SOLDIERS’ CARNIVAL.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 2

SOLDIERS’ CARNIVAL.

A PRONOUNCED SUCCESS. ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR. The management of the Wtiitarapa Soldiers’ Chib held its carnival on Saturday afternoon -at the Solway Showgrounds in the presence oi several th usand enthusiastic* spectators. The meeting was an unqualified success, and reflects the greatest credit on the committee and all who were connected with it. The cause was an excellent one—the money realised from it being devoted to the funds of the Soldiers’ Chib—but primarily and above that the idea of Mr Whatman and his committee was to promote an event which should be essentially a returned soldiers’ effort, and provide thereby a social gathering for ex-service. men. The grounds, with the crowds of people in summer attire, reminded one of Show day, but the carnival spirit that prevailed was distinctly a novelty. No attempt was made to make the carnival a serious sports meeting, and every event had, more or les.-u an element of tine comic in it. The parade for the Solway Cup. with its fancy costume® and general comicality, wa s so irresistibly funny that thereafter it would have been impossrb'? to introduce a serious event, even if it had been desired. No bod did desire it, and each new event provided something fresh to laugh at The meeting opened with a parade of horsemen—it might be safer to : iy, oqu -strians—through the town, at 12 < ock. Thi s was the preliminary c;;liter, as it were, for the Solway Cup, which was the first important event on the programme. This event attracted a very large entry fully ;?j horse® lining wp for the start. Among the competitors were noted a Naval officer (according to rumour, Admiral Jellicoe, incog.), two padres, stockmen, cowboys, niggers, pierrot®, a dark-skinned gentleman on a zebra, an ale barrel and a teapot, besides several regular jockeys, some of whom appeared to be carrying over weight. Several members of the fair sex also faced the tapes. The distance was scheduled as being several miles and a bit, and from a splendid start the field got away well together and made reord time, to the accompaniment of the Municipal Band, the idea being that when the band stopped, the horse nearest the secret winning post Would win. The raqe was eventually won in fine style by a lady in a kimono and boudoir, who struck one at first as if she had mistaken the way to the bathroom. However, as she showed up well in several other events, we conclude that she was perfectly well aware of what she was doing. The time for this event was so much below any known record that we hesitate to publish it, pending an examination of the time-keeper’s (Mr J. Bradbury’s) stop-watch. The winner was E. Simpson, and J. Baku was second. In a stirring speech, worthy of the event which inspired it, the exMayoress (Mrs W. H. Jackson) presented the Solway Cup, a magnificent example of the silversmith’s art, to the winner. The wrestling on horseback was chiefly remarkable as presenting an example of the spirit of sex-antagon-ism which appears to be instinctive in all of us. From a large entry the number was quickly reduced to two couples. One couple, a lady and gentleman fought it out in a style that evoked repeated bursts of applause from the spectators. . Two others also wre®tled in workmanlike style/ neither able to get an advantage, and as the disagreement threatened to last indefinitely, a judicial separation was effected, and the parties were repaired. The lady and her ex-partner quickly went down under the new arrangement, and the remaining pair —G .Lang and T. Eli—divided first and second prizes. All the mounted events attracted large entries, and apart from the comic element, some very fine competitions resulted and a splendid exhibition of horsemanship was witnessed. The Victoria Cross race and the Thread-the-needlq race were particularly good. The baby show was one of the features of the carnival, and Mrs Beetham had a very difficult task put before her when she had to pick the best out of the splendid exhibition of young Wairarapaites who came forward. To a mere man the task of distingjuishing the best where all were good would have appeared hopeless, and he would have eventually retired in despair after recommending that a prize be given to each and all. The following were awarded the prizes Under 12 months: Mrs Fred Harcombe 1, Mrs Wm. Duncan 2; 12 months to 2 years : Mrs Tom Lee 1, Mrs Martin 2. A special prize of £1 was donated by Mrs R. F. R. Beetham to Mrs Ireland’s twin boys. Also a prize of 10s 6d by Mis Dave Caselberg to Mrs Hugh ‘ Douglas’s baby.In the slow motor race, the Ford ir ably demonstrated its right to be known as the slowest car on the market. The tug-of-war, which was eventu--1 ly won by the Martinborough team, provided some very fine contests. One of the sensations of the day was when u'iring a pull between two Maori teams somewhere in the vicinity of 15 stone, the crowd laughing and cheering, surged over the barriers and -urronnded th* teams. Had not one of the teams (despite the efforts of a barracker in a mat and brandishing a ' reel ed umbrella) given in, the whole crowd would eventually have clambered into the enclosure. Thr- above, however, gives but a I poor idea of the prevailing tone of i the carnival. The splendid weather, I the general tone of gaiety and enjoy- I ment in the crowd; comic event a succeeding one another in rapid sueces- I “ion; pig hunts by 7>ovs and little 1 girls, the latter esnceinljy taking th? I proceedings with great seriousness, i " bile the siueale of cornered pigs and i the rmrg of laughter that went round"' the ground as some point was scored by , ■ i .ued or pursuer, made this one of the most '.'tive events /of the Ah this mid ■ a running fire of ommentary from the men behind the ■neai.ing trumpet, made on a day •is! ’'ill not s 1 ■ :: bi? for-’.-ttrn. ■

