MAUNGATAPERE EN FETE

Northern Advocate, 7 April 1931, Page 3

MAUNGATAPERE EN FETE

* ANNUAL SPORTS GATHERING > IDEAL CONDITIONS. ; UK.II STANDARD MAINTAINED. > The Alaungatapere Athletic Club's ;« annual sports took place in Mr P. H Kenwood ’s grounds yesterday under * circumstances that were idealistic in • every way. * In the first place, this club is to bo | congratulated upon the bold and enter' • prising policy which it initiated twelve . months ago and carried through again | this year with unqualified success. 1 The weather favoured a large attend- • ance, but the general confidence of ! the public in the club was the factor ' which induced patrons from a very 1 extensive area to accord it their i support. 1 1 he gate charges were reduced from 2s to Is fid, but notwithstanding this the receipts from this source were £lll Cs. The grounds were laid out in a methodical manner and in such a way as to give the spectators a fair view of all events. The programme, which was issued some weeks ago, induced an extraordinarily large number of nominations in every event, so large in fact that the nomination and acceptance fees alone were sufficient to pay all stake money without drawing upon any other sources of revenue. The fact that every event except the long-dis-tance races and the cycling had to be run off in heats, is sufficient evidence of the fact that the nominations were large. The quality of the athletics and chopping was in harmony with the large fields, and the public were thus treated to a day of excitement and pleasure under the happiest conditions. It is impossible here to comment upon the performances or xne various competitors, though reference should be made to the high jump, which resulted in a draw between Nigel McKay and V. Edge at sft Sin, the former clearing the height and the latter jumping sft Sin, which, with his handicap of Sin, made him equal with McKay. Edge walked under the bar before he jumped it. Every event was contested in a capable and sportsmanlike manner, and few easy wins were recorded. The handicappers, Mr McAneny for the athletics and Mr Hardy for the i axemen, carried, out their . responsible duties efficiently and for the most part gave general satisfaction. The Whangarei Boys' Band was in ■ attendance and played a pleasing pro- ; gramme which was thoroughly en- , joyed.

The officials and stewards deserve heartiest congratulations upon the efficient manner in which they carried out their allotted duties. Every one did his work well and impartially, and the general contentment of the competitors was evidence of the fact that thev had received satisfaction.

To the president, Mr Draper, great praise is due for his untiring efforts

to make a success of the function. It must be very gratifying to him to know that lie succeeded so well in directing the proceedings which terminated so happily for every one concerned. He was ably and capably supported by the secretary, Air F. Armstrong, whose work, begun wmcks ago, terminated with such credit to

his own efforts. It is significant that ho had iiis work so well in hand that all the prize money was paid out before 5 p.m. yesterday —a record of which the secretary should be proud. The following are the results:— RUNNING-. t Maiden Eace, 120 yards—First | heat: Donaldson I, A. C, Doel 2, Lowe I‘l. Also started: A, Care and P. Gardiner. Second heat: C. Payne 1, L, W. Sinton 2, T. C. W. P'owoll 3. Also started: D. A. Euddle. Final: Donaldson 1, Doel 2, Powell 3. Won by the narrow margin of two feat, with a similar distance between the next two runners. 300 Yards Handicap, of £l4.—First heat: A. E. Price, 12yds, 1; I. E. Symes, 12yds, 2; E. Braiusby, 9yds, 3. Also started: F. B. Toms syds, A. E. Butler (51, AV. M. Findlay 7, D. A. Euddle 121, A. Coburn 13. Time — 10 l-ssec. Second heat: IC. C. Edwards, oyds, 1; A’. Edge, 11yds, 2; C. Payne, 12yds, 3. Also started: A r . Thomas (syds, L. D. Abbott (51, A, C. Doel 12, L, AV. Sinton 13. Time: 945. Edwards won the heat with case.. Final: Brainsby 1, Price 2, Symes 3. Time—9sce. This was a great race. Brainsby secured the verdict by the narrow margin of IS inches from Price. Symes was two feet further back. One Mile Handicap, of £ls. —E, Leech, 75yds, 1; M. Austin, 130yds, 2; B. C. Durham, 90yds, 3. Also started: ,T. Melnnes 35yds, T. Campbell 40, C. Xitz, A. Preston, K. Clark 55, T. J. Marsh 75, C. O. Diekeson S2, A. 81.B 1 . Levy, Edwin Hope 95, T. AA T alsh 105, A, Bwanbcrg, F. A. Paul, AA T . AI. Mullins, T. Edge 110, Buckingham, M. Bewiri, F. Draffin, P. Gardner 120, Bob Buka, T. C. W. Powell, M. Austin 130. Time —4.2(5 2-5. It is a very rare thing nowadays to coo such a large field of runners as faced the starter yesterday. The result was a fine exhibition. The three leaders

