Oamaru Trades Picnic.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 9746, 24 January 1908, Page 4

Oamaru Trades Picnic.

A .SUCCESSFUL. FUNCTION. The sixth annual ti-ades' piunic was lipid yesterday. That interest in the gathering had. not altogether beeome stifled was evi k'nccxl by the large number that- attended. The locality decided upon .by the committee was that known as "The Rookery,' at VVaianakarua, the probity of Mr F. C. ivelchcr, kindly placed at the disposal of the picnickers. The spot was ail ideal one i'or the purpose, and as the weather conditions! were perfect from a holiday-makers point of view—the heat of the sun being nicely tempered by a cool breeze —the maxi,mim amount of enjoyment was obtained from the outing. The Railway Department assisted in the. success of the gathering by providing ample travelling accommodation for those making the trip, while the arrangements of the committee for the disposal of tickets were convenient and appreciated. At Oamaru 587 adult and 258 children's tickets were disposed of; the total be.ing further augmented by the sale of 55 at Waiareka, and 40 at Maheno. To be added also are the large number of children that would travel in the _ railway free, making the number travelling by train probablv over 10C0. Iraps and bicycles were, also freely used as a medium of convevance to the rendezvous, and it 's safe to say that the total attendance did not fall far short of 1200. 'Die tram arrived at Waianakarua at about 9.45, and it was not long before the large crowd had scattered itself about the more shady spots on the picnic ground. Games were freely indulged in during the day by the various parties': while those whose speciai bent was hill-climbing or the more lowly, but equally exhilarating, enjoyment afforded by the bed of a mountain stream, had ample opportunities for satisfying their ardor. The thanks of the picnickers are due to Mr Kelchcr for the manner'in wluch he sought to cater for their enjoyment. He himself was present throughout the whole >f the day, and the slightest, wish was at once given effect to. Mr Kelchcr treated die committee most handsomely. Not only did he do the necessary carting free of cost, but he virtually placed a. man at the disposal of the committee for two days previous to the function, one of the consequences of which was that immediately the -jrowd arrived on the ground water was boiling and everything in readiness for the unpacking of hampers. In the evening, before leaving for home. Mr H. Grenfcll (the president) on behalf of the committee and picnickers thanked Mr ilvelcher for his extreme kindness, and solicited lor him three hearty cheers, which were lustily •'iven. All the committee worked hard iii the fulfillment of their allotted duties, nnd this being the case it- seems unfair to individualise. We feel, however, that we may lie excused for specially referring to Ihe services rendered by the President (Mr Grenfell) and the secretary (Mr Geo. Malian), who conjointly held all the arrangements well in hand. ilie former especially was indefatigaole during the <1 ay m" his endeavor to see that everyone's wants were attended to. In order that the enjoyment of the young folks might be complete, a sum of money was expended in toys and prizes for the races which were run during the afternoon; and for these little trophies and mementoes of the outing there were not wanting contestants. During the afternoon a baby show was held, and this proved an exciting event, not only for the half-dozen or more mothers who were brave enough to submit- their offspring to the trying ordeal of examination, but to many others who were satisfied themselves to be the judge a<s to whether their baby was or was not better than Mrs Somebodyelse's. Even father of families worked themselves up to enthusiasm over the. event, and crowding' with their better halves round the judges made the work oi the latter difficult. Meusrs A. Paterson, J. M'Narry and W. Todd braved the or deal of judging, and by some process which was clear to nobody, eventually decided that Mrs Nolan's baby girl was a better infant than Mrs Hill's baby boy, while Mrs Bain's baby boy was only fit to take third place; the others-—we were going to say nowhere, but the reporters' room in the Mail Office not being altogether ampreg liable against feminine wrath, perhaps it would be better to pass on. Shortly after five o'clock, the picnickers, with much lighter hampers, and many of ' them bedecked with foliage that betokened a day in the bush, and with faces not a little sunburned, retraced: their steps to the railway, one and all expressing their satisfaction and enjoyment. The Garrison Band, under Mr E. Hunter, were present, and were not sparse in the dispensation of music; hi fact, it is not too much to say that their efforts in this respect were much appreciated. Oamaru was reached immediately after seven o'clock, the day having passed it is pleasing to chronicle, without mishap Of any kind. Following are the results of the races :

Boys' Race, 8 to 10 years.—Dennis Houston 1, Walter M'Combie 2, Jas. Wilson 3. Girls' Race, 8 to 10 years.—Alice M'Auley 1, Gretta Cooney 2, Myrtle M'Murtrie 3. Girls, 10 to 12 years.—Lizzie Buiclc 1, .Mary Currie 2, Jeannie Welsh 3. Giris, 12 to 11 years. —Matilda White 1, Gretta Cooney 2, Winnie Gamble 3. Boys' Race.—Jas. Wilson 1, Tom Direen 2, Fred. Ward 3. Tots' Race.—Veda Houston 1, Daisy Ferguson 2, May Reid 3. In addition to the prizes, toys were given to all the competitors in this race.

Open Handicap.—First heat: A. Uilliand 1, J. Watson 2. Second heat : J. F. Gibson 1, H. J. Gibson 2. Third heat: K. Stevenson 1, W. Gillespie 2. Fourth heat: G. Maynard 1, J. Connell 2. Fifth heat: Jas. Finlayson 1, D. Paterson .2. Sixth heat: Eric Patterson 1, John 2. First semi-finai: A. Gilii-and 1, K. Stevenson 2. Second 6enri-fiaal: Jas. Finlayson 1, E. Patterson 2. Final: A. Gilliand 1, Eric Patterson 2, K. Stevenson. 3. Girls' Race, 10 to 12 years.—Ethel M'Auley 1. Mary Falls 2, Myra Ward 3. Girls' Race 13 to 15 yeare.—Amy M'Auley 1, K. Direen, 2, Winnie Gamble 3. Young Ladies' Race. —First heat: Edith M'Auley 1, Winnie M'Auley 2. Second heat: Violet Rees 1, Ivy Ward 2. Third heat: Ethel Ward 1, Chris M'Combie 2. Final -. Ivy Ward 1, Violet Rees 2. Young Ladies' Race.—Miss Frith 1, Miss Reid 2, Miss Smyth 3. Little Girls' Race. —Gretta C-ooney 1, May Reid 2, Myrtle M'Murtrie 3. Baby Show, under 12 months.—Mrs Nolan's girl 1, Mrs Hill's boy 2, .Mrs Bain's boy 3.