THE HOLIDAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13878, 12 October 1905, Page 7

THE HOLIDAY.

The British public in Christchurch took its pleasure gladly yesterday. Labour Day was conscientiously observed as a holiday by practically all classes of the community, and bright weather enabled the people to get a maximum of benefit from their hours, of leisure. Shuttered shops and deserted market places naturally gave the city the forlorn aspect which it wears on a Sunday or Thursday afternoon, but the town’s loss in. the matter of appearance was' the gain of New Brighton and Sumner, and the Cashmere Hills, and the trotting grounds. Thousands of persons sought these favourite presorts, and the trams had a busy day in transporting the multitudes to and fro. Places further afield were also enlivened by merrymakers. The rail* ways took 1550 passengers bo Lyttelton, 1800 to Rangiora and 200 to Kaiapoi. Good numbers of persons spent a happy day at Wainoni Park, Professor Biokerton’s picturesque grounds. There were multifarious devices for entertaining the visitors, from the (blowing up of a battleship to afternoon tea. Some of the ladies and gentlemen improvised a dance on the lawn, to the musio of a concertina, and waltzed and raazurkaod to the intense delight of themselves and onlookers. Ifi the evening a novel display of _ fireworks completed a very comprehensive round of (merriment.

LYTTELTON. v A considerable number of the holiday makers yesterday found their way t 4 Lyttelton, whither about 1550 persona were conveyed by rail from Christchurch during the day. The majority of these patronised on© or other of tb© steamers which ran from the port to the various resorts around the bar-, hour. The John Anderson made a trip to Port Levy, and also plied from Lyttelton to Purau and Diamond Harbour. The Purau and her smaller consort, the Canterbury, ran to arid from Governor’s Bay. All these vessels appeared to /be doing satisfactory business. A proportion of the visitors preferred to spend the day in the Domain at Corsair Bay, and several cycled toCovernor’s Bay. The number of Lyttelton people who went to the plains to snend the holiday was fairly large, about 550 passengers being booked at the Lyttelton Station. Work was.suspended during the day, both on the wharves and in the town. Places of business were closed, and the only vessel to leave was the steamer Pateena, for Wellington. 81* took no cargo.

TRADES AND LABOUR PICNIC. •Favoured by beautiful weather, a great contrast tc that of Labour Day last yem - , the Canterbury Trades ana Labour Union picnic. belid at the Raaitriora Domain yesterday, was in every wav a success. Three trains wore used to convey tiro excursionists dhuwsli and Lyttelton, and fully wemt by rail, wbiM. quit© another 3UU cycled or drove. During the afternoon the- Rangier®. people attended in com siderabbT force, and it was estimated that there werb 3000 people on the ground. The arrangements to ensure the excursionists a. pleasant day’s outing were excellently oa.rrfcid out by tlh© committee' Under tbs direction of Air J. Barr (president), Air, AI. J. Ford© (general secretary) and Air A. Hart (sports committee). A programme of sports was carried out, alnd Etffi tlbe ©vents attracted large fields, and were keenly contested, the bicycle races particularly so. The children had a merry