I Following i® a list of winners in i the various competitions : — 1 .Solway Cup.—E. Simpson 1, J. Baku 2. Victoria Cross Race.—R. Douglas I 1, W. Percy 2. i Challenge Pig-catching Match.— j \\. H. Hall. This proved an easy i Lhing for Hall, as the Tararua porKier appeared to be bored with the whole show. I Slow Motor Race.—Miss Andrews 1. L. G. Swanson 2. 1 Wrestling on Horseback.—G. Lang | and I . Eli (equal). Animal Race.—Miss Wilson (goat) 1. Master Naylor (wallaby) 2. Thread-the-Needle.—R. McKinstry 1, T. Eli 2. Piljow-Fighiting.—L. Hill 1, P. Minifie 2. Cigar and Umbrella Race.—F. Booth 1, A. E. Dickason 2. Flag Race.—T. Scott 1, K. Baird 2. Tiig-of-War. —Mart i nboro ugh. Apple-Bobbing.—R. McKinstry 1, J. Ford 2. Fancy Costume. —G. N. Grantham (Zebra). A remarkable photograph was on sale on the grounds during the afternoon. This was an actual photograph taken by a N.Z. padre of the bayonet charge by the New Zealanders on the German trench at La Signy Farm in 1917. The exposure was given actually at the moment when our men reached the Germans, and is a most realistic photograph of what things really were over there. A company of pipers belonging to the Caledonian Society, in full regalia, made an imposing sight a s they marched out to Solway, and during the afternoon they played several martial airs, to the delight of the many Scots present. The Scottish Society’s Pipe Band also contributed several stirring selections. About 50 Senior Cadets were on the ground, and it wa s expected they would, go through evolutions, but their sole performance was as vigorous and effective hunters of about a dozen young pigs. The total taking have not been ascertained, but they are expected to be most satisfactory. At the entrance gate about £3OO was taken, and the receipts from the side-shows were considerable. The number who paid for admission was 5216, and 1523 people secured seats on the stand. Quite a. number of these, however, were children. SHEEP-GUESSING. Single Pen, live weight.—Pen 1— correct weight 18311)®: J. Caselberg 183 lbs. Pen s Three Sb eep (live weights).— Pen 2—correct weight, 450|lbs: A. C. Gallon (Carterton), 452Jlbs, 1. Pen 3.—Correct weight, 4701b5: F. Dorset (Gladstone), 4631b5~, 1. Pen 4.—Correct weight, 478JJbs: J. Earnshaw (Hope street, Masterton), 4671b5, 1. Pen. 5. —-Correct weight. 4581 be: J. Robson (Masterton), 4571b5, 1. Pen 6.—Correct weight, 4751bs : F. B Pickering (Masterton). 472Jlbs. 1. The receipts were about £l4.