were prominent in the race most of the way, oven though Leech and Durham were amongst the back-markers. Leech at the winning post had about 15 yards to spare from Austin, who beat Durham by about 20 yards.

Herbert Smith Trust Relay Race, f ’rimary 'Schools. —Rawene School 1, Waimate North 2, Wliatitirl 3. Also started: Darakao and Alaungatapere schools. This was a very fine and interesting event. The teams consisted of four boys, each, of whom had to run 110 yards. The Rawene school won comfortably, though the Waimate school made a very good showing. Both the winning teams had a. long motor drive from their homes to the sports field, hut. notwithstanding this the boys arrived fresh and well and. performed their parts with credit to themselves and to their teachers.

Maungatapore Cup, handicap of £3O. —First heat: W. M. Findlay (rehandicapped), 14yds, 1; I. E. Byrnes, 15yds, 2; E. Brainsby 11-Jyds, 3. Also started: F. B. Toms 6yds, V. Thomas 9, V. Edge 14, E. Wilson 15, R. H. Conaghan 15, D. A. Ruddle 164, A. Coburn 17. Time —14 3-sscc. Second heat: K. C. Edwards, 13yds, 1; L. D. Abbott, 11yds, 2; A. E. Butler, 10yds, 3. Also started —J. S. Caseldino Byds, H. Baker 14, D. Fraser 15, B. M. Edge 15, A. C. Duel 13, J. V. Abraham 17. Time—.l4 2-ssee. Final: L. D. Abbott, Hyde, 1; E. Brainsby, 114yds, 2; A. E. Butler, 10yds, 3. Time—.l4 l-ssec. Both heats were fine events, inches either way separating the place-get-ters. The final was a splendid race, each of the runners exerting every muscle to gain the verdict. Abbott had about two feet to Inis credit at the tape and Brainsby beat Butler by a foot.

Boys' Half-mile (under 17 years)— Given, ser, 1; Waters, 20yds, 2; Pulman, 40yds, 3. Also started: Solomon and Jackman 30yds, Durham 40, Shilton and McMillan 60, Hawken 70, Findlay 80. Time—2.ll 3-5. This was a fine, but hard, race. Given, the winner, accounted’ for the whole of the field and finished strongly, though only three feet in front of Waters, who also deserves great credit for his staying power. The third man, Pulman, was only about four yards behind Waters.

Herbert Smith Trust Relay Race, Secondary Schools. —Rawene School 1, Whangarei School 2. These were the only entries. Rawene had an easy victory.

440 Yards Handicap, of £ll. —A. E. Price (rehandicappod), 45yde, 1; J. S. Caseldine, 30yds, 2; Y. Edge, 40yds, 3, Also started: F. B. Toms 30yds, G. T, Forbes, E. Hope 32, A. B. Levy 35, R. Leech, K. C. Edwards 38, 81.B 1 . M. Edge, A. Coburn, J. V. Abraham 40, R. Scott and I. E. Symes 42. Time—49see. Even though Pirice was rehandieapped from 45 to 40 yards, he vfron quite easily, with three yards to spare, Edge finishing two yards behind Caseldine.

