PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION

Southland Times, Issue 17477, 5 April 1915, Page 2

PATRIOTIC DEMONSTRATION

AND ATHLETIC championships. THRTiK DAYS' CARNIVAL AT OTAUTAU, In recent years Otautau has forced to the front as a .sporting- centre. The latest venture at Otautau Is a three days’ athletic carnival, with which the majority of the sporting institutions of tiie inland township have allied themselves. The Town Hall at Otautau has heon engaged for three nights, and the carnival will be carried on indoors during Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, l;Uh, 14th and lath April. Upwards of 200 persons have voluntarily come forward and joined the committees which are working in. the interest of the demonstration. Tiie total profits are to go to the various relief funds, and it is anticipated that tho committee will have upwards of £ 1000 to deal with. Tho following is the programme arranged: TUESDAY, APHID 13. Commencing at a.30 p.m on the local recreation ground, an evening sports of one and a half hours' duration will be held, when the preliminary rounds in handicap sprints, and field events of the Southland cliampionships will he contested At 7.30 p.m. the Town Hall will he opened for the indoor programme. Proceedings commence with a national concert, which will occupy one hour. Then a programme catering for all classes will be got under way. and sideshows and stalls, etc,, will be open for business. Entries for all the events, outside those of the Southland championhips. are post entry, but tug-of-war toms arc asked to notify the secretary previously of their intention to compete. Arrangements w'ill be made for teams from a long distance to pull right through on the Wednesday night. Darge entries are anticipated for each event, especially for the chop, in which the interest is extraordinarily keen. WEDNESDAY, APHID 11. A whole holiday will be observed in Otautau and district on Wednesday, and the day s proceedings are due to commence at 10.30 a.m., when a grand procession of bands, military competitors and the public will take place from the Town Hall (o the show grounds At 11 a.m. a start will be made with the Southland championship athletic sports. As there will be no tedious events to witness, such as big fields in the shot putting and so on, the preliminary rounds of which are to be decided at the previous night's sports, the championships should he brimful of interest. HORSE AND MILITARY EVENTS. The committee has arrived at a popular decision in deciding to commence the horse jumping events at 3.30 u.m., and ibis part of the programme will occupy two hours, during which tiie athletes may compete in novelty events or reserve themselves for the distance championships, commencing at 4.30 p.m. NOVELTY EVENTS. The programme of novelty events is a decidedly varied one. and should gain ample appreciation from the spectators. W>7UN E S DAY EVENING. On Wednesday evening the finals of the first night’s competitions will he decided, and at the conclusion of these a gigantic sale of produce will take place. It should be mentioned also that on Wednesday afternoon, a sale of stock comprising gifts to the patriotic fund will lie held, for which several - leading auctioneers have offered their services. The gifts are being made on a very handsome scale and a large sum will be, realised from this source. THURSDAY, APRIL .15. Tiie attraction on Thursday, the final night, will be a free concert by Invercargill performers, the proceeds of which 1 go to the Belgian funds. The patronage of their Excellencies, the Governor, Lord Liverpool, and the Countess of Liverpool; the Premier, Rt. Hon. W. E. Massey, and Sir Joseph Ward has been accorded the demonstration.