DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 12, 23 March 1899, Page 27

DUNEDIN

THE CONCERT

With the exception of the banks and Government offices being 1 closed there was little else to show that Friday last was the Irish National Festival. Here and there was to be seen in button hole a green favour, or a sprig of trefoil as a substitute for the shamrock The day was, however, celebrated by a concert and dramatic performance, under the auspices of the Celebration Committee in the Garrison Hall, which attracted a crowded audience. Amon? those present were the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, Rev. Father Coffey Rev Father Murphy, Rev. Father O'Donnell, Rev. Father Ryan Rev Father M'Mullan, ice. The concert opened with an overture' 1 Humours of Donnybrook,' capitally played by an orchestra under Mr. J. Flint, who also, during the interval, contributed selections Mr. P. Carolin's fine voice was heard to advantage in ' The Irish Emigrant,' but the singer bowed his acknowledgments to the demand for an encore. That fine song ' Off to Philadelphia ' was well interpreted by Mr. Holgate, who was warmly applauded. Miss G Bush recited with good enunciation and appropriate action the 1 Ballad of Splendid Silence,' which was duly appreciated Mr Robert Kennedy sang ' The Minstrel Boy ' and as an encore number ' The Harp that Once,' which was done full justice to. Miss Kitty Blaney's vocal abilities are so well known that it is only necessary to remark that she sang ' Kate O'Shane ' to say that it was artistically rendered, whilst her encore item, given with a delightful brogue, was a gem which brought down the house. Miss Lucy Connor has a very nice style, and her singing of ' Come Back to Erin ' was a finished performance. For ' The Ever-green Hope ' Mr J. Jago was emphatically encored, and in response thereto he gave with fine effect that moat popular of convivial ditties ' The Cruiskeen Lhawn.' A brass quartette ' Remembrance,' well played by Messrs W. and A. bmith, F. Trownson and A. Jones, and the admirable part songs ' Let Erin Remember ' and ' Oft in the Stilly Night ' by St. Joseph's Cathedral Choir, under the baton of Mr. W. T. Ward! made up the first part of the programme. ' The second part consisted of a farcical comedy, ' The Irish Attorney, 1 in which the title role was filled by Mr. H.'M'Cormack who gave a very good representation of Patrick O'Hara, a Galway gentleman, who had a better acquaintance with the rules of sports prevailing in those days than with legal technicalities, and whose method of dealing with clients was not in accordance with the customs obtaining in the firm of the English lawyer, Jacob Wylie with whom he had entered into partnership. The shrewd polished lawyer, Jacob Wylie, had a good exponent in Mr. J. Cantwell who showed a keen appreciation of the manners of the legal profession a century ago. Mr. P. Carolin as Hawk and Mr. C. Delany as Saunders, both employees of Wylie. contributed much to the amusement of the audience by their endeavours to carry out the conflicting instructions of the principals. The part of Maldon, a man of wealth, was filled in a conscientious manner by Mr. B. G Stevens and Charlcotte. a sporting gentleman, had a faithful' representative in Mr. F. Heley. Miss Addie Heley acted the part of Ellen Charlcotte with dignity, and made the most of the character. Miss A. Clancy as Rally had not much to do, but what she had she did well' The part of Fielding, the lover of Ellen Charlcotte, was satisfactorily filled by Mr. J. A. Scott. The minor parts were filled by Messrs. L. Pastorelli, E. Freed, N. J. Ryan and J. Hungerford. On the whole the entertainment went well from start to finish and was evidently keenly appreciated by the audience, who were unstinting in their applause. THE SI'OKTS. The St. Patrick's Day Sports, in Dunedin, were held on Saturday last, on the Caledonian Grounds. The weather, despite the prediction of our local prophet, was all that could be desired, just warm enough to make it enjoyable. lVrhaps if the prospect had not been so pood eirly in the day, two or three picnic parties, who went into the country, would not have been so liberally patronised, and the sports would have benefited accordingly. As it was the attendance was large, as to whether it was better than last year, there was a difference of opinion. Anyhow, the committee, who had been working hard for weeks, could not be but highly pleased with the result. The weather was fine, the attendance was good, and the sports wore excellent. Everything passed off most satisfactorily • there was not a hitch in the whole proceedings. Among those present during the day were the Right Rev. Dr. Verdon, Rev Father Murphy, Rev. Father Coffey, Rev Father M'Mullan. Rev Father Ryan, Very Rev. Father O'Neill (Milton), and Rev. Father O'Donnell. The committee, stewards, and the oflioials generally deserve a word of praise for the admirable arrangements, and the punctuality with which the various events were run off. There were no long delays, item succeeded item with clockwork regularity, so that public I interest was sustained up to the very last event, which was got off within a few minutes of the advertised time. St. Patrick's Day, 1 Kitt), is now a thing of the past, but the Irishmen of this city and their friends can congratulate themselves on bringing the celebration to such a successful issue. Where all worked so well, and so harmoniously, it would be invidious to particularise the labours of any individual olfioi.il, still no one will grudge a meed of praise to the energetic becrotary, Mr. H. M-Connauk. The Kaikorai Band enlivened the proceedinga by discoursing sweet music at intervals during the day, a Highland piper and the Industrial School Band assisting. The sports were held under the patronage of his Lordship Bishop Verdon, the clergy of the diouese, and his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin. In the hammer-throwing Skinner broke the Australasian record for 101 b hammer of 141 ft previously held by himself, throwing 142 ft Gin. He also made an attack on the world's record for throwing