Half-mile Handicap, of £ls.—N. Darlington, 55yds, 1; R, Leech, 50yds, 2; E. Hope, 50yds, 3. Also started: K. Clark and J, Melnnes 25yds, G. T. Forbes 43, J. S. Caseldine, C. Nitz and F. Jones 45, R. C. Durham and T. J. Marsh 50, A. B. Levy 55, B. M. Edge and S. Kcrnohan 60, W. M. Mullins, T. Edge and Buckingham 65, J. Y. Abraham, L. Sirl, A. H, Care, AT. Rewiri, T. C. W. Powell, P. Gardner, L. W. Sinfcon 70, F. A. Draffin, M. Austin 75. Time —1.56. As in the mile race, this event drew an extraordinarily large field of 24 runners. Darlington w 7 as rehandieapped from 65 to 55 yards, but this apparently did not affect him seriously, as ho wore down 15 of the front-markers before finally breasting the tape live yards ahead of Leech, who kept within challenging distance of him all the way and by a narrow margin beat Hope, who from 50 yards ran well and at the end had sufficient reserve to account for Austin,' the fourth man.

Consolation Handicap, 120 yards.— Thomas, 2yds, 1; Doel, 10yds, 2; Finlay, 4yds, 3. Also started: Butler ser., Symes ssec. Time—l2 l-sscc.

CYCLING. One Alilo Race. —E. S. Baigcnt, 100 yds., 1; Rex Beech, 100yds, 2; D. O'Callaghan, scr, 3. Also started: T. Cross and L. W. Roberts, ser, F, Risenhut, 10yds, AI. AlcLean 30, R. iS. Redfern 50, J. Alarlow 50, Time —3 min, 4 sec. E. S. Baigcnt, from the limit, -won all the laps and finished in front without being extended. Similarly Rex Beech held second place from start to finish and -was never seriously challenged. He started from tho limit ■with Baigcnt. The third running position was divided between Afarlow from 50vds, T. Cross from scr, ami I). O’Oa 1 - laghan also from ser. Marlow was third in the first round; then lie dropped back to sixth place in the second round and was not heard of again.' T. Cross was sixth in the first lap; then he nfoved up to third place and held it for two laps, but O’Callaghan, who was seventh in the first Jap, moved up to fourth in the second lap, held II for the third round and then displaced Cross in the last round. Cross finished fourth.

Two Mile Eace. —A. W. Beeston, 203 yds, 1; M. McLean, 75yds, 2; E. S. Baigent, 200yds, 2. Also started: E. O’Callaghan and L. W. Eoberts, scr, F. Eisenhut, 30yds, E. S. Eedfern 90, Eev Beech 200. Time —0.15. Boeston, one of the limit men, held the lead in every

lap except the first and won with 20 yards to spare. Magnus McLean, starting from 75 yards, lay in fourth position for the first four rounds. In the fifth round he moved up into third position, displacing Eex Leech, and in the last round overtook Bagent, who was lying second, and went on to* win. second prize with about 30 yards to spare from Baigent. The last-named rider, from the limit, retained his position behind Bceston in all but the first and last rounds, D. O r Callaghan finished fourth. This was a very fine race throughout. Beeston won six laps and Baigent one. JUMPING. High Jump.—Nigel McKay (ser), sft Sin, and V. Edge (Bin), sft Sin, dead heat, 1; Armstrong (2in), sff din 3. E. Brainsby (scr), sft din, J. iV» Abraham (lin), sft Sin, Lowe (2in), sft lin, Bell (2in), sft lin, White (4in), sft lin. McPherson jumped sft Oin. This was the finest exhibition of jumping that has been seen on any sports field north of Auckland for many yeav£ Each of the nine competitors cleared 5 feet, five of them jumped over s£t 3in, four over sft din, and then McKay and Edge tied on sft Bin. Edge jumped sft Sin, which with his handicap of Sin brought his total to the height which McKay jumped, namely sft Sin. It then remained for McKay to clear another inch to win. If it had only been half an inch he would probably have done it, but he just failed to clear the sft 9in and divided first money with Edge, As the president said, this event created much interest and gave great pleasure to the large number of spectators who witnessed it. Vaulting with Pole. —V. Edge, L. Edge and B, Morresey, 9ft 3i'in, triple dead heat. Also vaulted: W. Price, F, A. Draffin, B, Edge, G. Buddie, A. Fletcher and N. McKay,

