THE CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

Colonist, Volume XIV, Issue 1385, 3 January 1871, Page 3

THE CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

Upwards of a thousand people assembled yesterday in the spacious paddock up the Maitai river, kindly lent to the Caledonian Society by Mr. Ealph Biohardson, free of ull charge. The efforts of the committee of directors, especially of those who took an active part in providing one of the most attractive entertainments for a public holiday that has been established in Nelson, merits no little praise. The Caledonian Society is now fairly established, has become a thorough success, and gives promise not only of securing for many years a day's amusement to the public at large, on the great holiday of the North Britons, but also gives good indication of being able, at no distant date, to actively advance the higher social virtues, encourage literature, reward heroism, exercise benevolence, and add somewhat to tha spread of a higher education, where sometimes it could not otherwise be obtained. These are some of the objects which this society desires to attain, and in the accomplishment of which the success of its Gatherings will render valuable assistance. A long line of Dright and, varied colored flags we're stretched from one side of the well-roped enclosure to the other ; and high above, in the centre, was the ancient flag of Scotland, with the red lion, a slightly uncouth looking beast, rampant (."rampagious," as was solemnly observed with Doric pride) on the gold field. Above the grand stand, which was well filled, was the New Zealand flag, with its Union Jack and cross of stars, presented to the society by Mr. James Lowe, second pilot. The large body of spectators included a vast number of nicely-dressed children, who were not the least well-pleased of the specators. The programme offered an ample and wellarranged variety of games and pastimes, and about eleven o'clock ttw» we commenwd,.