time, and toys in abundance were given as prizes for racing. Music 1 by the Rangier a Brass Baind inis taken full advantage of for dancing an tiie green. Air X- Pyle bad a- confeetdlonrJr’s bootOi on the ground and also catered for the luncheom in a satisfactory styte - , , The Premier, • who is one or tne patrons of the gathering, sent the following telegram to the president: “ Kindly convey to the labour leaders j,nd to those assembled my hearty conp.'atnlations and earnest) hope for a ileaeant and enjoyable day. You and ihey null he pleased indeed to know that the Workers’ Homes Act has passed through committee, and will this session be placed on the Statute Book. An important departure lias been mad© which will be in the best interests of and to the advantage and comfort of the workers.” The first train left at 6.30 p.m. for Lyttelton and a second a quarter of ku hour later, the excursionists having apent a most enjoyable'day. ■ Following were '■the results of the sports:— HANDICAP BICYCLE ROAD' RACE, from the corner of Shirley and Canal Read's jo the Rangiora Domain, a. distance of about 1 7 miles; -first prize £2 10s, _ second £1 10s; competitor making fa&tcso time £1; fastest unplaced competitor years of age 10s—E. Milner, riding time 55mdn S3eeo, 1; W. Gudsell, 55min oSsec, 2; if.Weet, Stmin) 56»e0, 3. F. Bonis made the fastest -time hem scratch, 48min 3'ssec. _ E. Round finished) second, but was disqualified for’ starting before time. There were thirtyfour starters 1 , and 1 twenty finished within eight minutes of each, other. The prize for the fastest competitor under eighteen was; won by E. W. HaseH, aged sixteen, his time being 53min 37s eo., APPRENTICES’ RACE, under eighteen, 100yds; first prize lor, second 1 7s 6d—K. Pearson 1, J. Clemens 2. O'PEN! HANDICAP, 100yds; first prize 20s, Second IDs—W. Chisnal'l-1, W. M’Call.2. THREE-LEGGED RACE, 75yds; first prize 20s, second; 10s—Chisnall and Smith 1, thomas and Henderson 2. ■MARRIED WOMEN'S RACE; first prize 20a, second 10s—Mrs West 1, Sirs Eastwick 2. MEN’S RACE, over fifty years of age; first prize 15s, second ss—W. Dax’rtvw 1, it. Mcynoi'l 2. TWO-MILE BICYCLE RACE; first prize £1 10s)' second 15s 1 —T. Belworthy, 15yds, 1; K. Baker, 120yds, 2. Won by several lengths. APPRENTICES’ BICYCLE RACE, under eighteen yearns, one .mile; first prize 15s, second 'os—First heat: W. J.- Harris 1. F.' KonnanJ 2. Second heat: -L. Barrett 1, Bennetts, 2. . Third heat: J. Fookes 1, Bxyentoa E. Final: J. Fookes X, F. Kennard 2. . LABOUR DAY HANDICAP, 160yds; first prize £2.- second) £l—W. M’Oali 1, W. Chisnall 2. SINGLE WOMEN’S RACE, over eighteen years; first prize gold brooch, value £2 ,10s, second 10s—Miss Eastwick 1, . Miss Olive Aldridge ,2. : - GIRLS’, RACE; first prize 15s, second 5s Miss O. Quinn 1, Miss Turvey 2. BABY SHOW; first prize £1 10s—Girl, Mrs Rout 1; boy, 'Mrs Marrow 1. There , was an entry of seven girls and sixteen boys. SPORTS AT KAIAPOI. The Kaiapoi Caledonian Society held sports'in the Park, a large, number of visitors being present . from Christchurch. The Christchurch Caledonian Pipe Band was present, and marched from the station to the ground. The entries were fairly large, and close finishes resulted. The takings at the gat© amounted to £75. The following are the results: — f HALF-MILE NOVICE HANDICAP; first prize 16s, second 10s—G. Templeton, 50yds; IW. Mfllwrarth, 40yds, 2; G. White, 30yds, 100yds FLAT HANDICAP; first prize 80s, •ecomd 10s—Cl B. Haidingham, 4yds, 1; C. Denham, 6yds, 2. ■ HALF-MILE CYCLE RACE ; first prize 40b. second 15s; H. Baker, ICOydsj, 1; J. Stevens, 40yds, 2. 220yds FLAT; first prize 30s, second 10s— P. O. Hobson, 10yds, 1; A. Grey, 16yds, 2. LIGHT-WEIGHT WRESTLING, (under 10«t)—first prize 20s, second 10s—Hegherty 1, C.-Driscoll-3. _ SWORD DANCE) ;■ first’ prize 20s, second 10e—Miss Frorher 1, Miss Bell 2. •TWO - MILE ' CALEDONIAN WHEEL RACE; first prize 60a, second 20s, third 10s— G. White, 260yds, 1; J. Chalmers, 00yds, 2; J.' Hamilton, 260yds, 3. MUSIC (Strathspeys and! Reels); first prize 80s, second 15h—Mr Gillies 1, Mr Cooper S. HIGHLAND FLING; first prize 80a, second 15s—O. Bell 1, (R. Currie 2. ,440yds PLAT HANDICAP; firsi prize 40s, peebnd los, third 7s 6d—C. E. Fitzpatrick 1. p. F. Fitzpatrick A A. Grey 3. FIVE-MILE MOTORCYCLE RACE; first prize 60s, second 20s—T. J. Bryan 1, C. Jones a HEAVY-WEIGHT WRESTLING; first prize 30s, second 15s—M’Kay 1, J. Stone 2. HALF-MILE PLAT RACE; first prize 40e, second 16s, third 7s Gd—CL E. Fitzpatrick 1, F. P. Fitzpatrick 2. M. Marks 3. ONE-MULE BICYCLE HANDICAP; first prize ‘4oa, second 20s—J. Chalmers, 50yds, 1; G. White. 140yds, 3. PIPE MUSIC (Pibrochs); first prize 80s, second 15s —S. Clothier L J- Cooper 2. YOUTHS’ WRESTLING (under, eighteen) —<J. Fanthani 1, ,T. Black 2. HIGHLAND FLING; first prize -20 s. second Hopping 1, Mips Sheppard 3. ONE-MILE FLAT HANDICAP; ‘ first prize 40s, second 15s—J. Pantham, ’ 100yds, 1; 31. Marks, .20yda, 2. ,: Labour Day was not generally observed in Ashburton. The woollen mills, the hanks, and the railway goods sheds were the only places closed. [From Our Correspondent.] _ . TIMARU, October 11. Labour. Day was observed as a close holiday at Timaru, except in the port, where work went on at one steamer till 2-p.m., to let her get away. A few hundreds of people went to Temuka by train and road to attend the garden party in connection with the Brass Band contest being held there. In the afternoon a good number of representative townsmen, families and selected parties of school children, assembled at two o’clock on the West Bolt of the original Borough of Timaru, to plant a quadruple row of trees along the middle of a portion of that two-chains wide thoroughfare. The work is the gift of the Mayor, Mr Oraigie, who promised to continue the work in future vears, as far as the main South . Road. The portion .planted to T day is two ; chains long. A fine afternoon favoured the planting operations, and about 200 trees were put in. The Mayor was afterwards entertained as the guest of the Councillors and others, who. eulogised him for the way he has laboured to improve the appearance of Timaru since he became Mayor. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, October 11.