AXEMEN’S EVENTS. Novice Chop.—First Heat: P. Paul I, J. Norris 2, J. Ferguson 3. Also competed: A. W, Thorburn, J. F- Bryhum, S. Edge, L. Edge and E. Wilkinson. Time —37sec. Second Heat: Tn Maihi 1, B. Morresey 2, J. Mclnnes '3. Also competed: E. Taki, M. Tawha:, W. Barber and A. W. Liddiard. Time —21sec, Final: Tu Maihi 1, P. Paul and J. Ferguson, tic for second place. Time —25sec. Maiden Chop, of £10; 12-inch Stand ing Block.—First Heat: J. Ferguson 1, J. F. Bryham 2, T. Edge 3. Also started: G. Eceves, S. Edge, L. Edge, R. Wilkinson, J. Finlayson and F. A. Bralliu. Time —1.15. (Second Heat: W. Royal 1, W. Barber 2, R. Edge 3. Also started: Ivaihora, B. Morresey, Tu Maihi and J. Mclnnes. Time d’o 2-5 sec. Final: W. Royal 1, W. Barber 2, E. Edge 3. Time —52 l-ssec. Handicap Chop, of £so.—First Heat: G. H. Worker, 21sec, 1; C. W. Dwyer, 4sec, 2; B. Johnson, 15sec, 3. Also competed—T. West, 3sec, M. Griffin, 6, B. Finlayson 20, W. N. Austin 22, W. Irving 24, Geo. Reti 2(5. Time—l.2l. Second Heat: .S. A. Wallace, ISsec, 1; M. Hanraki, 2Ssec, 2; T. H. Snelling, 2Ssec, 3. Also competed: W. Thorburn Sscc, P. Morresey 2(5, D. Wikaria 28, R. Edge 2S, W. Royal 2S. Time—l. 24 J-5, Final: M. Hauraki 1, C. W. Dwyer 2, S. A. Williams 3. Time—l.2l. Underhand Chop, of £3o.—First Heal: 0. H. Dwyer, lOsec, 1; W. Thorburn, 15sec, 2; M. Griffin, Sscc, 3. Also competed; T. West Osec, C. Child. 8, P. Johnson 14, H. C. Snelling 17, W. N. Austin 20, Time—l.o 3-5. Second Heat: W. Underwood, 24sec, 1; G. H. Worker, 22sec, 2; P. Morresey, 20sec, 3. Also competed: G. K. Williams 24 sec, K. Haora 20, A. Lyddiard 20, W. Royal and R. Edge 20. Time—s2sec. Final: W. Underwood 1, P. Morresey 2, G. IT. Worker 3. Time —51 3 Osec.

CHILDREN’S EVENTS.

