JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 88, 31 March 1892, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM WELLINGTON.

(By

Proteus.)

Friday, March 26. The Wellington Athletic Football Club intend paying a visit to Nelson during the Easter holidays to play the Prince Alberts, winners of the senior championship last year. The match is looked forward to with interest, as both Clubs hold the premier position in their respective cities. The Wellington and Poneke Football Clubs are training for their matches with the Christchurch Clubs at Easter. These two Clubs should give a good account of themselves, as they have been reinforced since last season with several prominent players. The Epuni Football Club, resident in the Lower Hutt district, are applying to the Rugby Union to be allowed to enter for the Junior Cup. If their application is granted they will have a big say in this fixture. A plan for the proposed cinder track for the Basin Reserve has been prepared by Messrs. J. Marchbanks and W. J. Davis, the prime movers in this question, and was laid before the Wellington Cricketers’ Association, at a special meeting convened for the purpose and held last Wednesday evening. As there were only eight members present the meeting could not give a decision, but the plan was handed amongst them for inspection. It is proposed the track shall be 18 feet wide and £5O yards around, and is to be bordered by a wire fence to keep the spectators off while a race is being run —the cost of formation to be about £2OO. The well-known Auckland yacht “Mapu” narrowly escaped being smashed to pieces last Wednesday night by drifting on to the Thorndon Reclamation. The cause of the yacht’s drifting was the breaking of the mooring chain. The Mapu’s critical position was observed by Messrs. J. R. Gibbons, J. Coutts and Armstrong, who were in attendance shortly after the yacht went aground, when a line was run out and she was secured. In towing her to a place of safety she ran into Norton’s skids and broke her bowsprit, but beyond this the damage is nil. It was fortunate the occurence was noticed in time, otherwise the yacht in all probability would have gone on to the rocks at Kaiwarra. Last Wednesday evening a meeting of the Municipal Fire Brigade was held to consider what steps should be taken in reference to the decision of the Committee of the Fire Brigades’ Demonstration lately held at Christchurch, and who awarded Naseby the prize in the Hose and Hydrant Flat Race. The Wellington men assert their time was quicker by 2 3-sth secs.; the meeting therefore authorised Capt. Kemsley to take legal proceedings to compel the Fire Brigades’ Demonstration Committee to award Wellington the prizes, which were 15 guineas and five silver medals. The prizes were awarded to the Nasebys last Friday evening at Christchurch. « Mr. W. S. Gilbert’s latest collaborateur is Mr. Geoige Grossmith, “the society clown,” and the original representation of John Washington Wells, the Lord High Chancellor, Koko, and other parts in Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas Mr. Grossmith has just finished the music of a new opera, for which Mr. Gilbert is doing the libretto, and which will be first played at the Prince of Wales’ Theatre.