DARTFORD MEN EXCEL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7048, 9 February 1910, Page 5

DARTFORD MEN EXCEL

AT NEWCASTLE SPORTS. On Wednesday, January X9th, Anniversary Day (New South Woles) shipping sports were arranged by a committoe of shipmasters and residents of Newcastle. Ships of many nationalities were in port at Newcastle, and the sports were of an international character. Special ferries called at all the ships and book the crews to Newcastle, where all hands mustered and formed a long procession. The Cook's Hill Superior Public School Band supplied lively airs, bo which the procession marched bo the Rugby football ground. All branches of athletics were represented in the sports programme. About forty pairs competed in the three-legged race, and Mr Guy Freeman, third officer of the Union Company's training ship Dartford, with Whitefleld, one of the Hartford's cadets, won their heat and the final of this event. Whitefleld also tied for tho high jump with Fraser, on apprentice of another ship. In tho 440yds race for cadets and apprentices, Bftrginson, a little Hartford boy, was only just beaten by a big lad named Fraser, one of the winners of tho high jump. Whitefleld, of tho Hartford, was third in this race. The international one mil© scratch bicycle. race, open to all comers, attracted sixty entries, Mr Gny Freeman won hie heat comfortably and also captured tho final by a little more than a length after a sterling race. Great Britain won tho tug-of-war competition, Mr Guy Freeman won his heat in the officers’ and engineers' obstacle race, and was third in the final. Mir Hurfitt. the Hartford boatswain, was third in the novelty race. He said he had some difficulty in swallowing the dry bun or he might have been tho winner. N. E. Smith, one of the Hartford AJi.’s, was third in tho seamen and firemen's obstacle race. The Hartford contingent secured nine out of fifty-five prizes. Same idea may be gained of the keenness of the competition by noting that there were 900 entries for twenty-three events. Mr Freeman was tho largest individual prizewinner, but as he is gymnastic instructor on the Hartford he was in good form. The Mayoress of Newcastle presented the prizes at a concert at the Masonic Hall.