THE WORLD OF SPORT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4295, 2 March 1901, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE WORLD OF SPORT.

(BY ADVANCE.) TURF GOSSIP FIXTURES. MARCH. 4—Thames Autumn 7, B—Wanganui Autumn 7 Hororata Annual Oxford Autumn 9—South Auckland Annual 13— Akaroa County Annual 14— To Aroha Annual 14 and 15. —Masterton Racing Club. IG, 18—Hawke's Ray Autumn 16, 18—Greymouth Autumn 17— Horowhenua Annua! 18.—Horowhenua Hack Racing Club. 18— Tologa Ray Annual 18—Waimate Annual 18 —Stratford Annual 18, 19—Ohinernuri Annua! 22,’ 23—Reefton Autumn 20, 27 Marlborough Autumn 26, 27—Napier Park Autumn CHATTER. Mr J. J. Russell’s familiar figure was missed from the Taranaki Autumn Meeting. Mr Russell is still confined to his residence through illness. His many friends will he pleased to hear of ids

recovery. T. Wiwdgalo’s position as first .jockey in J. Allsop’s stable is contingent on the result of S. Callinan’s. append to t.ie A.J.C. against his disqualification by the Warwick Ea rni stewards. Mr T. Duncan, the secretary of the Masterton Racing Club, has received a copy of ilie “Australasian/ 1 of I' ebrua-ry 9th" containing the following, which will bo read with interest in this part: • “At a special molding of the stewards of the Chi Item Racing Club, held on Friday, February Ist, the, hay .or brown Hi are Gocramadda, also her nominator (J. Truscott) were disqualified for life for Fraudulent practices in connection with I ho Calloway Handicap, run at the New Years meeting. R. S. Henry, of .Melbourne, wiio wa.s alleged to have sold tho mare to Truscott, wa.s ordered to appear before tho Stewards on February loth, to explain his position in the matter. The enquiry elicited that the ir.aro, which was identical with Musk; and Melody, was the property of a person at Lancelleld, w ho leased it to Heaiy mid another.” The Mr R, S. llcury referred to is, no doubt, the. Rich arc Samapus Henry, who was disqualihcci for life by the ’Masterton Racing Club in connection with “Ethel” alias Cupid, alias Virgil, ‘‘ringing-in'’ ease. The resignation of Mr H. M. Lyon as secretary of tho Wellington Club will be received with regret by racing people throughout the colony. The present position of the club is in a groat measure duo to the administrative ability and racing knowledge possessed by Mr Lyon. Great difficulty will be expenenced in tilling tho vacancy. 1 tako this opportunity of thanking Mr Lyon for the courteous manner in which he has treated me as pressman at the Hutt . for a period extending over a number of years. Frank Hlggott had no luck at Riccar ton with Lady Agnes- He brought the untried Shrapnel Shell (Son of a Gun— Dudu) back with him. Who would have thought that we should ever arrive at a stage when tho totaJisator receipts on one day at a country nice ting in Auckland would more than exceed the sum handled on two days at a gathering held under the auspices of that powerful organisation, the Canterbury Jockey Club? Yet such has come to pass. On. the second day of the Takapuna Jockey Club’s meeting the totalisator receipts ran out to ,£9lll, while tho amount handled on both days of tho O.J.C. meeting only amounted to £8074. Taking the totalisa tor investments for both clays, tho T.J.C. fairly distanced the C.J.C. gathering, as the sum handled was no less than £9124 in excess of the amount put through at Ricearton.

