Anything and Everything.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 61, 24 September 1891, Page 1

Anything and Everything.

NOTICE TO HORSE-BATHERS. BEWARE OF THE TELESCOPE! Slow

Talk about miracles! Aucklanders may well lay .claim to be specially favoured. On Saturday last the horse which Mrs. Aldis, with her own eyes and through her pet telescope, saw barbarously consigned to a watery grave, actually ran in the Hurdle Race at Ellerslie. Had he jumped the obstacles as readily as Mrs. Aldis jumps at her conclusions he would have easily distanced the field! His name is “ Cynical,” . which is temptingly suggestive, and Mr. George Wright, his trainer, merely indulged his charge with a swim in the briny. But . according to Mrs. Aldis the horse sank to rise no more. It was really a pity to waste so much fine writing, and to elaborate such harrowing details in describing a “ mare’s nest.” We. think that marvellous horse deserves a new name, especially after such a baptism by immersion. How would Lazarus do ? or perhaps “ Resurgam ! ” or Mrs. Aldis’ “ Stiff ’Un ! ” by “ Lorgnette ” out of the “ Briny Deep.” Recently the Mitylene incident was distorted by clever, operators on the Stock Exchange, and shares were in consequence “beared” to an alarming extent. But we have not heard that Cynical’s price in the betting market was seriously affected by the somewhat premature obituary notice bestowed upon him by an imaginative lady, whose palinode was so vague and grudging a withdrawal of censure as severe as it was groundless, that, in justice to Mr. Wright, we think it only fair to set out the plain facts of the case. A board should certainly be erected at Kohimaramara beach with the legend: “Notice to Horse-bathers. Beware of the Telescope! ” Our special artist has designed one for the purpose.

In our Special’s account of the Taranaki football match he says : “ E. Bayly had a pot shot >at goal just after the start, but a poster was the only result.” Jervis, on behalf of Auckland, made the only dangerous pot during the first spell, and doubtless our correspondent alluded to his effort, but by mistake substituted E. Bayly’s name.

On Friday evening the annual meeting of the Gordon Cricket Club was held at the Central Hotel. Mr. B. J. Esam, President of the Club,

presided, and some twenty-five members were present. Mr. H. B. Lusk, hon. sec., read the annual report, which was in every respect a most satisfactory one. Both Senior and Junior Cups were won by the Club, and the financial statement showed a substantial credit balance. The President and Vice-President were unanimously re-elected, and the name of Mr. Giblin, an old patron of the Club, who has recently returned to Auckland, was added to the list of vice-presidents. The subscription for members of the second eleven was reduced to £1 Is., and that for new members, during their first year after leaving school, was also reduced to half-a-guinea. We think that the Club shows liberality and sound judgment in those concessions, and doubtless an increase in numbers will more than compensate for the reduced subscription. Messrs. J. H. Fowke, H. B. Lusk, and N. Williams were respectively reelected as Captain, Secretary and Treasurer, and the two former appointed as the Club’s delegates to the Cricket Association. Messrs. Fowke, W. E. Outhwaite and N. Williams were chosen as the Selection Committee for the year. Mr. Esam then presented the prizes awarded for last season as follows: — First Eleven : Mr. Bourne’s prize for best batting, won by T. A. Moresby with the splendid average of 65.3 for ten innings ; Mr. Esam’s prize for best bowling, won by Norman Williams, who bowled 350 balls for 4.7 runs per wicket. Second Eleven: Mr. Kemp’s prize for best batting, won by T. D. Ball with the good average of 23.3; Mr. Brabazon’s prize for most catches, won by C. Kissling; and the Club’s prize for best bowling, won by W. T. Kenderdine, who took 55 wickets at an average cost of 5.7. The Club has suffered serious losses by the removal to other parts of the Colony of Messrs. Moresby, Ryburn, and D. Meldrum, but it is possible that the last named gentleman may return to Auckland in time to take his place in the team.

The committee of the Takapuna Jockey Club held a meeting on the 16th inst., when the following officers for the ensuing season were elected : — President, E. Mitchelson, Esq., M.H.R. ; vice-presidents, M. Niccol, Esq., and Jackson Palmer, Esq., M.H.R.; stewards, Messrs. E. W Alison, F. Wells, J. Mays, A. Alison, W. H. Fenton, W. Adams; judge, Mr. W. H. Fenton; clerk of course, Mr. Fred. Wells; clerk of scales, Mr. F. Marks; starter, Mr. J. Wattie; handicapper, Mr. W. Knight; treasurer, Mr. E. W. Alison; secretary, Mr. R. Wynyard. The following dates were fixed upon for the Club’s meetings during the season : — Spring, November 28 ; Summer, (three days), January 29, 30, and February 6 ; Winter, May 24. The question of holding an Autumn Steeplechase meeting was deferred, pending information on the subject from the Metropolitan Club.

The following are winning payments in connection with the Auckland Racing Club First Spring Meeting:—Mr. J. Forth, £95; Mr. Fitzgerald, £BO 15s; Mr. T. Morrin, £6l 15; Mr. J. Rae, £57 ; Mr. W. Turner, £47 10s ; Mr. J. McNicol, £42 15 , Mr. W. Paul, £3B ; Mr. W. Bobbett, £l9 ; Mr. W. McMina&in, £l4 ss; Messrs. Blaikie and Brimblecombe, £l4 5s ; Mr. Lupton, £9 10s ; Mr. A. Austin, £9 10s ; Mr. Maitland, £9 10s ; total, £498 15s.