STORY OF CONSTRUCTION

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22203, 21 February 1942, Page 3

STORY OF CONSTRUCTION

EFFORTS 50 YEARS AGO With the advent of the bicycle in the latter part of the 19th century cycle racing became a popular sport. Since about 1888 there has been a flourishing Caledonian Society in Temuka and every Boxing Day an ambitious programme of sports was featured, attracting star performers from all over the South Island for such sports as Highland dancing, tossing the caber, putting the shot, wrestling, and all those strenuous sports dear to the hearts of the Scottish portion of the community. An idea of the popularity of the meetings may be gained by the fact that in 1892 the gate takings were £122, and in the year 1899 the sum of £153 was paid out in prize money. It was in this year that the project of a cycle track was first mooted. At a directors’ meeting in 1899 a special committee was appointed by the Caledonian Society to investigate the possibility and estimated cost, and in June of that year the committee reported that the Temuka Park Board had consented to the building of a track and that it had obtained plans and specifications from Messrs Mason and Marchant, surveyors, of Timaru. At this meeting a sum of £5O was voted to a track improvement fund. Teams and Drays Supplied In October of the same year a special committee of four directors was appointed to superintend the completion of the track, and dlrectrs, members of the society and other interested bodies co-operated in the supply of teams and drays for the building of the embankment. In addition to this a sum of £lOB was paid by the society for labour and carting. It was discovered in May, 1900, that it would be practically useless to tar and sand the track, and the committee decided that asphalting was the only means of providing a perfect track. Tenders for this were high and the society’s funds were low so the matter was left in abeyance until the following Easter when a bazaar was suggested to raise funds for its completion. The bazaar did not meet with sufficient support and a social organised by a committee of women produced a profit of only £6/16/-. Famous Cyclists Use Track Temuka, however, was determined to have its cycle track and, with the assistance of various sports bodies, the work was continued. Contributions of £B7 from the Temuka Bicycle Club, £5 from the Sports Association and £35 from the Temuka Park Board were received and, by a total of expenditure of £320, the balance being raised by the Caledonian Society, the surfacing of the track was completed. Labour amounted to £126/6/6. Two thousand five hundred gallons of tar at 4id a gallon cost £46/17/6 and the plans and specifications cost £2l/12/8. In the palmy days of cycle racing champions from all over the Island competed and the races from Timaru, with their finish on the park track, were a feature. Cycling was one of the big attractions at the Boxing. Day sports. Phil O’Shea, champion cyclist of New Zealand, was a prominent performer and attended nearly every meeting. It is on record that one year the time put up by this champion was so unexpectedly fast that he arrived before arrangements were completed for his reception and he was found by the judges seated on the steps of the pavilion, having arrived before them. BOWLING Tire Cooper pairs competition played on Thursday evening resulted as follows:—Turner and Meek beat Scrimshaw and Keys; Nichol and Farrell beat Joynt and Marshall; Edwards and Wilson beat Johansen and McMillan; Harvey and Ross beat Menzies and Parrant; Beck and Johnson beat Davies and Thistleton; Pierce and Shlllito beat Mclnnes and Connolly. The play for Tuesday evening is as follows: —Nicol and Farrell play Pierce and Shlllito; Beck and Johnson play Edwards and Wilson; Menzies and Parrant play Davies and Thistleton; Harvey and Ross play Mclnnes and Connolly; Johansen and McMillan play Smith and Longson. In the Fletcher Shield pairs, played by the Temuka Women’s Bowling Club on Thursday the results were as follows: —Mrs Rooney and Mrs Davis beat

Mrs Thistleton and Mrs Frisby; Mrs Hopkinson and Mrs Whitehead beat Mrs Clark and Mrs Harrison; Mrs Shillito and Mrs Marshall beat Miss McGillen and Mrs Martin; Mrs Wilson and Mrs Winter beat Mrs McLeod and Miss Thompson; Mrs Earl and Mrs Cain a bye. Tire draw for the second round next Thursday is as follows:—Mrs Davis v. Mrs Whitehead; Mrs Marshall v. Mrs Cain; Mrs Frisby v. Miss Thompson; Mrs Harrison v. Mrs Martin; Mrs Winter a bye. PERSONAL Mrs Nelson Jones, who has been spending the last week in Temuka, left for Wellington yesterday. Messrs D. Macpherson and P. Metge, of Wellington, who have been visiting Temuka, will leave for the north today. Captain C. D. Hayhurst, of D Company, Temuka Home Guard, who has been attending a refresher course in weapon training, has returned to Temuka.