A certain punter, who lives near a metropolitan club's course, recently resolved on witnessing the early gallops with a view of spotting some prime tilings. But there was a great obstacle in the way—his better halt had a most decided objection to horse racing, and as the punter was by no means a nearly riser ho was at a loss to invent a. yarn to account for the sudden habit of leaving a warm bed at four in the morning. At last ho struck it. Mushrooms! ‘The same evening ho held forth on mushrooms, his good lady would like some so much—but there was no one to get them. Here was hubby's chance, so be at once took advantage of the opening and expressed his intention of going next morning. At 4 a.m. he crept out of bed and quietly got outside—the kit was soon safely planted under some shrubs, and hubby made a boo line for the racecourse. Towards seven the wife thought it near time to look for her husband—and the mushrooms—and taking the house dog '‘Bookie,” she walked towards the gate. After looking in vain she strolled hack to the house and called “Bookie,” who promptly came out of the bushes with the mushroom kit in his rftouth. That settled poor hubby’s kindness in going mushrooming. Into the bedroom went the wife—straight to hubby’s hod, from under the pillow (he was a. dreamer) came a handful of clippings headed “weights,” acceptances” and “performances,” etc. In hubby’s anxiety so early in the morning ho had forgotten to hide those clippings in his pocket, and the wife by some means spotted them when she awoke. Here was evidence, the empty kit was guilt! Now for his return! Just then he came through the gate and made a frantic rush for the place where the kit should have been; a hurried search proved fruitless, so hubbv forgot all about 1.20 on the plough and 1.34 by a brown noddy, and walked in to see “Bookie” shaking the mushroom kit to. pieces, and his wife standing at the fire with the frying pan. One look was enough, there ho saw stowed acceptances, stewed nominations, stewed performances, etc. The wife laughed. The husband suddenly thought of Tiis hath. No explanation was asked None was given.

Golden Rule wae purchased in the South last week and came North after the C.J.C. meeting. Tlic Pahiatua Racing Chib cleared £3OO over their recent meeting.

Forhury Park is. the Dunedin -.Star’ understands, likely to soon seo a revival of racing within its precincts, a powerful syndicate having approached the Forhury Park Company with an offer to purchase the property at £IO,OOO. Those moving in the matter will form a new club, and it is rumoured that a totalizator permit will be issued to them.

Colonel Pole-Penton. the Commandant of tho New Zealand forces,, had a magnificent mount in tho .military, display at Auckland to welcome the Imperial representative,. c<{rps..-The Messrs Dudor allowed Waterloo to go into the line for the day, and it was the brown son of Cuirassier and Hnne that carried tho Commandant. Waterloo carried himself in a manner befitting a

thoroughbred, and he wa.s on all hands voted the best-looking horse in the procession.

Speaking of Bill of Portland, the “Sporting Times” (London) says;—“»t. Simon sires appear to he woith their weight in gold, and their earning power is enormous. That being so, wc are ikk surprised to hear that longing e - v ('/ have been cast on the cxputriaicu L.li oi Portland, who has been one o! the great successes of the Australian /Tin, three successive Derbies having fallen to bis progeny. In each of his first three seasons at the .stud be has sired the best: colt of his year, viz.. Bobadii, Morriwco and Maltster, and no horse has over equalled that record. Ho is only ten years old. and the cnangc back to England will probably la n: him as it did Melton. He is ai: bit lull now, and will soon he lull lor three years. Ho will for lhe coming season be limited to twenty mares.” The South Wairarapa Trot dag Club

will hold their annual molding on Queer’s Birthday. Tin;, p; ogo.mine will probably consist o: three trotting events and four galloping events of a total value of .£209. An unseemly scene took -place in the paddock at Takapuna. The affair arose out of tho decision given by the stewards in the protest lodged against Zeehau in the Hack Race. Words ran high between a steward oi the A.R.C. and a steward of the T.J.C. The word “liar” is alleged to have boon uttered by Ihe latter, and tin’s Jed to a report to fisticuffs and a scuffle, Both c:ia>haia nis went down in the scuffle. am! winm they regained their feet, mutual friends stepped in to stop the little allair. 1- is to be hoped that we shall be spared another Mich undignified scene, ard lor the credit of the T.J.C. ground the parties concerned in last Saturday’s fracas should be called on for an explanation of their conduct. The Wellington Racing Club invite

applications for the position of secretary at a ;-iii la ry of £J.;O per annum. The successful applicant must devote the whole of his time in the work. The New Zealand horse Vi muku returned from Kngbind by tho Wilcannia on Friday last, and will undergo the iksiml quarantine ai Rsndwick before being sent: on to New Zce.aud. says the “Sydney Mail.” Tim horse came out in charge of Carr, who has made many journeys in and fro with horses between Australia, and England. Carrs Ja ! trip was with Australian Star, Spark, and two youngsters belonging to Mr 11. C. White. -Skopos was to have come out. by the Wilcannia iu charge of Carr, and the horse was brought front Newcastle to the docks to -lie shipped, but iu consequence of u mistake in ordering a, box for him he was loft behind. Mr 1-1. 0. White, the owner of Skopos. who has been iu England for some time, is expected back in Sydney iu a few days. Blazer has nearly recovered from Ins mishap. Tie was examined by a veterinary surgeon, who pronounced the Dunedin sprinter to be fairly right, although bruised through coming in contact with the rails.