“ A magnificent display,” was the universal verdict accorded by the thousands who witnessed the procession this morning in honour of Labour Day. It is safe to state that never before has there been such a unique display made in Auckland, and the crowds that turned out to witness the procession cheered, lustily as the various vehicles went past. So lengthy was the procession that it took three-quarters of an hour to pass the corner of Wellesley Street. As usual, the one tiling lacking to make this a thorough labour display was a large turn out of the various Trades Unions. At the same time, those who did march deserve every credit for recognising that on Labour Day workers should be a prominent- feature of the procession. _ The various business firms contributed largely to the success of the display by their special exhibits, many of them of. novel. description, evidencing great ingenuity in conception. The procession was also not wanting in the comic element, which added to the amusement of thousands of onlookers who had lined both sides of the street. The small boys had the customary harvest, in the shape of samples thrown from the various vehicles. Both sides of ■ the great licensing' question were in evidence, the brewers making a fine display in several vans, one containing a mammoth cask of polished wood. The Prohibition Party also had a typical display advocating their no-license principles. The most striking exhibit was Undoubtedly that shown by the railway

workshops, a model engine at work, attracting a great deal of notice.

WANGANUI, October 11. Labour Day was only partly observed here. Acting on legal advice, a number of shopkeepers opened their premises today and employed their hands, they being advised that the Act does not provide for the compulsory closing of shops. The Labopr Department at Wellington was communicated with, and asked if it nas compulsory to close shops, but an evasive answer was given, evidently indicating that the Department was not sure about the point. There is a strong feeling here that the interpretation should bo made clear in. the Shops and Offices Bill under discussion in the House. WELLINGTON, October 11. The weather was wet and wintry for Labour Day, and the annual demonstration of labour was postponed till November 9. NELSON, October 11. There was beautiful weather for Labour Day. No function had been arranged, but several trades and factories ■kept close holiday. WESTPORT, October 11. Labour Day was celebrated as a close holiday, and the visual sports meeting was held. The principal race was won by Eedpath. : DUNEDIN, October 11, ■ Labour Day was observed as a general holiday. The weather being beautiful, large numbers loft town in various directions, and picnic parties were numerous. The Labour Day Committee picnic and sports at Evansdale were the most successful yet held, nearly three thousand persons attending. A telegram was received from the Premier conveying hearty congratulations, and a hope for a pleasant day, with an intimation as to the Workers’ Dwellings Bill having passed committee. A road bicycle race, Evansdale to Waitati and back, was won by W. Brooks (75yds), A. White (90yds) 2. T. Christie won the prize for fastest time. The harriers’ road race over the same ground, was won by J. Stephens (Civil Service Harriers), with ; Sharpe (Y.M.C.A.) in second place, and winning tne prize for fastest time. The 220yds amateur event, for the Bland Holt trophy, was won by H. M’Leod. INVERCARGILL, October 11. Labour Day was not observed in any special way here, but most of the sports’ clubs opened their seasons.