes of various kinds, including cricket, tennis, rounders, etc. Tho Railway Jazz Band supplied excellent music for the dancers in the pavilion, and a tuneful merry-go-round gave pleasure and amusement to young and old. The member for the district, Colonel T. W. M'Donald, was present, and addressed the meeting. He apologised for tho absence of tho Minister of Railways (tho Hon. W. B. Taverner), on account of_Ministerial duties. "The Minister,-' said Mr. M'Donald, "asked mo to give you tho message that he. is with you in spirit, and trusts each and every ono of you will gain a full measure of enjoyment from tho day's outing." The presentation of prizes was then proceeded with by Mrs. M'Donald. The various contests between ono branch and another were very keenly contested, and created a great deal of interest. Members of the advertising branch gained the largest proportion of wins, Mr. G. W. Wyles (signal and electrical engineer), who is chairman of the picnic committee, thanked Colonel M'Donald and.Mrs. M'Donald for attending .the. picnic and presenting the prizes,, and called for three cheers, which wore heartily given. Ho said that the success of the meeting owed everything to the nue combination and keen attention to detail shown by the committee. Mr. Wylos regretted very much the absence of the General Manager of Railways (Mr. 11. H. Sterling and the Assistant General Manager (Mr. M. Dcnnehy).

Among thoso present were tho Mayor of Wellington, Mr. G. A. Troup (formerly of the Chief Engineer's branch), and Mrs. Troup; Mr. 11. Buxton (formerly Chief . Traffic Manager of Railways), and Mr.H. J. Wynne (formerly signal and electrical engineer, and, for a long period of years, chairman of the picuic committee). ' Results of the sports arc us follow:— 100 Yards Championship: Gents—Poulton 1, Wright 2. 75 Yards * Championship: Ladies —Miss Buttimoro 1, Miss Mackliu 2. 100 Yards Cadets' Championship: Poulton 1, Wright 2. 100 Yards : Open: Gents—Scrimgeour 1, Wright2. 50 Yards Members' Handicap, over 40 years: Richards 1, Lowry 2. 75 Yards Ladies' Handicap: Miss Buttimore 1, Miss Patbn 2. Ladies' Relay: Miss. Banks' team, 1. 440 Yards' Handicap: Gents—M'Laggan 1, Thompson 2. Three-legged Race: CoX)k and Miss Shepherd 1, Cumming and Miss Kerr 2. Egg and Spoon Race: Ladies —Miss Robertson 1, Miss Denison 2. Egg and Spoon Race: Gents—Franklin 1, Cragg 2. Gigarette Race: Hunter and lady 1, Alington and lady 2, Married Ladies' Race: Mrs. Wallace 1, Mrs. Pollett 2. Men's Relay, 440 yards: Head Office team and Advertising Branch team, dead heat, 1. Tug-o'-war Cup: Maintenance Branch. 1. Wynne Cup: Won by Chief Accountant's Ladies' Relay team. Peterkin Cup: To the individual gaining the highest number of points: Poulton, Advertising Branch. Aggregate Cup: To tho branch gaining the highest number of points—Advertising Branch. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. The fifth annual picnic of the stall of tho Government Printing Office was held at .Maidstono Park, Upper Hutt, last week. The day remained fine until lute in the afternoon, when a heavy shower fell, but, this did not affect the success of the gathering greatly. To mark tho significance of the occasion each member of the staff was presented with a souvenir, specially prepared for tho event. There were, sports events' for all, and a liberal distribution of sweets, drinks, and tho like was greatly appreciated by the children. There was a number of exmembers of the staff present as guests of the committee, including Mr. M. Marks, and at the conclusion of the proceedings the prizes were presented by the Government Printer (Mr. W. A. G. Skinner). Results of sports events are as follow: — Quoits handicap (18-yard toss): K. H. Stickney 1, Fi. Wilkinson 2. Office boys' handicap: H. Phillips 1, W. M'Millan 2. Government Printing Office handicap: J. H. Thomas 1, 1?. Robbie' 2, G. Spence 3. Office ladies' race: Miss M. Simmonds 1, Miss G. M'Gurk 2. Tug-o'-war: Won by machine room. Thread-the-needle race: Miss A. Hennessy and Mr. G. Spence 1. Veterans' race: D. Claridge I, K. M'Caull 2. Cigarette race: Miss A. Hennessy and Mr. W. Legge-1. Married ladies' race: Mrs. T. Lawrie 1. Mrs. R. Kaywood 2. Apple race: Miss D. M"'Lean and Mr. A. Minifio 1. Overseers' race: O. Goff 1, X Benjamin 2. Three-lesßod race: Miss G. M'Gurk and Mr. J. Wilson 1. "All-four" relay race: Miss C. M'Gurk, . Miss G. M'Gurk, Messrs. L. Ridler and G. Spence 1. Egg and spoon race: Miss K. Hennessy and Mr. K. Boag 1. Committee race (ladies): Miss A. Hennessy 1, Miss G. M'Gurk 2. Committee race (men): J. Moffutt 1, J. Tidman 2.