“Terlinga,” in the ‘’Australasian,” .says;—For various reasons betting on the Newmarket Handicap has hung fire this year, and it was not until Monday that any genuine commission came into the market. This was for the New Zealander Advance, who will have to he every bit as good as his most sanguine admirers imagine to jump off mid win a Newmarket with 9st lllb on his back. The New Zealand sprinter Blazer wins under extraordinary weights, but the fields are generally small, whereas in a Newmarket such brilliant light-weights as Duke of Portland, Songbird, and Hearsay will be a few of the many that may lie expected to jump off and keep Advance going all the way. Advance will he a wonder if he can win with everything in his favour, whereas he lias a sea voyage and a long train journey to get through before he oven sees Flomington. Since ho became a champion Advance has done no sprinting. Early last season he won over six furlongs, but at that time he was not m it with Blazer over short courses. Now the pair are reckoned about the same thing, both being placed at D.st 7.21 b in Wellington the other day. Advance did not run, but Blazer tvon easily in In.in 15sec. If the back horse can brat tins ho must be a clinker, but oven then 100 to 0 is a cramped price to take about a hor.se with the journey from New Zealand in front of him. I should have thought the weight-for-age races at Flomington, and afterwards a try fur the Doncaster* Handicap and Sydney Cup in Sydney, would have been bettor policy than trying to win the Newmarket Handicap with Advance.The reason Aprile, a maiden performer in Shearsby’s stable, was not started at Riccarton, was because she sustained an injury to her shoulder and is at present enjoying a spell.

‘‘Petroncl” writes:—TortuJla’s running at the Taranaki Meeting was, according to' eye-witnesses, rather changeable. In the Cup the Torpedo mare was in the rear for the whole journey, but on the second day iii the Autumn Handicap she was in front from the start and was never headed. Of course, the waiting policy may have been followed in the mile and a half race, and as a mile and a quarter is the black marc’s favourite distance she would be better suited by making her own pace. Coronet ran a. slashing race under Dst in the Autumn Handicap and only succumbed by a, head. Mr P. E. Baldwin has purchased from Messrs Nathan, of Auckland, a yearling filly by Hotchkiss —Sybil, and she has joined Shearsby’s team at tl ~ Hutt. The four mares purchased r.t vheTocnl good health. The additions t:» ihe Sylvia Park Stud arc: Canta-lrkw, forded 1895, by Goldsborough from Songstress : Orchestra, 1893, by Goldsborough out cf Melody, with a. chestnut colt by Splendor at foot: Tol-toi, 189(5, by Splendor or Sweet William from Tauri, and the brown four-year-old by Sweet William om of Storm by Goldsborough. Fashion and Queen's Guard will bo taken to the Wanganui meeting, but tJiS former may not fulfil his engagement in the Civi.

Mrs Batchelor, of Awahura, owner of Petroline, has purchased from Mr Rorc, of Spring Creek, the well-known huitiler and flat racer Hotn. The price is about £3OO.

Mr Martin Taylor, on leaving Christchurch for Auckland, was the recipient of a diamond scarf pin and several other valuable prcscnts_from his brother pencillors and sporting friends, who wished him bon voyage and prosperity in his new home.

Mr C. O’Connor, of Christchurch, received much praise for his excellent starting at the Gisborne races. Tho ‘‘Gisborne Times’’ says that every stare could take rank as a first-class .one, and on several occasions the starter was warmly, applauded. Fred Gentry, who was engaged in training'fnd riding in New Zealand up to cloven years ago, when ho went to Australia, returned last week by the Moaua, from Sychpcy. and purposes residing in Canterbury. A peculiar case will shortly engage ■the attention of tho A.J.C., arising out

of the hurdle race run at Tumhornmba near Albury, recently. There wore si;

competitors in a, ra.ee, which was won by ooiiny brook. with Gratis second. Dare g the race one hurdle wa., knocked down, and after lb'- hor-.es p.K-vd -oine scy a. policeman mid o': her official,-; of the club rci-crecteci ’in- ob-vucie. Whan the winner weighed in. the owner oi Gratis lodged a protest, on .the gr-'mud that no one had the rigbi: to iurorfore -.villi the hurdle teat had b"..;i ridden down. The stewards gave but item consideration to the protest, and d“misied it, v,hereupon the owner oi Gratis gave notice oi appeal to the A.J.C., end the payment of the stake and wagers has been suspended ponding the decision of that •.inhunai. ft is held that a rule exists that no hurdio .“hall bo interfered with after tin; fall of the Hag. and the question arises if that rule is still operative.