i Opening Race" (extra to programme). 'Boys under a 12 years; Ist prize, 55.; 2nd, 2s. 6<L—Judgeß, Messrs, M'lhtosh and Luckie. i Bolton,jun. ~. .„ ... ... 1 » Membray... ... ■•• 2 3 1 Flat Eace for Boys under 15, 100 yards. Ist 8 prize, 55.; 2nd, 2s. 6d. —Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh , and Luckie. Six entered. ' Nellis 1 [ Coleman ... 2 2. Velocipede Race, Heats—twice round course. Ist ' prize, £1; 2nd, 10s.~Judges, Messrs. Staverfc and Eenwick. Three entered. 1 (First Heat). Livick 1 Oakey 2 Wimsett 3 The start was a bad one, and Livick got weir in 3 advance, Wimsett meeting with a misfortune, and ; coming a cropper, horse and all. In the Second . Heat, Livick again came in first, followed closely by ( Wimsett, who got the second prize. 3. Vaulting with pole. Ist prize, £1; 2nd, 10a.— Judges, Messrs. Brind and Disher. Seven entered. The prizes were doubled, and a third prize added. T.Nicholson 1 T.Euss 2 G. Sayle ... .. 2 4. Flat Eace for Men, 200 yards. Ist prize, 155.; 2nd, 7s. 6d. —Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. The prizes were again increased in this race. There were cine entries, and the race was well contested, with the following result. Grattan Cook 1 D. Bolton ... 2 G.Russ 3 5. Highland Fling ; Ist prize £1; 2nd 10s. —Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. Three entered, J. G-albraith 1 J.Donaldson 2 This was tolerably well contested, but the competitors have all to learn that in dancing the highland fling, the foot ought to be brought up at a right angle with the calf of the other leg. T. Chittenden, who is a very neat dancer, performed very well, but the teacher under whom he had studied this popular Scottish dance, evidently had not known the " steps" or their sequences. In fact, the others were somewhat astray in the sequence of their steps, but the steps were there. 6. Eunning High Leap ; Ist prize £1; 2nd 10s. — Judges, Meßsrs. Stavert and Eenwick. Eight entered. 0. J. Hill (sft. 3in.) ... 1 J. Harley - 2 7. Euaning Flat Leap; Ist prize 155.; 2nd 7s. 6d. —Judges, Messrs. Stavert and Eenwick. Five entered. C. J. Hill (16ft. 6in.) 1 Norgate 6 (lsft. 9in.) 2 8. Wrestling (Cumberland style) ; Ist prize, £1; 2nd, 10s. —Judges, Messrs. Renwick and M'lntosh. Six entered. Stavert ... 1 Schwass ... ... ..2 This was a new feature, and the play was very prettily performed. M. Sinclair threw Carruthers; Schwass threw T. Younger; W. Stavort threw Anderson; Schwa9s threw Sinclair ; and then, between Stavert and Schwass, there followed some beautiful finesse, in re the muscular Christianity of Cumberland and the Borders, and Stavert, whose wrestling attitude exhibited welldeveloped mußcle, as well as good experience in the game, overthrew his opponent. 9. Hitch and Kick. Prize, £1. —Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Eobertson. Five entered. Those who do not know this game must learn that a large football is suspended on a string, and the hitch-and-kicker hops towards it, kicks it with the foot he hop 3 on, and alights on the ground with the same foot first. It is a difficult operation to those unaccustomed to it, and often the performer overbalances himself, and hugs mother earth. Nothing of this kind occurred on this occasion. James Walker took the prize by kicking the ball at the height of Bft li-in. He was well followed up by R. M'Murray. 10. Tossing the Caber. Ist prize, £1; 2nd, 10s.— Judges, Messrs. Gorrie and Disher. The caber is a long pole, too long to begin with in this particular ease, and requiring frequent abridgments at the instance of the carpenter's saw, until its length was reduced to fifteen feet, with which, out of eight competitors, Job Lines took the first prize, and E. M'Murray the second. 11. Flat Race for Men, 300 yards, let prize, £1 ; 2nd, 10s.—Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. Joseph Bolton ... ... ... ... 1 C. J. Hill 2 There wero five entries for this race, which was well run. Bolton drew the inside place, and Hill got the outside, but ran well, and held his own with Bolton, considering the disadvantage of place. Bolton ran swiftly, and with great ease. 12. Horizontal Bar. Ist prize, 305.; 2nd, 15s.— Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Gome. Chisholm 1 Brind 2 The latter had a bad finger, and some of the gearing of the bar went wrong towards the close. Some of the feats were very well performed, 13. Dancing Hornpipe. lßt prize, £1; 2nd, 10s.— Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. T. Chittenden 1 Collins 2 Six entered. The winner danced this dance very gracefully. 14. Putting the Stone, 221 be. Ist prize, £1; 2nd, lOs.—Judges, Messrs. Gome and Eobertson. 11 entered. E. M'Murray (25ft 6in) 1 J. Anderson (24ft lOin) 2 15. Tilting at the Eing—three times round the ring. Third man to save his stakes, Ist prize, £4; 2nd, £2.—Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. Job Lines (10 rings) ... 1 G. Silcock (8 rings) 2 F. Trask (7 rings) 3 A troop of horses were in the lists, and the ground looked martial, in a Colonial way, for, of course, there were no martial plumes or knightly armour. There were no fewer than twenty-two entries, and the sport was greatly enjoyed, both by the participators and by the large assemblage of lookers-on. Mr. Gaukrodger, who was appointed to see that the horsemen kept up a " hand-gallop" in their course, vigorously performed his task, and aided slow riders or lazy Bosinantes by occasional posteriori applications, effectively successful. 16. Highland Bsel; Ist prize, £1; 2nd, 10s.—Judges, Messrs. Stavert and Renwick. No entry. 17. Standing High Leap; Ist prize, 155.; 2nd, 7s. 6d.—Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. Two entries. W. Forest (4ft. 2in.) ... 1 Jas. Walker ... 2 18. Hurdle Race; Ist prize, 305.; 2nd, 15s.—Judges, Messrs. Black and Chisholm. Four entered. W. Rusb 1 J.Walker ... 2 19. Standing Flat Leap ; lßt. prize, 155.; 2nd, 7s. 6d. —Judges, Messrs. Stavert and Eenwick. Two entered. W. Forest (Bft. 9in.) 1 No second prize. ' 20. Flat Race for Boys under 18 years ; Ist prize, 10s.; 2nd, ss.—Judges, Messrs. M'lntosh and Luckie. Four entries. Rus3 ... I C. Cook 2 I 21. Broadsword Exercise ; Ist prize, £1; 2nd, 10s. —Judge, Mr. Augarde. Five entered. Barnes ... ... ... ... ... 1 ', Stevenson.. 2 The play yesterday was superior to that of last year. The best dressed " Highlander" was represented by a^little boy, to whom, as a sort of inducement for next year's tartan fever, the prize of £1 was awarded by the' Committee. Darkness came on soon after these arrangements were completed. As a whole, the programme was most satisfactorily carried out, without mishap or diaoider^aud gtnwallj tho- Comufctat dwwwpwt.

praise for the excellence oftheir arrangements. We have to .add here that Mr. David Burns, Vice-President of the Caledonian Society, has liberally offered the Society a lease of land in Waimea-sfcreet, of 45 feet frontage, rent freo, for fourteen years, on which to build a room for their meetings, and the Btorage of their properties.