Tugs-of-War.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1057, 2 June 1892, Page 34

Tugs-of-War.

TWO DRAWS AND THREE WINS. The public had certainly good value for their money at the Theatre Royal on Friday. Four matchos came off, aud two of them, the first and last, were most stubbornly contested, the Irish pulling a draw with the Scotch, aud the Welsh pulling a draw with the Germans, each tug lasting an hour. The Maoris lasted 23 minutes before they suecumbed to the Germans,’ while the New Zealanders put the Italians through in 15 seconds, and the Irish put them through iu 10 minutes. We append particulars : IRISH V. SCOTCH. The proceedings oommenoed with the tug between the Irish and Scotch teams, which, from the physique of the men and the oapital record hitherto made by both teams, promised to be the chief contest of the night. At 8. IS the pistol was fired, and the boys of Scotia gained about an inch at the jump, which in a couple of minutes the sons of Krin-go-Bragh recovered, amid loud applause. Tho indicator then went an inch on the Irish side of the line, but soon crossed over to Scotland again and crept slowly away from the borders of Ireland, until just at 10 minutes from the commencement Scotland had gained a clea~ foot, Ireland, by a spurt, recovered several inches, but at this Btage the skirl of the bagpipes was heard from the stalls, and the men of “parritch” were so stimulated by the pibroch that they gained another half foot or so. At this stage the Scottish captain created a diversion by producing a plate of good things and popping a bonne bouche into the mouths of some of his men. In 20 minutes from the start Sootland had gained a couple of feet. At this point it remained for a long time, and it was not uutil 8.55, and after many oscillations one way and another, that a third foot was conquered by Scotland. In two minutes more, however, the Scotch won yet another foot. After pulling for three-quarters of an hour the Scotch had gained 4£ft, but iu the next five minutes the Irish by a splendid spurt, and amid loud cheers, pulled back to Inch by inch further went the indicator, until it only registered 3ft against the scions of the Greon Iffe. After another brief rest the Irish pulled another half-foot, and at this point—with jan advantage of 2£ft to the Scotch—the referee intervened and declared a draw. Thus ended a splendid display of endurance. The Irish anchor man has a woodeu leg, but pulls well all the same. IRISH V. ENGLISH. The Irish now pulled a bye, thus Booring a win from tho English, who, having been beaten f.ur times, had dropped out of the contest. MAORIS V. GERMANS. Next came the contest between the Maoris aud the Germans, the latter wearing sashes of the national oolours round their waists. Both teams looked very fit. At 9.28 the signal was given, both sides straining hard, but the advantage went to the Natives, who gained about Sin. For 12 minutes no material alteration took plane, as whenever the Germans did lecover an inch or two the Maoris immediately pulled them back again. At 22 minutes from the start, however, the Germans firtt invaded Maori territory, and by a rapid series of desperate pulls completely disorganised their dusky antagonists, aud in the brief compass of a minute pulled them over the requisite 7ft right up to the tape. This was a sensational finish to a tug that seemed likely to end in a draw. ITALIANS Y. NEW ZEALANDERS. An interval of 10 minutes and then Italy and New Zealand confronted each other, atjopposite ends of the rope, the band playing in turn “Home, Sweet Home” aud “The Sicilian Mariners’ Hymn” as the respective teams took their places. Italy fell a very easy victim to New Zealand. The signal was given at 10.5, and the struggle only lasted 15sec, the New Zealanders simply hauling their opponents in. WELSH V. ENGLISH. The Welsh pulled a bye as against the English. WELSH V. GERMANS. As there were only six of the Welsh team preseut the Teutons chivalrously consented to pull on’y a like number against them. The tug began at 10.27, Germany benefiting 6in at the jump, and in 3 minutes thereafter iucreasing the 6iu to Ift. During the remaining 57 minutes there was the most strenuous pulling on both sides, but after each spurt the indicator citne back to the precise point it had moved from, regis. tering merely the foot’s advantage which the Germans had obtained in the first three minutes. The match thus ended in a draw. IRISH V. ITALIANS. At 11.35 Ireland and Italy faced each other, and as Italy had only seven representatives, the Irish also dispensed with one of their team. For five minutes, and with the loss of a foot of space, the Italians hung well to it, but in the next five minutes the Irish pulled them right over. DISORDERLY PROCEEDINGS. There Was quite a lively time at the Theatre Royal tug-of-war ou Saturday night. The attendance was larger than usual, aud as each and everyone present was “ barracking” one or other of the teams, displaying at the same time a good deal of bad temper, the state of things which prevailed may be easily imagined. The first pull was that between New Zealand and Germany, which finished in favour of the Maorilanders in about fifteen seconds, the Germans, apparently, offeriog not the slightest resistance. Ireland pulled byes against the Chinese and English, who were absent, and then pulled for an hour against Sootland without either side having won the viotory, the Scotties, however, having the best of it by about three feet. Before this match, the skipper of the Patlanders excitedly protested against one of the Scotch team, who, he said, was not a member of the original team, and, of course, ho had to be withdrawn. Germany v. Wales was the next tug, bub three of the “Leeks” were objeoted fcq by Captain Baumgart for various

reasons, and after a disgraceful soene, during which several offers to fight w e e mads on tho platform, and a good deal of bad language was used, the Welsh had to withdraw, defiantly nibbling at the leeks they were carrying, and tho Germane accordingly scored a bye. After this discreditable episode, the Macris pulled a bye against the Italians, who had failed to put in an appearance, and the Irish pulled a bye against the Welsh. An exciting pull between tho Scotch aud Germans followed, which ended in a draw, Scotland having about 3fb the beat of it when time was called. Tho proceedings throughout had been of a moat disorderly character, as we have already said, and one riotous pittite had to be forciby removed by the police. The disordiliness culminated at the conclusion of the pull between the Scotch and Germans, which was not over nntil close on midnight As the building was engaged for the first few nigbt3 of this week the management came to the conclusion that the best course to adopt would be to fix the concluding pulls for tonight (Thursday.) Stage Manager Johnson announced this decision to the spectators, who received it with mingled cheers, groan 3 and general uproar, and Captain Black, of the Irish team, ran exoitedly out of the wings and struck Mr Johnson a blow on the chest, at the same time shouting out, “ This won’t do,” etc. Seeing the dreadfully excited state of the spectators, Mr Johnson did not retaliate, and quietly walked away, but we understand an information will be laid against Captain Black for assault. The proceedings then terminated, the spectators dispersing in a by no means orderly manner. The teams engaged have now scored the following points -New Zealand, Scotch and Irish, 6 ; Maoris and Germans, 5 ; Welsh, 3. New Zealand have no more teams to meet, the Scotch and Irish have a draw to puli off, and the Scotch and Germans are also in the same position. If the Irish should beat the Scotoh they will have scored 7 points, and supposing the Scotch beat the Germans they will again be equal to them, and there is also the chance of the Germans beating the Scotch, which would give them a total of 6 points, and thus put them on a level with New Zealand. The dispute as to the seconff and third prizes in the Skating Rink Tug-of-War still remains unsettled. A meeting of one of the teams was held a night or two ago, and an arrangement was suggested and agreed to by which the English team should take second prize, and the Scandinavians third, the Welsh team to be awarded L 5 by the English as a solatium, and that the three teams should combine in an outing to Island Bay. Nothiug, however, came of the offer, and legal proceedings have been commenced by the English team for the recovery of L3O, the amount of the second prize.