SALTWATER CREEK SPORTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 817, 18 November 1872, Page 1 (Supplement)

SALTWATER CREEK SPORTS.

On November lla series of athletic sports, m honor of the Prince of Wales' Birthday, took place on Mr Frank Slee'a grounds at Saltwater Creek. The day was fine, and m every way suited for such a gathering, the heat of the atmosphere being tempered by a light variable breeze, which conduced greatly to the comfort of the spectators. Although a good many of the townspeople were away on pic-nic excursions, sufficient lovers of athletic sports were left to give the grounds a very animated appearance, but the visitors were principally of the sterner sex, The ground is a small paddock adjoining the Main South-road, securely fenced, and well adapted for the purpose, a considerable amount of labour having been expended on the course, which was closely mown, pegged and flagged out, with a fenced run m, m which the leaping and vaulting contests took place. There was also a magnificent horizontal bar on the ground, on which anyone desirous of developing his muscles could do so. The sports themselves had attracted some nine or ten athletes, most of whom were attired m the orthodox tights and trunks j and m every instance the raciug was close and fair, every man evidently running to win. Mr G. H. Wildie officiated as starter, Mr W. Williamson as judge, Mr (J. Jacobs as timekeeper, and Mr Slee as secretary ; and their well-directed exertions were rewarded by the smooth and perfect manner m which everything passed off. We had almost forgotten to say that the new private brass baud recently formed m Timaru were on the ground during the day, and greatly enlivened the proceedings by the performance of several well-executed pieces. The following is a complete list of the various events : — 100 Yards Eunning Race. Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize, £1 J. Lukey ... ... ... 1 H. Fraser ... ... ' ... 2 J Cockroft ... ... ... 3 A Hudson ... ,„ ... 4 A good race, the men finishing close together, Lukey first, with Fraser if anything, before Cockroft for second place, Hudson last. Time : 11 sees. Eunuing High Jump. Entrance, 2s 6d; prize, £1 Fraser (4ft 9in) .... ... 1 Lukey (4ft 6in) ' ... ... 2 Hudson (4ft 3in) ... ... 3 Cockroft (4ft) ... ... 4 Connor (3ft 3in) ... ... 5 Very well jumped, especially by Fraser and Lukey. The bar was raised three inches at a time, and the heights given above are those of each man's last successful leap. Handicap Running Eace, 440 Yards. Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize £2, Lukey (scratch) ... ... 1 G-ordon (5 yards) ... ... 2 Holland (12 yards) ... ... 0 Anderson (scratch) ... ... 0 Fraser (scratch) ... ... .0 Hudson (10 yards) ... ... 0 Hudson soon assumed the lead, Holland keeping second place until about fifty yards from home, when the whole lot were close together. At this point Lukey took the lead and G-ordon second place, which position they kept up to the winning post, Holland third, the rest well up. Time ; lmin *sec.

