UNITED FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' PETE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1374, 30 March 1878, Page 8

UNITED FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' PETE.

The^ annual fete of the United Friendly Societies of Otago was held on Saturday last at Sawyer's Bay. It is to be regretted that the attendance was small, but this was entirely due to the fact that there were powerful counterattractions, So far as a full and well arranged programme, judicious handicapping, and well contested sports, can make a public gathering of this kind successful, the Friendly Societies' Fete was an undoubted success. The Committee succeeded exceedingly well in making the arrangements entrusted to them. A large number of entries had been obtained for the different events, and the Bports were conducted in a systematic and orderly manner. For the Societies* Handicap there were no leas than 19 entries, and all started. There were 10 com petitors in the Youths' Walking Match, and the other sports obtained a satisfactory number of entries. It is also due to the starter, Mr T. Hare, to notice that there was not a false start, or anything like an unfair one, during the day, The ground was in fair condition, but ia not sufficiently level for quick running to be made on it, and for this reason it would be useless or misleading to time the events, The Caledonian Society's Brass Band played during the greater part of the afternoon, acquitted itself very creditably, and was of great service to the many patrons of the platform for dancing which has been recently erected. Ample provision was made for obtaining refreshments at moderate prices, Nothing was wanting but a larger attendance, and that want ie not likely to occur again, as it was brought about by very exceptional circumstances.

The- programme of the sports resulted as follows :— Fmbndlt Societies' Handicap of 150, 440, and 880 . yards. Piize3: £7, £4, and £2, with 10s additional to winners of each distance. '< First Distance— l6o yards. Adams, 11 yds .. .. .. .. l leekie, 10 yds .. .. .. .. 2 Gebbie, 5 yds .. .. .. .. 3 This distance was run off in three heats and a final. The first heat was won by Leekie (10 yards) and Nicholas (scratch), Robins third. The second by Adams (11 yards) and Gebbo (6 yards), with M'Pherson (scratch) third, The third heat was won by Duncan (74 yards), Frier (scratch) second, and Hitchcock (12yards) third. The final heat was won as above. Altogether nineteen competitors ran, and the heats were well contested, the final heat being a very close one between the first three. Skgond Distance— 44o yards. Gebbie, 13 yds 1 Duncan, 15 yds.. .. .. .. 2 Calthorpe, 18 yds .. .. ..3 The final heat of this was won by Gebbie, after a splendid race, with two yards to spare, Duncan and Calthorpe also running strong. Drummond, Dean, and Leekie atoo ran in the final heat. The heats were all well contested, resulting as follows :— First Heat : Gebbie, 1 ; Calthorpe, 2; Adams, 3. Second Heat: Duncan, 1 ; Dean, 2 ; Hitchcock, 3. Third Heat : Leekie, i ; Drumraond, 2 ; Henderson, 3. Final Distance, half a mile. J. Henderson (scratch) . . . . 1 Stenhouse (45 yds) . . . . „ 2 Dnncan (35 yds) . . . . . . 3 This was the beat race on the programme. Henderson ran very strongly, and in the last two rounds passed the other competitors, who began to fall off gradually. The contest finished close between the first three. The other competitors were : W. Henderson (scratch), J. M'Pherson (13 yds), Gebbie (28 yds), Leekie (40 yds), Pay (45 yds), Calthorpe (45 yds), and Drummond (50 yds). The first prize, of L 7,', ' was therefore won by Gebbie, who Becured first place in the final heat, of 440 yards, and was third in the final heat, of 150 yards. J. Henderson and Adams divide the second and third prizes between them, the points being equal. The result of the contest was therefore as follows : — Gebbie, 6 points .. .. ..1 12£~}«pci»t. .. .. 2 Handica* Youths' Race (under 16 years). 200 yds. Ist prize, 15s ; 2nd, 10s ; 3rd, ss. Carey, 17yds .. .. ..1 Bacon, scratch .. .. ..2 Sheehan, l4yds . . . . . . 3 TMb was a good rac« between the first three, and war won by about half a yard, and Sheehan was a close third. The other competitors were Stewart, Osborne, and M'Millan, Youths' Walking Handicap Race. 1 mile. Ist prize, £1 ; 2nd, 15s ; 3rd, 10s. T Scott, 4O.yda .. .. ..1 D M'lvor, scratch . . . . . . 2 . G M'lvor, 60yds .. .. ..3 Sheehan, 30d» .. .. ..4 For this event there were twelve entries, but only four competitors finished, the others either being disqualified or retiring from the contest. Running High Leap. Prizes, £1 and 15s. Kurtzman, 4ft sin .. .. ..1 F Mason, 4ft 4in .. .. ..2 J. Walsh, Moriarty, Day, and Stenhouse also competed. Throwing tub Crickbt Ball. Prizes, £1 and 10s. Nicholas, 86yds .. .. ..1 Robinson.. .. .. ..2 For this there were eight entries. Sailors' Hornpipe. Piizos, £1 and 10s. The first prize was given to Swan, who danced in excellent form, there being no competitors. Youths' Raob. 100 yds. Prizes, 12s 6d, 7s, and ss. H Bacon.. .. .. .. 1 Allen .. .. .. .. 2 Keenan.. .. .. ..3 W. Stewart, W. Jones, D. M'Millan, G. Collett, S. Kerr, Russell, and Anderson also entered, and stubbornly competed for the prizes. Handicap "Walking Match. 2 miles. Prizes, £3, £2, and £1. Brooks, scratch .. .. ..1 GKerr, lOOjds .. .. ..2 Cotton, 220yda „ „ „3

Leekie cam 6in second, but was disqualified for breaking. The others, Edie, Allen, Day, Taylor, and Wilson, came in straggling. Hop, Step, and Jump. Prizes, 20s and 10s. Moriarty, 40ft 2in . . . . . . 1 Krutzman, 39ft Bin . . . . .2 Walsh, Duncan, and Stenhouse were the other competitors. Fireman's Handicap, 440 yds. Prizes, £3, £2, and £1. Frayne, 20yds . . . . . . 1 Walsh, 20vds .. .. ..2 Sinclair, 35yds .. .. ..3 Mathews and Webster ran in this race, and all the competitors were from the Dunedin Brieade. HiaiiLAND Fling. Prizes, 203 and 103. J Murray, jun .. .. ..1 WStrong.. .. .. .. 2 There were no other competitors. Handicap Hdrdlb Rack, 440 yds, over eight flights of hurdlea. Prizes, £2, £1, and 10a. Frier, 10yds ) daadhfiat " 1 Nicholas, scratch f dead heat _ 1 J Henderson, syds „ „ . . 2 Nicholas and Frier divide the first and second prizes. The race was a splendid one, all the competitors running and jumping capitally. Turbg-Lboobd Race. This amusing event was won by Bacon and Drummond, Drummond and Leekie second, and Leokie and Kussell third. The Consolation Handicap was won by M'Pherson, Ist ; Stonehouso, 2nd ; and the Sack Race by Anderson and Brown. The sports were concluded shortly before six o'clock.