Should Advance win tin- Newmarket Handicap, be will incur a IGiii penalty for the Australian Cup, and that would have the effect of raising hm impost in the long-distance handicap to 19st Jib—a weight that has never yet been rarri, i to victory in die last-named race. At a meeting of the V.R.C. committee, application wa.s made to remove the iiNqualification placed upon J. okirving lowucr). A. Skirving, and the horse Uedi ei.iici-; but the committee declined to re-open Hie- ease at present.

In February last Mr Francis Fay sent seven mares to Loehiol, to be mated to F.ngii-h time, the result being eminently sutii factory, six having produced foals

;n: M • toy’s farm, near I’arkA, and if ;lm •■ ■-mug-iters go' on as well as there is i'l lry r'e;;.- on to believe they will, they \.,iii , m raced in itiiydand. The ion]-., which are out of idgldy-hred, mures, are: A bo" colt from Ceiois (Jam .of Aai.Hr.ili in star), by Grandmaster ; a l)U'-- omit

frrn; Ciiamt/ Eiy-ees (.imp.), by Tmirh,; b colt from* U>. (imp.), by Harvrsl-’.-; chestnut <-o!t i.-orn Goldmine, by Graudma si or ; i.av cut from Countess A herdeen (imp.), by Primrose League ; r.iul hay iV’y from ir’urthii'galo (imp.), hv d: : n tin's. Hr i;i. C. Alike, ol r.avil:i !i, aho mated a lev/ marcs t.o E ngl ibil i.iau la.-.t season, with a view of racing

the progeny in the Uhl Country. . rom Muni (imp'.). by Bendigo. and Lady .Superior, 'ey Gibraltar, he has got a cel! Hilda filly by Be chid, ;.;J A-i h-s, by Henchman, has ptuducod a Inly n thedeluuct Sterling huri.c. Thirdly. Maltster has already been backed for the Newmarket Handicap, between end £4OOO having been secured at 1(10 to 4. Whether or not idle wmitus. sion has been worked on behalf of the stah'.e has not transpired. T,:o Victorian jockey. R. Lewis, has accepted a retainer from Sir Rupert C'arke for the privilege of first- call on his services.

ATHLETIC KOTES (BY ADVANCE.) FIXTURES—MARCH. C. —Ghelte uham-Ki ilea. 6.—Huntervilie C.S. fi, —Auckland Amateur Athletic Club 6. E Itham Caledonian Society. 7. Taviki Caledonian Society. 8. —Wnitara Athletic Club. 14. —Strathmore Athletic Club. 14. Gisborne St. Patrick’s meeting. 16. — Wellington Hibernian Society. 18. —Blenheim Hibernian Society. ]g._(ler.-ildjiie Hibernian Society. 18. —Timaru Hibernian Society. 18.—Ear.giwaliia and Pemberton. 18.—Alfredton. 15. Wnverley Athletic Association. 27.—Otaki Athletic Club.

Nominations for the Wellington Hibernian Society’s sports close on Momkv. March 4th, "at St., Patrick’s Hail, Boy-cott-street.

At the quarterly meeting of the Council of the Victorian Athletic League, the secretary, Mr W. Hastings Bell, sag gested that in order to celebrate the birth of a new nation the Council sheik! remove all suspensions up to January IDOL This was -agreed to, and a motion was carried releasing sixty-eight men who wore under suspension. Nominations for the Waveriev Athletic Association’s sports, to be held on March 18th, close on Monday, March -1 tin with ’Mr J. W. Emmerson, secretary. Wavcrley.

