HOLIDAY SPORTS AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 50, 20 December 1851, Page 6

HOLIDAY SPORTS AT CHRISTCHURCH.

The anniversary of the arrival of the first colonists was duly observed on Tuesday last, December 16. Hagley Park was chosen as the scene of the amusements in which the settlers celebrated what was probably the most important and interesting epoch of their lives. It was difficult to believe that that occasion was not much more remote than a mere twelvemonth, so English was the appearance presented by that part of the great grassy plain in which the revellers assembled themselves : the scene bore no unapt resemblance to the open air holi-day-making in the neighbourhood of some country town at home. Two points of the picture were, however, widely different. Here was a vast tract of level country, over which to range, room in abundance for any diversion ; at home a small common must most probably have sufficed. Nor were the enjoyments of the well-disposed marred by any of those breaches of law and order which are too frequent on similar occasions in the old country.

The day commenced with a Cricket Match, as previously arranged, between eleven of the Christenurch Cricket Club, and eleven working men, upon the excellent prepared ground ot j the club. The game was played at first rather tamely, but the players soon began to enter into it with spirit. The working men had the first innings, and the morning was over before it closed. After a short pause for refreshment, the match was resumed, and was continued until the evening, the working men getting a second innings. We give below the score as far as the match was played. WORKING ME Ns' ELEVEN. Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. G. Ward . b. by Wright . 2 b. by Brittan .19 Turner. . b. by Wright . 0 b. by Brittan .12 J.Giles. . b. by Wright . 0 not out . .0 G. Dickinson. b. by C. C. Bovren 6 runout . -15 Johnson. . b. by Wright . A runout . . 0 w . , . ' /c. by Dickinson, 1 , , , _ r . , „ Wright .•tb. by Bowen J 1 h' hy Wn&ht ' 3 Wedge . . r. ont. b. by Wright 0 run oat . .3 Jackson. . b. &c. by Brittan 4 {*'^f Ward ' }2 ' ■ I b. by Bowen . i Lancaster . b. by Wright . 1 stnmped ont . 0 Gilbert . . not out . .7 b. by Wright . 1 Brooker. - ht.wkt.b.by Brittan 2 b. by Brittan . 2 Byes . . 15 .22 Wide balls . . . 20 . . 14 No balls . . . 4 . 0 | Totals - 72 . .93 C. C. C. ELEVEN. Ist Innings. Charles Bowen. b. by Johnson . . .12 Harman . . b. by Dickinson .• . .3 Godley . . b. by Turner . . .24 Brittan . . b. by Turner . . . 26 Sidebottom . b. by Johnson . .- .11 H. Ward . . c. by Turner, b. by Dickinson 7 Fitton . . c. and b. by Turner . . 5 Wright . . c. by Gilbert. ... 3 C. C. Bowen . s. by Turner, b. by Dickinson 5 White . . not out .... 0 Field . . b. by Turner, c. by Dickinson 0 96 Byes 29 Wide balls . . . 4 No balls .... 2 Total . . .131 The interest of the assemblage was not, however, confined to the cricket-match, but was shared pretty equally with the horse and foot races which had been arranged under the skilful furtherance and direction of Mr. Theodore Williams, and some other gentlemen. It might be that the sportsmen of England would have treated with somewhat of indifference these, the first turf exploits upon the Canterbury plains. But to say the very least, they ministered to the excitement and amusement of the settlers, and bore the charm, if not of excellence, at any rate of novelty. Most people wee astonished at the number of very tolerable horses collected together, an anticipation in little of the surprise to be produced, as we really believe, by the Census returns recently taken when made public, both as regards cattle and land under cultivation. The race course was short, necessarily so from its roughness, compared to the made courses of England. We give a list of the runs, together with the names of the horses. Sweepstake of £5 each, with £2 added by the club. Mr. Torlesse's br. jr. Bob . .22 „ Jordou's g.g. Brandy , ,11 „ Holland's b.g. Jack . .33 „ Gartner's b.g, Johnny.Heki, distanced.

Match for £5 between Mr. Godley's br.m. Lady, Nugent . 1 „ Russell's b.g. Stationer. . 2 Match for £5 between Mr. Kussell's Stationer ... 2 „ Caverhill's Necromancer. . 1 Native Eage for £3. Martin, bolted .... 3 Waipapa 2 2 Jack Fly 11 Te'Wira", bolted There was also a foot race of 200 yards, Ist prize 1 guinea, 2nd prize 10s. 6d. The followino- were the competitors : —Allen 1, Thompson 2, Segley, Brown, M'Kay, Burkett, Egg, Gumming, Boucher. This was succeeded by a Wrestling Match, in which the respective lumbar and muscular powers of Blame, Newcombe, and Stuckey were tested. The first of these won the prize of one guinea. Stuckey was somewhat consoled for his defeat by securing a pig that was shortly after turned out, in spite of Grunter's slippery tail. We only know of one accident that befel on the occasion ; that one was the falling of the greased pole upon a man in the attempt to erect it. We hear that the poor fellow was not much hurt.

As a sequel to the Amusements of the day, an excellent dinner "was served up in the evening at the White Hart Inn. The company was, however, by no means so numerous as the repast provided for them deserved; attributable, perhaps, to the liberal exercise of private hospitality which distinguished many of the standard inhabitants of Christchnrch. But though few, the guests were remarkably united and friendly, and so enjoyed themselves in no small degree. Mr. E. J, Wakefield presided. After the cloth was removed, the usual loyal toasts, together with « The first settlers," "The C.C.C.," " The working-men players," and among others, " the health of the Chairman," were drunk with all the honours.

But the diversions did not entirely terminate with the day. On Wednesday the workingmen met to play a game at cricket among themselves, a shooting-match also took place, and a gratuitous dinner was given by the landlord of the White Hart Inn. A ball at the Golden Fleece on Thursday may be said to have concluded the recreations with which they who not long since were Canterbury pilgrims, wore off the keen edge of toil, and nerved themselves to make a second anniversary prosperous in a tenfold degree.