Pole Jump. Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize, £1 Fraser (6ft 9in) „. ... 1 Connor (6ft 6in) ... ... 0 Smith (6ft 6in) ... ... 0 Cockroft (6ft) ... ... 0 Shriuipton ... ... ... 0 ■ The vaulting started at fire feet, and it was very good throughout. At six feet nine iuchea, both Connor and Smith failed ta clear the bar, and Fruser was an easy winner. The latter afterwards jumped a foot higher than the height he won by — clearing seven feet nine inches. Two-mile Flat Race. Entrance, 2s 6d ; first prize, £3 ; second prize, £1 Macfarlane ... ... ... 1 . Lukey ... ... ... 2 Gordon ... ... ... 3 Fraser ... ... ... 0 Maofarlane led off the race and kept his lead for the first 200 yards, when he was challenged and paaaed by Fraser, completing the first lap with Fraser first, Macfarlane second, Lukey third, and Gordon lait. The second lap was completed m the same order, save that Macfarlane and Fraser had changed places. During the third lap the men kept the same relative positions, but on passing the posbFraier fell and was out of the race. In the fourth lap Macfarlane still held his lead with Lukey and Gordon well up racing for second place. On finishing the fifth lap Macfarlaue was first, Lukey second, and Gordon third, In the sixth and seventh lap there was uo change m the positions of the men, except that they got farther apart. On nearing home Mficfarlane put the steam on and passed the post an eusy winner. The distance owing to some mistake m counting the laps was oae lap (440 yards) short of the two miles, but this did not affect the result, as if the distance had been longer, Macfarlane would have won by more than he did. Time for the If- miles, llniin. lfisecs. Running Long Jump. Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize, £1 Fraser (17ft Bin) ... ... 1 Sullivan (16ft Bin) ... ... 2 Cockroft (16ft Bin) ... ... 3 Two Miles Walkiug Baco. Entrance, 2s 6d j prize, £2 Eitchie 1 Newton ... ... ' ... 2 Mncfarlane ... ... ... 0 Macfarlane only went m to make up the race, which was an eaßy one for .Ritchie, the boy Newton who evidently had a good idea of walking, being m nothing like condition for such a contest. Time : First mile Bmin. lOsecs. j second mile 17min, 15secs. As a reward for the pluck of the youngster who gamely completed his distance, some gentlemen on the course made it subscription which was handed to him on passing the post. Handicap Flat Knee, Ona Mile. Entrance, 2s 6d ; first prize, £2 ; second prize, 10s Hart (20 yards) ... ... 1 Maefarlane (scratch)... . ... 2 Holland (40 yards) ... ... 3 T Jones (50 yards) ... ... 0 F J Wilson (60 yards) ... 0 On completing the first lap Wilson was first at post, but his bolt was spent and he gave m, Jones was second, Holland third, Hart fourth, and Macfarlane last. In tho second lap Jones gave m when half way round leaving the race to Hart, Holland, and Mncfarluno, who completed the first half mile m the order they are named. On commencing the third round Macfarlane passed the others who kept hard at his heels. On the last lap when about half way round, Hart collarred Maofarlnne, and a desperate race ensued to tho post, Hart being first to breast tho tape, thus winning the finest race of the day. Time : smiu. 16secs. At this stage of the sports a private race of 100 yards was arranged between Messrs T B Jones and F J Wilson. Tho latter took the lead at the start and maintained it throughout. Time, 149ecs. Hop, Step, and Jump. Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize, £1. Sullivan ... ... .„ 1 Fraser ... ... ... 2 Connor ... . ... ... 3 Sullivan won with 35ft 4in. Handicap Flat Race, 250 yards. Consolation Entrance, 2s 6d ; prize, £1. Holland (10 yards) ... ... 1 Oockroffc (scratch) ... ... 2 Hudson (5 yards) ... ... 3 A smart race. Holland managed to keep ahead all through, but was all but overhauled by Cockroft at the finish. Time, Slsecs. This last event brought the sports to a satisfactory conclusion. :

A New System of Pile Dbiving. — The Americans liavo lately been trying a rather daring experiment m the way of pile driving. A pile having been placed m position, a can* non, weighing 1800 pouuda, with the breach dished' so as to fit as a cap, is placed on the top of the pile, muzzle upwards. Above is fixed a ram which can' be shot downwards, but prevented from flying upwards by a brake. A cartridge is put into the gun, the ram allowed to descend, the cartridge is exploded, driving up the ram, which is stopped by the brake, and the recoil driving the gun forcibly downwards, thus causing the pilo to descend also. Upon trial, it waa found that a ten-inch pile was driven down twenty feet with five blows, and with an expenditure of Boz of gunpowder. Mb Beoqden's Navvik3.— The SouGiern Cross of the 25th ult. gives the following account of the action taken by Ifr Brogden's navvies, who aye out on strike : — "The whole of the navvies on strike for the eight-hour system and seven shillings per day, assembled yesterday inoming m front of the Drill-shed, for the purpose of considering what steps should bo taken for the furtherance of their object. As there was no chair to take, it was considered unnecessary to appoint a chairman, but, m answer to an invitation to address the meeting, a ' son oi toil ' mounted a large stone and hel6V forth to his excited hearers for nearly half an hour. He said the best thing to do would be to send word all along the line about the strike, and request the men still at work to. join them. If these men did not choose ta do so, then they must he compelled. A number of persons spoke, all adopting the same strain. It was then arranged that the mob (numbering 125) should proceed to Newmarket en masse, and force the quarry-mena work there to knook off. The assemblage accordingly proceeded thither, and, on arrival, the proposer of this feature of the programm had deserted them. However, a corpulen • individual, who was evidently stimulated for the occasion, took charge, and proceeded to the brink of the quary, and demanded that the men working: there (about a dozen) should stop work and join the strikers. This they refused to do, and the whole mob went into the quarry and threatened to pull down the crane if the men did not ceasa work. But this was of no avail. The mob then offered an armistice of half-an-hour, but the men at work refused this also'in terms more forcible than polite. After this, the former ringleaders of .the strikers disappeared, and others proposed. to go to the Mechanics.' Bay end of the line to make the men leare* work there ; but the crowd was so divided ia its sentiments as to further movements that when Detective Jcffery and a. constable were, seen ' approaching, most of the men quietly, slinked off, and when Detective Jeffery pulled out a piece of paper to' take down the leaders' name 3 a general dispersion took place, leaving the two detectives masters of the*, situation."