After journeying to Napier fer the Caledonian Societies’ Champions:;.p meeting I was unable to stay for the sports on account or the postponement. It rained steadily throughout Friday vaC had not cleared up cn Saturday morning, consequently the going would bo heavy Many people were prepared to see So yera down HcLachlan in the 100 yards, but evidently the latter was the better man on the day. His performances un the 100 yards and naif mile were both good, considering the state of the going. The quarter mile handicap perfe-nnaroe wars the best during the day. To "iveK. Strickland 37 yards and be beaten by oalv two yards in 40 4-5 sets, is a stcrlinr go. The time can he relied. upon, because off such a marl: Strickland could repeat it. The latter won the 120 vard> also off a long mark, earlier in the Jay. the double being worth £2O. lUcLamiInn won £lB. Strickland is a brother «! the cx-amatcur champion and won a Handicap at Wairoa at New Year time. Sexton appears to be the best of the dhi sues runners at present and Mullins looks h'ko striking form. A. Carlson, of Dannevirke, won the hammer, shot, caber, aid hurdle events, besides geriii.g second u; the long jump and wivrHiug. J. W. Ski’Vicr, tho ex-amateur cha apian, was not, ;;i form, but managed to get a place in several events. 1-i.arry Moor to ret second in one of t;i“ vrcstiiin:

championships, all ot winch wrr" won re. R. Scott. The Highland Sneic-.y verv unlucky in striking bed uv.ho.’ which must hare made ;:t Ic: a disc--one:' of £1".0 at the I have tr thank Mr Thomas s J :o'ir-, secretary, f,.; pnr-s privileges, and Mr il. Smith p ; c‘?rotarv of the Association) for his ossist/.uce. Had the weather boon fine there is little doubt hut that the tmtlienur .would have been cur of the most successfu! cf its kind ever held in the c '.ory.

Secretaries -1. Powric (Tnknpau Caledonian Society! and I). Mclntyre (Dannevirke Athletic Club) were present at tho Nan’er Championship mooting. At a -niVvenco of delegates to societies afSHa icl t:> the New Zealand Cal i-doiti-m Seen lie:.’ Association. held nt Napier <-•' “Ist instant. Mr iv. I). D.

McLean (President) occupied the chaw. Several import;:;’.: ah orations and amendments to tho rules were siren notice •’!. Mr R- Smith submitted a draft programme of events for chumninnship meetings. which include a Ikli'yds fiat race, in addition to the events on t:iN yards ]j rounne■ Mr Powvie gave notice :f motion to move that the place whore he following Quarterly mooting ct the Council i-i to'be held shall he decided at the previous meeting. Mr Shaem-i gave active of motion to alter the v vat oresent existing with icforeuce to lyrs's for champion evo-ufs. tc bo -reffc cprmiw.l with the Society holding the meeting, and that the Society Holding the Championship meeting shall conduct the same. Air Mclntyre gave notice cf motion to add to cycling events to the Championship programme. A vote of thanks was

pa.ved to Messrs Niven and Co. for mil? gifs of a hammer and shut to the Association for use a*. Championship 113 0>*cfollowing is the list of events to tl.-.l at the Woliington Hairdresser” and, rciF.ceonkts' Sports meeting to bo hoid at Day’s Bay on March 20th : tilde•; Pace.'led yards ; Hairdressers’ an:i Tobacconist' Grand iirlanclicno, ; i'll distances. Id) and lido yards: Martied Ladies’ Race. 75 yards thandic i p). for •••j;rdrcsse:->’ and tobacconists' wives on.'.- : i to It a co, 100 yards : long jm.in: Veterans’ Unco. 75 yards (handicap'. for hairdressers and tobacconists ever 37 yea is of age; tVaiking Race, one mile (handicap); Open Handicap Pace, 15U tart’s: bop. stop and jump; ThreeLegged (Handicap), distance, once round the track. RECORDS FOP THE NEW CENTURY TO BEAT. it is unfortunate that, while e have the means of testing the progress a; man dindag the last century -n suinost every otb-rheld of endeavour, wc have pructic -iiv no records from which to discover 1 iow far the athlete o; t 1 'Ol is ahead of lus follows of a century age. Ti wcmay judyr, hows ror, from the sh;..hu advance made‘in athletics during tine last generation, it would seem that tin' records e l to-dtiv will compare vow wo! with those of " !>o cear 2001.

