Regatta goes swimmingly

The annual regatta of the Ravensbourne Boating Club was held on Saturday afternoon in excellent weather, but the wind dropped rather too much as the afternoon wore on. The regatta, as in previous years, proved a popular attraction, and there must have been over 2000 residents and visitors present. The harbour suburb was looking very pretty, with its green hills and clumps of shrubs bathed in the sunshine, and no one was more pleased than the residents, who are naturally very proud of their seaside village, that the beauties of the landscape and the seascape were being seen at their best. A large number of the ex-boys of the village were present to renew acquaintance with the scenes of their boyhood and with old friends. Altogether the regatta for 1924 may be marked down as one of the most successful ever held. The various events were started well on time, and the regatta concluded about 6 o’clock. The programme contained many interesting features, the entries were large, and the competition always keen. The Ravensbourne club is to be commended for the prominence it gives to swimming events, especially for boys, and there are not many lads resident in the district who cannot swim, even if dog paddling.

Professional athletics back

After a lapse of many years, Saturday last saw the revival of professional sports meetings in Dunedin. The gathering, which was promoted by the Otago Athletic and Cycling club, was held on the Caledonian Ground. The weather was ideal, with the exception that a strong wind made matters rather unpleasant at times. The programme, which comprised between 40 and 50 events, included running, cycling, wrestling and dancing. A number of well-known performers took part in the meeting, including P. O’Shea, the champion cyclist, and W.F. Trembath, whose achievements as a runner stamped him as one of the best in the dominion many years ago. The management was in capable hands, a prompt start being made, and the events being got off without loss of time, with the result that the programme was finished at a reasonable hour. Some very keen contests were witnessed during the afternoon, and most of the finishes were sufficiently close to keep the spectators keenly interested in the proceedings.

Only one mishap occurred during the day: in the final of the two-mile cycle handicap Goodall fell as the result of striking a loose piece on the track, and Mackie and G. Hoffman also came down. None of the riders, however, was seriously hurt.

Exit mademoiselle

Miss Gertrude Elliott and her company concluded a very successful season in Dunedin on Saturday night, when the final presentation of "Enter Madame" was given in His Majesty’s Theatre. The popularity of the company may be gauged from the fact that there was not a vacant seat in the theatre. The performance was followed with the keenest interest. At the conclusion 

Miss Elliott had to respond to a prolonged outburst of applause following the presentation of a handsome bouquet. In the course of a short speech Miss Elliott referred in appreciative terms to the manner in which the performances had been received, and expressed gratitude at the fact that the efforts of the company had been so successful. She said she had had a delightful stay in New Zealand, where she had been very kindly treated, and she hoped to pay a return visit. — ODT, 25.2.1924