121 b hammer, and succeeded in beating it by 2ft, throwing 175 ft. The record was previously held by Carroll, of America, at 173 ft. The final heat of the Hibernian Wheel Race was won by N. Ralston. A. M'Kay annexed the trophy awarded to the competitor who obtained the highest aggregate of points in the three distances of the St. Patrick's Handicap. The following were the officials : Superintendent : Mr. A. Harris. Consul : Mr. A. J. Sullivan. Referee : Mr. 11. B. Courtis. Judges : Hurling— Messrs. J Liston, Molloy, and O'Connor. Wrestling— Mesers. J. Liston and C* F. Greenslade ; Referee : Mr. M. Powley. Running, Walking, Cycling— Rev. Fathers Cleary and Coffey, Messrs. J. M. Gallaway, JS. MoKenzie, M.H.R., and J. Mario w. Umpires . Mebars. R. Crow, W. Begg, W. Hooper, W. Low. Clerks of Course : Messrs. G Magnus, F. Jago, W. Carr, D. Falkner. Timekeepers . Meters. O' Moller, A. Hunter, G. Watts. Lap Scorer : Mr. S. O. Stokes. Press Steward— Mr. A. Munden. Telegraph Stewards— Messrs. J. Kirby J. J. Dunne. Dancing Judges— Messrs. J. Blaney, T. A. Burt. ' Judges of Other Events : Messrs. L. Clancy, J. Laffey, J. Liston. Handicappers : Cycling— Messrs. W. Begg, R. Crow. Running and Walking— Mr. D. Duncan. Amateur Running— Mr. W Low Starter : Mr. A. Cowie. Chairman of Committee : Mr. W. A. Shields. Hon. Treasurer : Mr. P. Carolin. Hon. Secretary : Mr. 11. McCormack. Appended are the results, unavoidably condensed :—: — Youths' Handicap Flat Race (under 16), 220 yards. Trophies : £1 10s, and 5s. — C. Morrison 1, C. Perriman 2, W. Skene 3. ' Handicap Flat Race, 100 yards (for Catholic School boys under 1G years only). Trophies, valued at ir>s and r>s. — S. Clancy 1, Gaffev 2. Putting the lClb Ball. First prize, £2; second, £I.— A. Skinner, 39ft, 1 ; W. Casey, :37ft, 2. Highland Fling (in costume). Pnze3 : £2 and £1. — It. McKechnie 1, D. M'Donald 2, J. M'Kechnie 3. Throwing 161 b Hammer (open). Piizes : £2 and £1. — A. Skinner, 142 ft Gin, I : M'Fadyen, 100 ft, 2. Half-mile Bicycle Handicap. Prizes : £2 and £I.— Final heat : T. Lawson, 35yds, 1 ; F. C. Caulton, 20yds, 2 ; A. B. Alloo, 30yds, 3. Lawson won by a couple of lengths. Time, Imin (5 l-ssec. St. Patrick's Handicap, of threee distances— 100 yds, 220 yds, and 440 yds. First and second in each event to receive £3 and £1 respectively. Winner of highest aggregate points to receive a trophy value £5 ss.— looyds.— Final heat : S. V. White, S^yds, 1 ; A. M'Kay 6yds, 2;J. W. Green, scratch, 3. All qualified started. Won by about ISinches. Time, 10 2-ssec. Second distance, 220 yds.— Final heat : A. M'Kay, 15yds. 1 ; J. Wilkins, 17yds, 2 ; N. M'Leod 14yds 3 All qualified started. Won by a yard. Time, 22 2-ssec. Third distance, 440 yds. —A. Bennett, 215 yds, 1; D. M'Laren. 