BOXING DAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XII, Issue 4407, 29 December 1875, Page 2

BOXING DAY.

The weather on Boxing Day wm most nnpropitious for the sports and picnics which were to hare been held. The atmosphere was close and oppressive, and there were frequent showers throughout the day, quite enough to prevent any out-door amusements. Almost everything which had been announced as a means of public amusement was postponed until Saturday next, New Year's Day. It would hare been a mistake had this been otherwise, as the weather would have spoiled the best sports, and at any rate comparatively few ventured to leave the shelter of their homes. The Ellerslie Sports and the Good Templar demonstration were postponed until New Year's Day. At the North Shore the sports were held and were not much interfered with by the rain, as it did not rain nearly s much there as at Ellerslie. In the evenin<4 the weather cleared, and the whole of the"places of amusement were fully patronised. The Theatre was crowded to excess, there was a capital house at the City Rail, and the concert and ball given in the Lome-street Hall in connection with the Good Templar Saturday Night Entertainment wa3 numerously attended. Large numbers of persoua visited the Hot Lakes, and the sports there were held as advertised. ELLERSLIE. Mr. Graham's beautiful and extensive gardens at Ellerslie attracted a considerable number of visitors on Monday last, notwithstanding that the weather was such as to ■ prevent the probability of any sports being held there. The ground was not m a favourable condition for the races, and the attendance was not sufficiently lsrae to justify the important races being run. It would really have been unwise to have allowed good sport to be wasted. The races were for considerable sums of money, and for them to have been indifferently contested, in the presence of but few people and in the drizzling rain, wouldhave been injudicious. Thesportswere postponed until Saturday next, New Year's Day. In order that thoße present might not be disappointed altogether, one of the races, the Quarter Mile Handicap, was run, and was well contested. The prizes offered were: First, £5; second, £1. There were ten entries, and the handicapping was as follows: — George Saunders, scratch; J. Bradley, 5 yards ; D. Malone, 8 yards; W. Tanner, 10 yards; E. Sewell, 10 yards; W. Hill, 14 yards ; P. Quinlan, 14 yards; F. W, Fagan, 18 yards ; Neil Whisker, 18 yards; J. J. Grimes, 14 yards. Mr. King, the handicapper, also acted as starter. The result of the race was as follows :— George £annders, scratch J. J. Grimes, 14 yards .. E. Sewell, 10 yards .. .. .. II 3 At half the distance the whole of the competitors were abreast of each other, but from that time Saunders, Grimes, and Sewell drew ahead, and there was a splendid race between them down the straight. Saunders won by about a yard, and Grimes was cloßely followed by Sewell. At the conclusion of the race, some of the intending competitors practised for the mile race, but all the races except the Quarter-mile Handicap were postponed to New Year's Day. On the ground there were the usual sports and pastimes, and several refreshment booths. LORNE-STREET TTAT.T. An entertainment was given in.the Lomestreet Hall on Monday evening, under the auspices of the committee who provide the free evening's amusement held every Saturday night in the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms. The building was crowded by an attentive and appreciative audience, who succeeded in forcing encores from a number of the performers at intervals during the proceedings. The programme gone through was as follows:—Overture, " Massaniello," Mr. G. Wright's string band; opening chorus, " House, Brothers, House," Company; song, "That's Where you Make the Mistake," Mr. Chapman; song and dance, "Walking in the Lamplight," Mettam Brothers ; song, " Jessie o' Dumblane," Mr. Carter; dialogue, "Brutus and Cassius," Keesing Brothers; song, "Thou art so near and yet so far," Miss Coleman; "The Slave Ship," Mr. Gatland; "Sleep on, Dearest," Mr. Redfern; " Rock Me to Sleep, Mother," jMiss Woods; overture, " Tancredi," Mr. Wright's Band; song, "All Among the Clover," Mr. W. Doran; ' 4 Many Happy Returns of the Day," Mr. Marson; "The Dear Little Shamrock," Mrs. Horner; " The Bride's Farewell," Mr. Fry; "Yesterday," Miss Sinclair. Two comic songs were also given by Messrs. Davey and Hilzinger -respectively. Mr. Carl Butschkow, the Good Templar musician, presided at the piano with his usual success. After the lapse of some little time dancing was commenced, and kept up with unflagging zeal by the votaries of Terpsichore, the music being supplied by Mr. G. Wright'* string band. THE GOOD TEMPLAR DEMONSTRATION. Arrangements had been made for holding the annual festival of the Good Templar lodges of Auckland this year in the Domain, and many and anxious have been the enquiries of both brethren and sisters during the past week as to what kind of weather they might expect. The procession was fixed to leave the Grey-street fire-bell, the place of rendezvous, at 10 o'clock sharp, on Boxing Day, the members of the different lodges assembling at 9.30. The face of the sky on Monday morning was carefully scanned by thousands of eyes, the possessors of which all the year round had been patiently awaiting the coming of that day in. anticipation of enjoying themselves thoroughly, The prospect, however, was dreary in the extreme, the constant downpour shewing not the least sign of abatement. About 9 o'clock the clouds parted and a short glimpse of the sun was obtained. Thi» raised the hopes of pleasure-seekers in some degree, and a start was made by numbers of members of the order for the plac* - of meeting. Here they patiently waited. S" a decided change in the weather. At-"" ,-i 11 o'clock there could not have been more than 50 persons present, and there being noappearance of a change, it was determined by the officers that the demonstration should be postponed. Accordingly, Mr. Cole mounted the lire-bell, and, in a few brief sentences, spoke to that effect. He biid that an effort would be made to have the festival in connection with the Sundayschool children in the Domain next Saturday, and they would march with the children, if the negotiations for that end proved successfuL He had no doubt that, by this course being followed, some of the brethren would bo put to some little trouble, but he hoped that, for the sake of the cause, they would pocket their inconvenience and willingly and cheerfully help by their presence to make the affair a great success. It would be foolish for them to proceed to the Domain that day, for, even should they be so fortunate as to succeed in reaching it without being caught in the rain, the miry ground over which they would have to traTel, and the wet trees under which they would have to pass the day, would prove sources of great discomfort, to say the least. Under all these circumstances, he hoped his hearers would concur in the decision which had been cope to. The announcement was received with cheers, and the people immediately i dispersed in various directions, some homewards, a large number to wharf, with the intention cf proceeding to the North Shore, and tho remainder to promenade the streets. The Domain was visited in the morning, while the rain held off, by a fair number of persons, especially young people, who seemed to enjoy themselves greatly at rounders, cricket, and several other games of a similar character* notwithstanding the wet and sloppy condition of the ground. About half-a-dozen vendors of fruit, cakes, and wer© also present, bat did very little in the way of disposing of their goodn. In the afternoon the rain bejpHs to fall, and the plaoe was soon deserted. The same may be wid of the strawberry gardens in the neighbourhood.

