PICNIC AT WINCHESTER.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12908, 23 February 1906, Page 6

PICNIC AT WINCHESTER.

The annual picnic, of. the employees of 4he..Gantexbury Farmers' Go-operative Association: was Jaeld yesterday Beautiful weather assured success, and ai-. most all the firm's employees, with many i friends; turned up in the morning to take part.,,, They .filled a dozen large vehicles, and these left town in procession aboiit The drive took a little over-two house;- and had not a marring circumstance. warm air made perfect .harvest weather, and every prospect was pleas-mg. The partr made for one of Mr Deßenzy s -paddocks;, near the homestead .; tne usual picnic ground at the rrVer side t»;.« lhe ; time being a harvest field. A. couple of tents were pitched beneath the tiees: and%-stream'of clear water winding anumg willow trees served the double purpose-01 supplying water and a pleasant cool shade. All day Ahe stffl warm weather continued, clouds mercifully screening off what would otherwise have been a sunshine; i and it the atmosphere inclined the picmcH-;; ers more to lethargy than to violent action/; all undoubtedly enjoyed'themselves. Butall were not ; to- be allowed to, take * ■ things ■••■'■ quietly. An energetic , secretary "and ;; some inexorable marks-j -men gathered in ' the willing and unwilling, and started a programme of races ; and in the afternoon these beeame the central feature of the picnic. The.same euer-; .getic spirits who ran races also = played crickeK and rounders, and otherwise exerted -themselves. - It is the.peculiar- charm of a good jp.icnic that by simple means it;, satisfies-a- multitude of testes; and lot those- wers judges of such thingf—•there were many—Mr. F/ M. Shewan _hsct provided' a'bountiful supply of the nicest refreshments ever brought out of a sliop. JFull justice was done to these both at lunch and tea time. After the races more games were indulged in, and the picnic staffed; back to town about 7 o'clock. The arlangements for the day had been well made, and were well carried out by the-secretary, Mr J. Dunn,; assisted by Messrs A. t! ores, J. Lack, and others. The party included a dragload of about twenty, from the GeraJdine branch. The following were the results of the races :—IOO yards C.F.A. Handicap.—L. Wood. (Geraldine)," a; "A.; r J. Jones, 2; J. P. Fitzgerald, 3. 100 Yards Youths' Handicap.—C. Fyfe, 1; H. McUroy, 2. 50 Yards Girls'; Race—Miss Mathews, 1; Miss Richards, 2. 75 Yards Sack Race.—A. F. Boys, 1; A. McLean {Geraldine), 2. Drivers' Race.—H. A. Glennie, 1; ''M. Flanigan, 2. There were large fields for the races, and several hadto be run in heats. Mr J. Lack acted as handdeapper, and the ■ finishes did him credit. Two of the Association's directors, Messrs M. Driscoll and J. Kelland, were present at the picnic> and apologies were received from. Messrs Howell, R. H. Bhodes, J. Borrie, Austin, G., Kerr, Akharst, and Mehzies. At the end of the day's proceedings, Mr A. Wilson thanked the ■directors for the holiday, and Mr Deßenzy for the loan of the paddock. He spoke highly of the caterer, and also expressed thanks to M R, Smith for a much appreciated contribution of milk. The picnic concluded with hearty cheers for everybody, concerned.