Boys’ Eace, 6—B.—Gordon Morgan 1, Clive Muir 2, Eonald Muir 3. Sixteen*, starters. Girls’ Eace, 6—B—Joan Nash I, Dawn Ross 2, Lora Wood 3. Fourteen starters. Boys, B—lo—Bobby Leecc 1, Eonald Thomas 2, Kenny Crawford 3. Eighteen starters. Girls, B—lo.—Roma Pringle 1, Beryl Going 2, Jcuno Lceee 3. Fourteen starters. Boys, 10—12.—Noel McMillan 1, Eric Weston 2, J. Dobson 3. Fifteen starters. Girls, 10—12—Jeune Leece 1, Zeta Nash 2, Raima Pringle 3. Twenty-five starters. Girls, 12—14—Mari© Garry 1, Beryl Weston 2, Claire' Nash 3. Twenty starters. £ Boys, 10—14.—Keith Going 1, M. Hore 2, S. McCabe 3. Eighteen starters. Girls’ Three-Legged Race, 10 —12. The Brown Sisters 1, The Stevens Sisters 2, Misses Finlay and Nash 3. Boys’ Three-Legged Race. —Henwood and Rowland 1, Dobson and Day 2, Keogh and Nash 3. Girls’ Three-Legged Race, B—lo8 —10. — The Pringle sisters 1, Misses Grove and Sue 2, Girls, 10 —12 (second race).— Ivy Beazley 1, Zeta Nash 2, Lily Marsh 3. Boys, B—l28 —12. —A, McGregor I, L. Tatton 2, G. Berridge 3. Boys’ Race, 100 yards (under la). H. Solomon 1, R. Pullman 2, C, Hawken 3. There were 10 starters, Soloman winning by 4 yards, 3 yards separating second and third. LADIES’ EVENTS. Married Ladies’ Race.—Mrs McKenzie 1, Mrs A. Care 2, Mrs Carnac 3. Twelve starters. Single Ladies’ Race. —Miss E. Hooper 1, Miss J. Hamblyn 2, Miss I. Maddren 3. There wore 14 starters, the placed three being almost a dead-heat. Nail-Driving.—Miss Ida Cosgrave and another competitor tied for first place. There were a large number of entrants. Hand-sawing Competition. Mrs Drake 1. PRIZES PRESENTED. A HAPPY INTERLUDE. After the Herbert Smith Trust Relay Race and the Maungatapere Gup Handicap had been decided, the spectator a and competitors gathered in large numbers round the president who expressed great pleasure at the privilege he enjoyed of addressing such a splendid gathering, and, on behalf of the district, he heartily thanked the public and the competitors for the splendid support they had again accorded the club. He hafl no hesitation in saying that the athletes, axemen and cyclists on the field that day would perform creditably on any sports ground in the Dominion (applause) and, together, they formed a body of athletic youth and manhood with whom lie was proud to be associated. It had often been truly said that no part of the Dominion was feeling the present depression in a lesser degree than the favoured territory of North Auckland, and of this they had striking and convincing proof in the happy and successful gathering at,Maungatapere that day. When another year had rolled round, and they met again on Mr Kenwood’s beautiful grounds next Easter Monday,] {

he trusted they would all be living under happier and better economic conditions, and that the sun would bo shining brightly through the clouds of depression that were now hanging over the country (Applause). The President then called on Miss Molly Armstrong, daughter of the secretary, to present Mr C. J. Powell’s Cup to the winner of the Cup Handicap—Mr L. D. Abbott, for whom cheers were heartily given. The president then called on Mr Young, headmaster of the Eawene District High School, which brought one relay team last year, and two teams on this occasion, and succeeded in carrying off both cups presented by the Herbert Smith Trust fpr primary, and secondary schools, to receive the trophies which his teams had so well earned (Applause). Mr Young’s response was a very happy one. He assured his hearers that he would be pleased to return next year, and, if the club had a third cup, he would bring an additional team to compete for it. Cheers were heartily given for Mr Young and the Eawene School, and Mr Young’s call for cheers for the president met with a hearty and wholesome response. This concluded a happy interlude in the serious business of the day. THE DANCE. A huge crowd rewarded the efforts of the Sports Dance Committee, all available space in the hall being filled with merry-makers. Several bus loads were present from Whangarei and parked cars spread over the hall paddock and roadside. Supper occupied five sittings and was greatly enjoyed, j A special feature of the evening’s entertainment was the excellent dance music provided by Mr Ces. Wright and his Versatile Dance Band. Their musical efforts were voted to be amongst the best heard in the district, and they received the applause and credit which were their due. Messrs Don Fraser and Morrison were courteous and capable M.C.’s. The gathering terminated in the early hours of the morning, most of the patrons remaining until the, end.