NORTH SHORE ROWING CLUB'S SPORTS.

These sports took, place at Devonport before a large concourse of parsons who were not deterred from enjoyment by the threatening state of the weather. Mr. "W. L. Rees acted as judge, Mr. R. G. Greenwood was starter, and Mr. James Dacre referee. The first race, for the Devooport Cnp, valued at £15, was won by Richard Duder, and the second prize of £5 by S. Holan. A dead beat took place between Sibbin and Eyre in the Boys' Race, and the lads agreed to divide. J. Nolan won the Maiden Race, •wih G- Stewart second. The Boys' Race undar twelve was won by Whiteside, and Keesiug second. F r this race twelve ran. Four started for the Rowing Club Cup (£7}, second prize £3. J. Uolan won, with E. T. Atkiu second. The Hurdle Race was also won by Nolan, Hugh Bryan being second. The prizes will be paid at the Thames Hotel *t S o'clock this evening. SrORTS AT THE HOT SPRINGS. Notwithstant"'jc"itlie state of the weather, a large numbei' \iiCoplf. availed themselves of the opportunity of visiting the Flofc Springs "by the excursion steamers. The number of visitors at Waiwora on the occasion maybe estimated at overthree hundred, but for the demands of which the resources of the hotel were fully equal. 'I he sports commenced with a horse race for the Waiwera Cup, valued at £10. Three horses started, and, after an exciting race, Mr. Vaughan's Hotspur came in the winner. The second event was a foot race of 200 yards. This was won by Mr. Cosgrave, Mr. Sidwell I wing a close second. Seven horses started in the third race, which was well contested. A dispute, however, arose regarding the winning horse, but was afterwards settled by the umpire. Two more horse races, ancl a series of p.thletic sports, then took place, and the proceedings did not terminate until »fter sundown. Mr. Goo. Henderson acted as starter, and Mr. Osborne and Te Hemara J"» judge and umpire. The steamers returned with their excursionists about 11 o'clock.