THE CANTERBURY ANNIVERSARY, &c.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7620, 18 December 1886, Page 3

THE CANTERBUR Y ANNIVERSARY, &c.

[BY TELEGRAPH.] (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Christchurch, Friday. The 16th December, the anniversary of the Canterbury settlement, as being the day on which three out of the famous first four ships came into the harbor, is always one of the biggest and most universally observed of all public holidays ; scarcely even the show days surpass it, while the. Prince of Wales' Birthday and all others are thrown entirely into the shade. This year the weather, upon which everything , depends, was magnificent — hot, but not unbearably so, in spite of a light nor'-wester in the afternoon. The amusements for the day were varied and successful. The furthest, afield wasithe Akaroa regatta, an annual feature in the anniversary, to which the Kotorua took some 500 excursionists, who enjoyed a pleasant trip, saw some capital racing, and got back to town at a decent hour in the evening. The yacht-race 'was won hy the Little Wonder, the wind being hardly fresh enough for fast time. Altogether ' the Akaroa Regatta of 1886 makes a record for comparison in future years. Next came the Plumpton and New Brighton race meetings, but racing is a speciality and tapn to the ordinary correspondent, so I will not further refer <o them. Another out of town amusement—if perspiring Volunteers look upon such a rampage as amusing— was a shamfight in the neighborhood of Kaiapoi. The Canterbury battalion is now the smartest iv the colony, but this smartness is obtained only by the inflexible manner in which Colonel Lean seizes on all' public ho'idays to teach the men their work. From all I can gather, however, yesterdays's manoeuvres were anything but successful on the point of useful exercise, and there was a good deal of severe criticism among the men, who object to be dragged out of town to do next to nothing. The plan of operations was as follows : — The Lyttelton Navals, who went by train to Kaiapoi, represented the hostile force, They took a steamer there and made up the 'river, .where they were repulsed by the Kaiapoi Rifles, and were metontheirreturn by the Christchurch forces, who were supposed to turn the repulse into a total defeat and to route the attacking forces, a task which was accomplished in a few minutes' firing at the end of a heavy march over the sandhills. In town theCaledon- | ian Society ruled the roost. At Lancaster Park a great notable gathering of clans took place. Some successful sports were gone through, and kilted musicians with their peculiar method of extorting music were in great force. The Scottish Rifles of course made their way down to the Park immediately after they had returned from the sham light, and their Black Watch uniform made the ground more brilliant still, with the yellow standard and its red ramping lion flaunting its folds above the green sward. Harry Dunn, of Dunedin, ,the wrestler, won the wrestling match. The popular sports in Hagley Park drew thousands of citizens, as they always do, for a day's outing under trees, where the Avon's clean stream now winds along, affording a splendid point of vantage from which to view Jhe races. They were kept going with great energy, and the contests were good. For the more aristocratic holiday-makers theßiecarton parish garden f6te, another annual affair, made great claims on their attention. It was held in the pretty grounds of Ham, one of the oldest "places" near Christcliuvch, belonging to Mr Leonard Harper, M.H.R. This is always very attractive, and a sure means of securing a revenue. Few people can withstand the charm of the place, with its trim lawns, fine old trees, sparkling water, and house overgrown and hidden in creepers and magnolias, or the assiduity of the promoters of the ffite, who always provide something original in the way of entertainment. Fancy-work stalls, strawberry cream business, Christmas tree, and refreshment tent aro matters of course, but an amateur circus run by Captain Cotton and Mr Penfold (secretary to the C.J.C.), and other well-known sporting men, bore away the palm — and the money. The schools have just broken up, and the papers are flooded with the usual columns of prize lists, among them that of Christ's College. Many of the boys have' already started away for their homes, north and sonth, so you will see black and white ribbons and iStraw • hats in your streets very shortly. A cricket teani goes sonth to play the Dunedin High School. Mr Ford, headmaster of the Nelson College, was anxious to set afoot a cricket tournament between Christ's College/ Wellington and Wanganui collegiate schools, and the Nelson College, at the latter place, but the project could not be carried out on account of the trip just mentioned, although I believe the masters of the other schools, excepting t(iat of Wellington, were equally anxious to arrange it.