PICNICS.

Colonist, Volume XLI, Issue 9097, 15 February 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

PICNICS.

Sunday School Pitt-ics*. — The Sunday School school scholars in coitneetion with .he Christ Church and All Saints' schco's; l also those of the |Presbyterian Church school held their annual picnics at the Richnidrf'l Vi*rk v^tpi'ikr. The weather , ..-.is favo:.iblo, ana & I.tfg« m.iml.cr ,of , friends and parents accompanied the cTiil i dren, the first named (Church of England) { party numbering fully four hundred. A very enjoyable time was spent, and we have not heard of any accident occurring to mar the pleasure oi the picnicers who were conveyed by Sp' ci&l trfitin to 1 tod frora Bieh.-; mond. Those in charge of the picnic's speak in praise of the excellent arrangements riiaue made by Mr Ricbardsori, the railway man- •> ager, and his staff, and the consideration j and courtesy that was shown them. . < Picnic.— Yesterday afternoon the ch! Iren £ connected with St. Mary's Orphanage had { their annual picnic. One hundred and ] eighty children were conveyed by Mr ( Thomas to the Maori Bush, Wakapuaka, 1 where they enjoyed themselves greatly. At y the close, before leaving the grounds, the ' Very Rev Father Mahoney addressed the j orphans, and asked them if they missed an ; old friend on that occasion, when the ] united response was u tt., Mr Hunt." ] The late Mr M. Hunt for years collected ftte ! funds necessary to give the little ones theit' annual outing. Before the happy party broke up cheers were given for the sub- ' scribers to the picnic fund ; for Mr Thomas ' Hunt; who had this year acted as collector i ' for the Very fiev Father Mahoney; and for | the Sisters, who soi kindly tend to the welfare of the Orphans; Ti_e AsjLtM Picnic— The i»mates of the Nelson i_uri-tti6 Asylum eh'joyed theft* annnal picnic on Saturday, wber_ they were conveyed to the Richmond Park. Thefe were between 60 and 70 patients present, in charge of attendants, and a few friends joined the party. The total number, which included 22 womCt? , would have been larger, but that some who were stiff ering , irom nfluenza had to be left behind. Tnose? present ranged in point of age from between 14 and 15 to nearly 80, and they all evidently enjoyed the outing immensely, even the convalescents from influenza, who were unable to enter Into the sports very heartily, benefiting froni the chfen^e. On their arriving at the Park the Superintendent, Mr Morrison, set the ball going, and rounders were played, while a little later races were got up, and the prizes offered wei« striven for most lustily. Messrs F. N. Jones and Glen interested themselves largely in arranging these contests. The high jump competition was particularly good, some of the contestants being in great form; A tug of war was one of the most exciting of the events ; for a length of time it was a toss up which side would win, and some of th weomen becoming enthusiastic ran to the assistance of one side, and they settled the matter, Later on dancing was indulged in, i Miss Levy, assisted by Mr Wbite, kindly supplying the music. That there were good i things in abundance, available for all,, goes without saying, and the whole of the patients, we learn, expressed themselves delighted with their treat. Mr Morrison and his staff are to be complimented on tbe way in which they provided for the enjoyment of those under their charge, and the demeanor of the patients provided the strongest possible evidence of the kindly , manner in which all are treated.