18yds, 2 ; N. M'Leod, lSyds, 3. Won by two yards, there being about a foot between second and third. Time, 51 3-ssec. 2°oyds Amateur Race. Trophies, value C 2 and Cl — J. W. \ Price, 6yds, 1 ; P. Mills, 10yds. 2 ; C. 11. Minims, 2yds. 3. Won by ; about a couple of feet. Time. 23soc. j Hibernian Wheel Race Handicap. Two miles. Prizes : L2O, £5 C 2 and C 1 .—First heat : 11.I 1 . Ralston, 50yde, 1 'W. Turner, 13(iyds, E Crawford, '10yds, 3: T. Maw, 130 yds, 1 Turner led till after the straight was reached in the last lap. Ralston then went to the tront, and won by a wheel. Time, smin I l-5--ec. Second hoat : E. E. Booth, '.10yds, 1 : F. C. Davie, 180 yds, 2 ; N. lUMon, :*>y»K, 3 . W Foster 150 yds. 1. Booth won by a length. Timr\srain<s l-5-,ec. Final heat . Ts T . Rilston, 2<>yds. 1 ; E. E. Booth, '.»oyd-, 2 ; T Maw. 130 yds, 3. K. Crawford, '.loydb, I. Ralston won by about throf lengths ; there being very little difference between second and third. Time smin 1 3sec. Irish Jig. Prizes C 2 and tl .— R. M'Kechnie 1 . J. A\ aUi 2, IX M'Donald 3. One-mile Amateur Bicycle Race. Irophies. value 12 and U.— W. J. Pearse. 185 yds. 1 ; W. J. Gibson, 25yds, 2 : A. It. Grierson, scr 3 Won easily by about 70yds. Time, 2min 11) 3-ssec. '' One-mile Handicap Walk (open). Prizes: £3, C 2, and tl.— A. Crichton, ber., 1 ; W. Craik, 15yds, 2 ; G. Brown, 7<>yds, 3. Time, Omin 4<>sec. , , .... Wrestling, Cumberland style. Prizes: £.>, £2, and U.—\V. Scott 1 • T Ho^g, 2 ; A. Skinner. 3. Irish style, collar and elbow. Prizes • C 7. # £2, and £l.— W. Scott, 1 ; M'Fadyen, 2: A. Skinner, 3. Obstacle Race. Prizes : £2, £1, and 10s.— N. M'Dtnald, 15yds, 1 • W. Uey, :30yds, 2 ; J. M'Neill, 20yds, 3. ' Three-mile Scratch Bicycle Race. Prizes: £5, £2, and £I.— N. Ralston, 1;A. B. Bell. 2 ; P. Ralston, 3. N. Rabton went to the front near the winning-post, and won by nearly a length. Time, 7min 5 1 2-ssec.

Half-mile Amateur Flat Race. Trophies, value £2 and £l.«w W. Martin, 40yds, 1 ; W. Lockhead, 2oyds, 2 ; W. Morrison, 10yds, 3 Won by a couple of yards. Time, 2min saec. One and a-balf Miles Ladies' Bracelet Bicycle Raoe. Frizes : £4, £2, £I.— Final : G. Cox, 70yds, 1 ; T. Lawson, 100 yds, 2 ; B Crawford, 6f>yds, 3. Cox led all the way and won by about % yard Time, 4min 9sec. )► One-mile Bicycle Handicap (open). Prizes : £3, £2, and £I.— Final heat : E. Booth, 45yds, 1 ; J. Hanley, 25yds, 2; W. Foster, 75yds. 3. Booth assumed the lead in the straight, and won by 10yds. Time, 2min 37sec. Hurling Match. — Teams to consist of not over 15 men each* Pme, £5 os. After a keenly contested game, which was watched with great interest by a large number of spectators, the Milton team, who played with excellent combination, won by 2 goals to 1 for Dunedin.