LAND AND WATER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 60

LAND AND WATER.

A motor cyclist who had occasion recently to make a journey after dark from Eltham to Wanganui states that the road was infested with hares. The strong motor light used bewildered the hares, and frequently he cannoned into them as they crossed th, road. A Hawea correspondent of the Cromvvcl. Argus writes: —Accounts agree that 01. Lower Tirnaru and the hills behind Hawea settlement deer are becoming scarce. The country was heavily culled some years ago, and it is fairly evident that it has not recovered from this. Recently the secretary of the local society and Mr C. Harvey spent two days out on this country to well up the Timam Crook, and during that time only five deer wore seen. The object was to secure hides for the Dunedin Society for the purpose of experimenting in th manufacture of waistcoats for tho_ troops The country has been shot over at irregnlai intervals by local residents, but this is hardly sufficient to. account for the scarcity noted.

BILLIARDS.

LONDON, October 24

The billiard match between Gray and Aitken resulted: —Gray, 18,000; Aitken, 17,420. The match between Stevenson and Inman resulted :—Stevenson, 18,000; Inman, 17,714. Stevenson made a break of 994, a record for all-round methods with the ivorv balls.

CRICKET.

MATCHES IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, October 23,

In the First Grade cricket matches West Christchurch, 314 (H. B. Lusk 118, P. C. Dwyer 71. not out, D. Foster 58, D. Reese 50) boat Sydenham, 205 and 143 for seven wickets. Riccarton, 209 and 137 for nine wickets boat St. Albans, 204 {Dr Foster 58 and J. S. Barrett 51. Linwood, 188 and 55, boat East Christchurch. 81 and 108.

LAWN TENNIS.

By Smash.

S. G. M’Dougall, who left N ew Zealand with the Fourth Reinforcements and attained the rank of quartermaster-sergeant, is at present in tho Second Western Hospital at Manchester, but his relatives have so far been unable to ascertain whether he it sick or wounded. Some few weeks ago a message was also conveyed to the writer from W. A. Scott and G. Walker, both of whom were then well, though the former had spent a short time in hospital. Both men have now seen a long period of service, and they seem still to be holding their own. Captain J. O. Parke, Sixth Battalion, Leinster Regiment (this is Parke, the Irish champion, who came to Now Zealand as a member of the British team that lifted the Davis Cup, and it was he who defeated Brookes), was wounded m action in Gallipoli on August 10, almost as soon as his battalion went into action. Shrapnel got him in tho right wrist, but luckily the wound proved ' to bo not very serious, though it has necessitated his going into hospital. Parke landed on Gallipoli in July, hut his battalion was kept at the base until August. In a letter dated July 25 Parke says: —“I am sitting at present in our company’s mess reservation, which consists of a trench TiJt deep by Ift wide, dug round in a circle of sft diameter, leaving a mound in tho middle to act as a table. It was absolutely airless when we woke up this morning, and so hot that I had to get up at 6.30. Since then it lias been growing steadily hotter, until it is pretty near the limit now at noon, only, fortunately, a tiny breeze has sprung up which makes it just bearable. The bathe in the evening about 7 is tho only thing left to live for at the moment, and the thought that this can’t last for over sustains us slightly. The flics are really getting pretty bad now, and are into all our food at once. Justnow the sun and moon are exactly opposite each other, and both just above the horizon. I have never seen them like that before, but perhaps it ia a peculiarity here.

There were spunds of heavy firing for ; •ouplo of hours last night, so there was probably something doing.” Then about a fortnight later Parke saw action, and wa. wounded.