ST. PATRICK'S BAY CELEBRATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12524, 17 March 1904, Page 6

ST. PATRICK'S BAY CELEBRATIONS.

Thk annual festival in commemoration of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is being celebrated to-day the wide world over. His Worship the Mayor (the Hon. E. Mitchelson) issued 'a request a day or two ago to local shopkeepers and tradespeople asking them to allow their employees to have ; a Thursday half-holiday this week in place of the usual Wednesday vacation. • - In some cases the suggestion will, no doubt be put into effect, but it seems to have been made tod late for employers as a body to fall in with it. However, an energetic local committee has been hard at work; planning out the arrangements for the r day, and the festival is expected to be > a great success. The day will open with mass at the various Catholic churches in the city, after which there will be a procession from St. Patrick's Cathedral to the Domain, where Hibernian sports will be held. \ln addition to the sports programme arranged, the art union itself will prove an attraction, as for the price of Is pin-chasers of tickets not only gain admission to the ground, but also have a chance of (winning-, several prizes, - the principal of which is a mineral specimen valued at £50. The usual children's feast is to be held in the Dcumin,»and as a large number of tickets are already sold, a monster gathering is-expected.* At night there will be an Irish national concert at the City Hall. Capital "programmes have been arranged. The grand national concert which was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, Devonport, last evening, under the auspices of the Irishmen of; the district, was a- great success, and quite in keeping with the occasion, St.' Patrick s Eve. The hall was comfortably filled by. a kirge audience, who were decidedly appreciative, which was only natural, when the nuirits of the performance are considered. Applause was therefore frequent, and as practically every item had a special bearing I upon the Emerald Isle a good many were in ' consequence in their element. The Devonport* k ßrass; Band V opened proceedings by playing very effectively the ; "Rose of Castile," the selection which 1 won renown for them at the recent Rotorua carnival. Mr. Rupert Mantell rendered in a capital and taking stele Moore's well-known song, " The; Minstrel Boy," which secured him ah encore. Later on be sang in company with Mr. Walter Whyte Benedict's "The, Moon ' Has Raised." To "this the singers had to respond. Mr. « Walter Whyte, who has a tenor voice ot an exceedingly fine calibre, was heard to good advantage in the solo, "Mv Colleen Oge Asthore, 1 ' and he had to reply to the inevitable encore. Messrs. S. Harkin and E. Gumming- respectively sane •' Kathleen Mavourneen" and " Doreen," and they both secured hearty plaudits. The premier item among the lady soloists was supplied (Madame Wielaert. This lady fairly excelled in Claribel's " Come Back tor Erin." She secured an ovation. Miss Kate Meagher sang " The Dear Little Shamrock " very nicely, as also did Miss Co eta Lorrigim "Agra Gal Mochree," Miss Ellen Casey " The Irish Emigrant," and Mrs. John Boy fan "Wearing of the Green. Ihe recitations supplied by Miss Pauline Dempsey and Mr. R. A. Keenau were decidedly good, the formers "Fontenov" being especially so. Herr Johan Wielaert played Hannas " Festival Polonaise" as a violin solo, his efforts being suitably rewarded. The accompanists, besides the lastnained gentleman, were Miss Osmond and Mr. A. Bart-

ley. - , ' (BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Invekcaiighx, Wednesday. St Patrick's snorts, in connection with the Irish Athletic Society, to-day, were well attended, but the dull sky and threatened rain must have kept many away. General regret was expressed regarding, the accident to"J. Arnst. He and his brother were the back-markers in the half-mile cycle event, and were hustling down the straight in the first round to catch the leaders, when the inevitable small boy got on the track. R. Arnst, in trying to avoid him, fell. J. Arnst ran full tilt into the boy, and drove him several feet through the air, unfortunately coming down heavily himself, breaking his collarbone and receiving severe c»ntused wounds, some on his back, and was very badly shaken. R. Arnst was able to compete in the following race. Sheffield Handicap: T. Kirk (lOAyds), 1; L C. McLaughlan (syds), 2; J. Robinson (Byds), 3; W. Black (4yds), 4; A. Rippon (13yds), 5. Time, 12 4-ss. Sawing Match : Hogan Bros. ,(3sec), 1. Cumberland Wrestling : F. Forde, 1. J. W. Shanks (35yds) won the half-mile bicycle event in lm. 6s. - — ■ The two-mile bicycle race was won by A. P. Fleming (140 yds). Time, 4m. 53 4-ss. At the stone-throwing, Irish style, C. Purdie (46ft l£in) beat Frank Forde (44ft ."- Frank Forde beat W. Forde at collar-and-elbow wrestling. • ((_ _ '- . The 75yds handicap was won by J. Robinson (34yds). with T. Kirk next (4iyds). L. C. McLoughlan (2yds) won his heat, but did not start again. Time, 7 l-ss. J. Arnst and B. Arnst won the mile bicycle very easily from scratch. Time, 2m. IQ3-ss. ' A. Cowlin? won the mile flat race from 'scratch, in 4m. (44 2-55., and J. P. Evans j (45vds) the half-mile. (, j Chopping: J. MeCann (55.), 1.