PEDESTRIANISM.

Evening Star, Issue 5969, 29 April 1882, Page 2

PEDESTRIANISM.

The mile match for LSO a-side and the championship of New Zealand between Surk and Fagan was run at the Caledonian Grounds this afternoon. Extra attractions were provided in the shape of a Maiden Plate, a fiat handicap of 110 yards, and a mile handicap; but the match was of course the central point of interest to the spectators. A very lively interest in this event was taken by the public, not only in Dunedin, but in other towns of the Colony, and this was heightened by the belief that the race would be run "on the square.' There was also a good deal of betting in small sums, Burk being rather the favorite, though at the last moment Fagan supplanted him. The weather was very threatening, and the grass track somewhat heavy for the minor races; but the cinder track, which was ot course used for the match, was not in the least cut up, and may be accounted in fairly good order for running on Mr J. Wain, jun., acted as judge, Mr J. M'Gregor starter, and Mr A. Austin handicapped for the lesser events. There was a good deal of delay ia making a start. The first race was advertised to be run at 2.30, but it was close on three o'clock before the men were sent away for the first heat of the Maiden Plate. The following are the results up to the time our messenger left the ground: Maiden Plate, 100 yds. Prize, L2. Fibst Heat. —M'Keitch and Hobbs did not start. Three came to the post, viz., J. Allen, S. G. Hutton, and Smith, Button took the lead from the start, and running within himself, came in an easy winner by a yard from Smith. Time, 112-soec. Second Heat.—Gollar and M'Kenzie did not put in an appearance. The starters were J. Lewis, S. Leith, and J. Miles. A splendid start. The three ran close abreast for half the distance, when Leith forged ahead and won by a couple of feet from Miles. Time, 11 l-ssec. Final Heat.—All four came to the post. Hutton got away splendidly, but Miles was left behind altogether and did not run. Hutton had to put on a spurt at the finißh, but he won by a foot with a little to spare. Smith was second, Leith third. Time, 113-ssec. Gband Handicap, 110 yds. Prizes, L 3, L2, and LI. First Heat.—J. R. Hutton (scratch), R. Burk (liyds), P. Brady (4| yds), W. Fox (s£yds), and J. Crofts (%ds) started. A capital start was effected. Hutton ran well, but he could not get up at the finish. Brady soon overhauled Crofts, and keeping the lead won by about a foot and a-half. Time, 12sec. Second Heat.—S. E. Hutton, Smith, and J. Murdoch ran. Smith got away badly, but running in beautiful style he came up to his opponents in the last ten yards and won on the tape. Hutton was second. Time 11 4-ssec. In oider to allow some of the country visitors to catch the Northern train it was resolved to take the matoh at this stage of the proceedings. One-mile Match, between W. J. Burk (Dunedin) and Fagan (Christchurch).

The men appeared on the track at ten minutes to four, and stripped without any delay. When seen with their clothes off it was, evident that both were in splendid fettle. Fagan is considerably taller, and of slighter buUd than Burk; and when they were alongside each other a stranger would certainly have selected the visitor as a more likely runner than our sturdy, nuggety-built champion. At the time of starting Fagan was slightly the favorite. Having shaken hands the pi3tol was at once fired and off they went. Burk had the inside place, and at once took the lead, Fagan keeping close on his heels andrunning well within himself, which Burk was also doing. The fiisfc lap—one-fifth of the distance—was run in 51seo. Early in the second lap Fagan dispossessed the Dunedin man of the lead, and Burk then jogged on in his wake. Half-way rou id Burk closed up on him on the outside and forced the pace a bit. Time for the two laps, lmin 44sec. The third lap was for the most part a repetition of the second, Fagan still keeping in front. When opposite the stand Burk came up quite abreast of the Christchurch man, and for the rest of the round the oppomnts ran. stride for stride, Burk on the outside. Time, for the three laps, 2min 40aeo. When half-a-dozen yards past the box Burk put en a spurt ; and got in front. Fagan immediately responded, bat Burk went at such a surprising rate that Fagan could not keep it up, and before half the spectators well knew what had happened Burk was seen twenty yards or so in front, his adversary having given up. Burk then jogged on at I a fair rate of speed, and completed the mile in 4min. 36 2-ssta, pulling up, if not quite fresh, at any rate entirely free from the least symptom of exhaustion. The enthusiasm of the spectators was unbounded. Burk wai not allowed to walk a yard, but was quickly hoisted on to the shoulders of his friends and conveyed to Ogg's Hotel. Fagan did not seem to be very much distiessed, although there is little doubt that he did his very best to win and had run himself out. He has, we understand, acknowledged that he was outpaced. The men appeared to be travelling at only a moderate pace, but the tiro* shows that a high rate of speed was attained. As soon as the race was over three cheers were called for and heartily given for Fagan. Burk, the winner, was trained by Charles Verey and W. Murphy; Fagan by Brady. We may mention that Fagan comes originally from Auckland, at which place as well as at Christchurch he has competed in several races. Burk is well known as one of the fairest and best runners we have ever had in the Colony. He has run at nearly every meeting held in Dunedin for years past. His only match prior to this was with James Henderson. Burk gave him 350 yards start in a five-mile spin, and won. The best mile record is 4min 16 l-ssec, by Oummings, made, we believe, at Manchester. There were close on 1,000 people on the ground when the sports began, and when the match was ran there could not have been fewer than 1,700 assembled.

The English High Churchmen are talking of celebrating the the jubilee of the Tractarian movement in July, 1883. Galloons and tubular braids trim cloth suits. Flounces of corded crinoline make new bustles.

a nice segjffiffAipJli Phillips, who has forlpit for bigamy, was, until recently, aeStedhamKsc at South Makirikiri. Whilst Herapseed, between fourteen and Jfrfei years Of age, Was one of bis punf&j - Hfe used to take this young lady and Jfljjfe liar Special instruction out of school hotm,* Eb ' seduced tfer, wid afterwards *&&s** jf Palmerston and the registrar &e3sed ffie , pair in the bonds of matrimony. He.arabsequently resigned his position as *teacheTj but continued to reside at South Makirikiri, A rumor got about that Phillips had a wife living at Auckland, where she followed the profession of a Bchool teacher. Inquiries were made, with the result that there appeared to be no doubtthat : :Mf£f!Mß4ft? No. 1 was living at Auckland; „ Considerable delay took place, as .Ix&pector James refused to take any steps until an information had been laid by some one bt the deluded girl's friends. Ultimately Mr Donald M'Lean,- brother-in-law of the girl, laid, an information, sund. on. HonSUiy -the police proceeded to South Makirikiri to arrest Phillips. On arriving there ttoey <iis* covered that their bird had flown. Be was subsequently arrested at Palmerston. We hear, but cannot vouch for the accuracy of the statement, that Phillips asserts that when he was married in Auckland in 1860 he thought that a wife whom he had left behind in England was dead. Hesubse* quently discovered that she had been aliveafc the time of the Auckland marriage, and hence the marriage was null and void. The wife in England is alleged to have died before the marriage with Miss Hempseed, If the above was true, of course bis marriage with Miss Hempseed would be lawful, and the charge of bigamy would break down. It is said that Phillips ran away with a young lady from Auckland to Nelson, and that her parents followed her and brought her back. H« for some time had charge of the Wake-' field school, near Kolcnn. tunA hfc Auckland wife then lived with him.—'Advocate.*