TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 2

TARANAKI CHAMPIONSHIP.

TUG-OP-WAR, AT MANAT A. TAUNGATARA WINS. (T rom O'Ur Own Correspondent.) mi m . MAN AT A, Sept. 27. I he Taranaki tug-of-war champion3'\, f Tver ® brought to a conclusion at the Manaia Town Hall last night before a large crowd. The function was m aid of the Manaia town queen and passed off very successfully. Mr J- Russell acted as judge and .VLr. j H. Hansen as timekeeper. Kaupokon”' St Railway A beat Taungatara beat Riverdale on the first pull by barely half an inch—probably one of the finest pulls ever put on in New Zealand. Railway O beat a scratch team from the town queen committee on the last second, condition telling its tale. Railway A beat Kaupokomii in the second pull by one inch. Riverdale turned the tables on iaungatara in an oven more strenuous go than before, gaining the decision by a bare quarter of an inch. Taungatara were tipped as certain winners, and the Riverdale team upset a great many expectations. Town queen scratch team beat Railway C by 2J- inches. They got the first pull and hung to- it. The deciding pull, Taungatara v. Ivi\ Gicifl-Gj was not so lively as the provious two, Taungatara getting an advantage of 3 inches at first, which Riverdale were only able to reduce to 11 inches. Railway C, in a. “sudden death” pull, met and were beaten by Taungatara by 2 inches. “ The final pull of the evening, which decided the Taranaki championship, was between Railway A and Taungatara, a four-minute “sudden death” pull. For the first minute the 6train was steady, with Taungatara holding d-ineh advantage. In the second min” ute Railway gained it back and a shade more, hut in the third it was a level go. The fourth minute saw intense excitement, and with 5 seconds

to .go Taunga-tara gained It inches and won the Taranaki championship. The title carried with it £ls and £5 for the second team. D. Coupe, the number one of the winning team, collapsed at the end of the pull, but was .soon revived. W. Duggan, president of the committee, briefly thanked those attending and the judges. Following were the teams:. — Railway A.—A. Hunt, C. Long. J. Matheson, T. Murphy and J. Deem. Kaupokonui.—G. Gray, G. Jorgensen, D. Reardon, J. Reardon and M. Horgan. Taunga-tara.—H. Stickman, B. Coupe, J. Allen, R. Ma-indonald, F. Maindonald. Riverdale.—C. McDonald, W. McCook, J. Cotterell, C, Cochrane and K. Murray. Railway C. —T. Sherlock, G. Keighley, G. Livings C. Cronin and W. Phillips. Toavu Queen Committee. —W. Duggan, E. Long, K. Herman, Rum Sam and D. Gorry. During the evening a A*ery enjoyable concert programme was rendered, the items being: Pianoforte solo, Miss K. Cosgrove; song, Mr. T. Coleman; song, Mrs. L. R. Freeman; Spanish dance. Misses Christie; Sailors’ Hornpipe, Misses Duncan and Berry; glee, Manaia Chorus Party; song, 'Mrs. T. Sherlock. The. hall then cleared for dancing, which Avas kept up till the £ Vee sma’ ’oors.” Mr. Russell, as judge, thauked the captains for their sportsmanlike attitude in regard to his decisions. Mr. Freeman, captain' of the winning team, briefly returned thanks. Mr. secretary of the committee, congratulated the teams and deferred to the harmonious Avorking of the committee and the competitore.He also thanked the ladies for the able assistance they had rendered. To them in large measure was due the fact that the function w r as a financial success.