0 ho fast year of the century has co:tainiy made very little .'mprossioi 1 on the tables of athletic wan' is. Among "■nnueiir runnel's only i .va man. Ti. no. -"- an Antcriea:: a.fi!i ’:o. iviin ran 4*. 0 vat ds in A-7 4-5 second.'-, hits r-b aikish ml n i > iw-'td; and niuong pruU’.-y;o'i:;!», our.- l,en hurst has cckoseu ins fore-

runners bv covering tv/onty miles in 1 itoi”' 53 in antes -!2t stcomls. I, i-. instructive and interesting to nc'.-i than tho 200 yards professional record vara; made Ly G. rfewani (IO.V seecu'- <) as long ago as 1847 • aud the 150 van's i-.-oord of 15 sc-onds iu 1851, when th<‘ rat hors nl some of the swiftest runner; of to-day wore s■ arccuy horn. Vf. L-.i -.’s two miles in 0 minutes lit seconds n;r thirty-seven years ago, and J. \YI itoV, five miles in 21 minutes 40 seconds still remain unbeaten, after the a;i of more than a generation. . Tho table of walking records has not been disturbed for three yc;,).-.. v. lion V, . ,f. Giiij-o'iss over,,oil ae:a lames fur th: ’o. f< u ndfi.e ■’ a>.:;-to-.rs there me been no v. a■ v t ton’ thirty years to put It- Ou-Jltth s ii c> m of 2 hours 47 -uinulcs 52 -e.-" ul. lor : a oeav mi,as into tin- AmU mill Be m-m io- 1 unc of V. \v. Bmelair has wivnstooci the onslaughts ot twcntj-oi - ' . Jt is twonty-.six \( is -moo W. Perkins. covered a mno in mil heol-and-lcc walking, in the wonder! n! lime of C minutes 2)1 seconds and no olio since has hem’, able to rival his feat: while the same walker’s record or 2 hours 39 Minute-; 57 seconds fev twenty miles is stld as unshaken as ;fc was iu 187 1 .

Hecout year.; have been more changes in jumpin';; records than In cither running or walking, and no are of the feats arc certainly astonishing. In 1899 A. C. Kvaenzleia,’ in a running jump, _ cleared a distance or -> \i. 4; i ,1 ., v/nich, it A interesting to notice, is more than 30in. more than any professional has covered; and bvt year Hay Burry raised tiio standing high-jump to oft. -JJ-tn. All the amateur jumping records, it is o- little rjumjliaiing to observe, arc claimed by American athletes.

Bicycling is naturally the most progressive of all forms of athletics, and iasv year witnessed some marvellous performances. At the Crystal Palace A. A. Chase covered a mile in tha excellent time of 1 minute S 8 3-3 seconds, or at the rate of .*56 J. miles an hour. W. Stinson pedalled 23 miles in 37 minutes 19 4-3 seconds; and a French rider, A. Bango, covered 50 .miles in 1 hour It minutes 33 3-3 seconds and: 100 miles in

2 hours 83 minutes 40 4-5 seconds. At still longer distances Walters achieved the magnificent record of nearly 350 miles in 12 hours’ riding and in 24 hours lie reda a instance of olid miles 744 yards, a journey which, in a straight line, would' in;-o taken him from the south of England to some distance beyond the extreme north cf Scotland.

In July, 1900, A. A. Chase covered 37 mi’es 196 yards in an hour, thus travelling for even- thirty-seven miles at a greater pace than when making a record for a single mile: but even this _ feat was completely eclipsed by W. Stinson, who at Brockton. United States, America, last year, actually rode 40 miles 327 yards in sixty minutes. It is only right to state that most of those wonderful records were made with met or pacing.

in skating several new and excellent records stand to thd credit of 1900 At Davos, P. .Oostlund skated 1000 m<-tros (1093 yards) in 1 minute SO seconds, and 10.000 metres (6.21 miles) in 17 miliums 50 3-otil seconds; while a little earner, at the same place 1 , C. Edginglon covered 19 miles 848 yards on skates within the hour.

Perhaps the host skating performance in England is still that of Fish Smart, who twenty years ago skated one mile on a straightaway course, and with a flying start, in exactly 3 minutes. With the help of the wind, a. very vital factor in skating! J. Donoghuo covered a straight mile on the Hudson River, thirtoovTyears ago. in the wonderful time of 2 minute'; 12 2-5 seconds.