RED CROSS FAIR

Southland Times, Issue 17805, 2 November 1917, Page 4

RED CROSS FAIR

BIG DAY AT OTAUTAU. £ISOO RAISED. The big sports gathering, etc., held on the A. and P. Showground at Otautau on Wednesday, in aid of the Red Cross Fund, was indeed a great success. Two years ago Otautau .held a similar gathering for patriotic purposes, and about £SOO was raised, but this time the most sanguine expectations were exceeded, and the magnificent sum of £ISOO was realised, and expenses were practically nil. Of all who assisted on Wednesday, not one received any payment, and though it would be considered quite natural that when stock had to be removed long distances quite a considerable expense would have to be incurred, the zealous committee who had the organising of the affair managed to avoid this. A great number of settlers throughout the district had made donations of sheep and cattle, and some of the drovers whom the committee employed to take them to the grounds at Otautau even gave their services for as long as three days free of charge. Right throughout the collection campaign the thing which made the fair the success it was; was the self-sacrificing spirit of all who were approached to give to the good cause, and the untiring way in which everyone worked for the patriotic cause. Although the -weather was threatening, after a very rough day previous, no rain fell and the attendance at the ground was well over 1000, the takings amounting to about £4O. Messrs W. E. Taylor, F. Mills, J. McDonald and F. Martin, auctioneers, had a busy time when the stock was sold, the result of which was about £9OO being raised, to which will be added a very tidy' sum when 150 sheep which were donated, but did not arrive in time, are sold. Over £4O was raised by the sale of baby show voting cards, while the sweet stalls realised £l3 14s. The tea-rooms, most of the stock for which was donated, materially assisted to swell the funds, under the capable management of Mrs T. Guppies, as did also the “Enchantment Room,” run by Messrs D. Grieve and H. Smith. The musical requirements of the day were filled by pipers, also the Nightcaps Brass Band and the South School Fife and Drum Band, who motored out in a lorry kindly lent by Messrs Todd and Sons, of Waikiwi. The committee are to be congratulated on the manner in which they carried out the lengthy programme. Mention must also be made in this connection of the secretary, Mr 0. Joyce, and his assistant, Mr J. H. Thomas. Following are the results of the competitions : BABY SHOW. (Trophy in each class; second, certificate.) Boys up to nine months old—Bruce Neame (Otautau) 1. Girls up to 20 months old—Baby Kerr (Orawia) 1. Boys up to 20 months old—John Garrick (Otautau) 1. Girls up to three years — 1 - Hilda Ford (Wairio) 1, Edith Stephens (Otautau) 2. Boys up to three years—F. Gordenprop (Otautau) 1, C.jGray ilsla Bank) 2. ATHLETIC EVENTS. (For Territorials and Cadets.) 100 Yards Handicap—rJ. Gibbin. 220 Gibbin. High Jump—l. Brown. Hop, Step and Leap-yP. Gardner. Highest Aggregate Points Gibbin 1, Gardner 2. The first prize was a trophy valued at a guinea and a half, and the second one valued at half ai guinea. Old Buffers’ Race (73yds)—F. Malcolm 1, T. Breen 2, Jas. O’Brien 3. Single Ladies’ Race Cis Flynn 1, L. Scott 2. Married Ladies’ Race—Mrs Jas. Laurie 1, Mrs Douglas Brown 2. ' DANCING. Highland Fling—Miss Seaman 1. . Jig—Miss Seaman. Sword Dance —Misa-Seaman.' Hornpipe—Master Balto. Seann Triubhais—Master Balto. For competitors under 16 who had not won a first prize: Fling—Miss V, Halpin. Jig—B. F. Donaldson.. Sword Dancto-Miss Halpin. Hornpipe—Miss Halpin. Seann Triubhais—Miss Halpin. OTHER EVENTS. Motor Balancing — Miss McDougall 1, J. Tale 2. Maiden Jumper T. Taylor’s Daylight Molly 1, J. Flynn’s Somersault 2, A. Gately’s Maid of Show 3. Ten competitors. Best Jumper—M. O’Brien’s Reno 1, J. Taylor’s Daylight Molly 2, O’Brien’s Besa 3. Twelve competitors. Tilting at the Ring—F. Malcolm 1, A. Cowan 2, A. Saunders 3. Twenty competitors. Rescue Race —J. H. Marshall (Scott’s Gap) 1, Alex. Saunders and D.‘ McPherson (tied). Twelce competitors. Polo—C. Gardner (Clifden) 1, L. Brown (Otautau) 2. Six competitors. Best Boy Rider—Master Flynn. Eight competitors. The.winner’s pony was much speedier than any of the others. Sheaf Tossing—A. Gould and W. Flraser tied, the prize being a bag of sugar. Tug-of-war (5 men aside) —Otautau beat Nightcaps by an inch. C. Tonkinson was captain of the Otautau team and J. Spowart led the others. The Otautau combination consisted of C. Tonkinson, H. McFadgen, J. Mathieson, J. Scatter and J. Lynch. Schools Tug-of-war —Otautau School beat South School.