CABMEN AT PLAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 10

CABMEN AT PLAY.

TROTS AND TURN-OUTS. The Ldndon 'bus-man has become proverbial from the fact- that he spends his holidays riding on a croney's bus, but the Christchurch cabman cannot ,bo accused of making his annual picnic a " 'bus-man's holiday." Yesterday the cabdrivers of the city journeyed in forco to the New Brighton racecourse, and there spent a day of strenuous leisure. Practically every cabman in tlio city was there, and the gathering disclosed the fact that every other cabman in tbo city has a wife, and that cabmen's children aro by no means a negligible quantity. For there were children everywhere. They swarmed over tho grandstand and along the course. They got in everyone's' way, and impartially wiped sticky finger* on everyone's clothes; they incessantly consumed enormous quantities of fruit and sweets, and. when the day was done they crammed themselves tiredly and happily into the conveyances, and alternately slept and sang and had aches all the way home. In, fact, the cab men and women junior were the main feature of tho day. But though the youngsters enjoyed themselves to the full, their elders were not. behindhand in extracting all tho pleasure possible from their outing, and staid cabmen ran hard and carried hot water and ate al fresco luncheons with all the enthusiasm of youth. The day began with a gathering; in Latimer Square, where decorated cabs and drags full of picnickers formed a procession, and headed by a gorgeously top-hatted and red-coated horseman, (hx>ve through the principal ' streets. Tho procession then headed for Brooklyn, where the picnic wais held. A guileless reporter climbed on to a tramcar which took him to Va spot three miles from the scene, and after a weary tramp over interminable sandhills, the sound of a scratch baud attracted him, and he found tho revellers in the midst of their sports. There were numbers of races, plenty of arguments, barrels of "soft tack," and lots of cabs, and among everything ran the children, and under the fences sat the matrons, superintending luncheons. Oyster carts w.rti present, and tho ice-cream vendor and the cocoanut-shy person did wonderful business. _ . An energetic committee, of which Mr S. Beale was secretary, got some sports off well to time. Miss Button acted ass judge, and the following are the results of the principal events:— ' Single Cabmen's Race—A. Russell 1, J. Howard- 2. ' Single "Wonicns Race—Miss Sleema.ii 1, Miss S. Harris 2. Married Cabmen s Race—A. G. TJawln 1, R. Hampton 2. . Married Women's Race—Mrs R Keith, i, Mrs* It. Hnmpton 2. Bioyclo Race-—A. Russell 1, C. Reid 2. One-mile Trot. Handicap—J. Robinson's Toddlov, ssec, 1; 1 ; '- Claridge's -Floater, isec,

Old Cabmen's Race— W. Saunders 1, J. Tilling 3. Ilalf-milo Obstacle Race—B. Malcolm 1, F. ]>onova,n 2. One-Mile (iallop-—J. Newton'- Wandering Willie 1. M. Murray's Convoy '2. Gomuuttoerneu's Race—A. Russell 1, R. Hampton 2. Thrre-lcgged Race—C. Read and G. Oluridgo 1. Two-mile Trot Ha-ndica-p—J. olecmn,ri & Bluosfcone, 40se'c, 1; J. Robinson's Otto Ciib, 2sco. 2.