H. A. C. B. SOCIETY'S FETE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 14, 2 January 1891, Page 7

H. A. C. B. SOCIETY'S FETE.

-♦- The annual ffte of the H.A.C.B. Society, St. Joseph's Branch Dunedin, took the shape this year of a pic-nic and sports, and was held on Boxing day, in the gardens of the Friindly Societies, at Sawyer's Bay, near Port Chalmers. The place is a very pretty one ; the grounds well situated, nicely planted and sheltered, among scenery which on every Bide affords a charming view. There was a very large attendance, and the visitors seemed throughout the day thoroughly to enjoy themselves. The weather, with the exception of a shower, which fell in the forenoon, and whose effects were soon dried off, was fine and warm, so that those of the guests who were more advanced in age had no fears us to the consequences of sitting to look on at the fun. As to the younger folk present, there did not seem to be mu?h thought of sitting still among 'hem. Not to speak of the sports properly so-called, which however, were carried out with immense success, swings, skipping-rope*, and games of all sorts were kept going. There was also an excellent brass band, theKaikorai Band in attendance, whose performance added much to the pleasures of the day. Among the visitors were the Most Rev. Dr. Morao, and the Rev. Fathers Lynch, Adm., O'Donnell (.Port Chalmers), Golden, and O'Neill The rev. gentlemen, indeed, did much to promote the amusement of those present. Father Lynch acted as one of the judges, and Father Golden proved a host in himself where the school cbiMran were concerned. The Rev. Brothers Murray, Hughes, Magee, O'Hare, and Moore, were also on the ground, and also engaged in doing their best, with happy results, to make the time pass pleasantly by. To tbis also the efforts of the officers and members of the Society very efficiently contributed. The events on the programme of sportu were spiritedly contestpd and caused much interest. The hurling matches, of which there were two— one for boys and one for men, the Hibernian Society, captained by Mr. O'Driscoll, against tbe Dunedin Irish Riflus, captained by Mr. Clancy — being especially exciting and each proving a Bbarp and protracted struggle. The Society are to be congratulated on the success that has crowned their undertaking, and, no doubt, tbe results obtained this year will be nmembered so as to ensure for their next year's fite a still greater measure of success. Tbe fact, moreover, that the day served as a holiday and festival for the children attending the Catholic schools, of whom but few could have been absent, makes the event still more a matter for congratulation. The following is the programme as it was carried out : —

200 yds Handicap Bace, boys under 16. First prize ham, second trophy, third trophy — Flanagan 1, Booth 2, Irvine 3. There were 14 entries.

Race for Girls (under 12), 220 yds. First prize a pair of boots, second trophy — Miss O'Keefe 1, Miss Power 2, Miss Carter 3. There were 20 entries.

Sack Race for Boys under 16. Distance, 220 yds. First prize bag of sugar, second trophy, third trophy — Keyes 1, Mitchell 2, Molloy 3. There were eight entries.

220 yds Handicap Race, for members of the Hibernian Society. First price box of tea, second meer chaum pipe — WCarr 1, T Curtain 2, C Rodgers 3. There were eight entries. Handicap Walking Match. One Mile. First prize los — Alexander. There were 10 entries.

Boya' Wrestling Match (Cumberland Btyle).— First prize 7a 6d— Stevenson. There were nine entries.

Married Women's Race (220 yds). First prize half-ton of coal, second tin of eeffee— Mrs Walsh 1, Mrs Granam 2.

Three-legged Race, for youths under 10. Distance, 220ydn, First prite s<j, second 3s— lrvine and Gibb 1, M and T Butler 2, Tracey t»nd M-K*y 3. There were nine entries.

Race for Unmarried Ladies (220 yds). First prize silk umbrella — Mips S. Watt. There were 13 entries.

440 yds Race. First piize halt-ton of coals, second bag of sugar — Lloyd 1, Nyhon and Stevenson 2. There were five eutries.

Girls' Race (under 16), 220 yds. First pnzd irophy, second trophy — Misa E Iracey 1, Miss Drumm 2, Miss A Power 3. Grand Hurling Mateh — Hibernian Society 1, Dunedin Irish Rifles 2.