CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S ANNUAL GAMES.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2081, 3 January 1879, Page 2

CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S ANNUAL GAMES.

The tenth annual gathering of the Caledonian Society of Oaniaru took place on New Year's Day and yesterday, on the Show Ground of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association. The surrounding circumstances, the festive season of the year and the recognised public holidays, all conduce to the success of the gathering, which can, therefore, hardly fail to be successful, save in the event of bad weather or bad management. Both of these conditions were most favorable. The weather in the early part of Wednesday was magnificent, the glorious sunshine seemingly drawing the visitors, as it would the bees, to come and share it. Towards 1 o'clock the heat was oppressive, but a shower of rain came very opportunely, and made everything fresh again. Yesterday, the second day, the weather was in every respect as favorable as that of the first. It is a pity that we did not have a few showers of rain pre- | vious to the events, ha in that case the ground would have been far better suited for pedestrian fea^s, being as it was somewhat hard and lumpy. Indeed we may ray here that the course is anything but a good one, as at present laid out, and the directors should see to it that an improvement is effected in f ututre. The sports being the chief and indeed the only attraction to most people in the country, the number of people who availed themselves of the advantages offered by the Railway Department, was very large, and tho streets leading from the railway station were, during the times of the arrival of the morning and the departure of the evening trains, simply crowded with visitors. Probably, between 1500 and 2000 visitors came into town by rail on Wednesday, and perhaps half that number yesterday. The Hawea brought 230 excursionists from Dunedin on Wednesday, arriving at the steam wharf at about 1 p.m., and leaving again for Dunedin at half-past 4. Her passengers were thus only a very short time here, and probably utilised it in sightseeing. Besides these modes of conveyance, residents in the surrounding districts flocked in in traps, buggies, and on horseback. Together with the large number of townsfolk, the attendance on the ground on the first day could not have beeu, including children, far short of 5000, and yesterday there were very nearly 3000 people present. Mr Markham, of the Queen's Hotel, had two very excellent booths on the ground, and Messrs T. Pratt, Brown, and Oruickshank superintended the dispensing of the cakes and fruit. The greatest good order prevailed, only ono or two cases of anything approaching to drunkenness, being observable. The arrangements of the Committee were admirably conceived, but owing to the unavoidable absence of the Director of Games for a portion of the first day, the intervals between the events were rather longer than they ought to have been. Otherwise the directors, who acted in the capacity of judges as well, were thoroughly up to their work, and performed it with an accompaniment of the greatest courtesy and good humor, rendering the proceedings as pleasant as possible. Not a single exception, so far as we could learn, was taken te tho decisions of the judges, and this in itself, where there were «o many event*, and io

many people of such varied temperament to please, spoaks louder than any words can do in their commendation. The disposition of the spectators was admirably managed with a view to secure to everyone the fullest advantages. A fine grandstand, tastefully deoorated with bunting and evergreens, capable of seating 600 persons, was erected on the north end of the ground, and was patronised to the extent of its capacity the whole of both days. The ring was admirably kept, and only once or twice did the onlookers endeavor to break through the barriers. Of music there was plenty — the very excellent little band of the Society performed numberless selections of music under the shade of the Lion standard, iiud three pipers, headed by our old and inspected friend, Mr W. Sutherland, of Livingstone, in true Hiolan' costume, overgrown "bannot" an' a', varied the programme with some excellent old Highlaud marches and dauce music. The competition for the majority of the events was largo, and the contests were tough, there being no walk-overs and few " moral*. " Tho sports were, we think, not so good as last year, lacking much of the spirit noticeable then. We must candidly state it as our opinion that a mistake has been committed in attempting to hold two days' sports. It may be true enough that the second day is patronised by those from a distance, otherwise engaged on the Ist of the month ; but there can be no doubt that it has a tendency to make botludays less enjoyable. The first being one of expectancy and anticipation, and the second, we are sorry to say so, alike tedious and unsatisfactory. The following is a brief description of the various events :—: —