On several occasions feeling ran so high that the police had to intervene, and a number of persons were ejected.
Several vexatious delays occurred, and these had the result of prolonging the meeting to an untimely hour.
A disturbance, which at one stage assumed alarming proportions, arose through a protest by the Enfield team, who alleged that in their contest with the Waterside Workers No. 2, the pistol went four seconds after time, and that at the moment time was up, the team had a slight advantage.
The officials and judges met, and after much heated discussion it was decided to uphold the appeal.
The two teams were then requested to again try conclusions, but the Watersiders refused to do so, maintaining that they had fairly won the contest.
In order to enable the proceedings to continue the officials again met, and this time they reversed their previous decision, and dismissed the protest.
The audience and some of the competitors had in the meantime got completely out of hand.
Members of the two teams concerned harangued the audience turn about, expounding their views on the matter, but owing to the uproar, their remarks were more or less inaudible.
Some of the other competitors also took a hand in the dispute, and at one time a free fight did not seem by any means a remote possibility.
The scene for about half an hour was certainly not an edifying one.
The audience and competitors alike resented the vacillation and lack of unanimity displayed by the officials, and some time elapsed ere order again reigned before and behind the footlights.
Competitors in the single contests were informed during the evening that owing to want of time, the events for which they had entered could not be held.
The entrants objected to this procedure, and we understand that the single pull competitions were held after our reporter left at half-past 11, and concluded about midnight.
• The schooner Houto berthed at Dunedin about noon yesterday, having made port after being blown off the land for a couple of days.
Captain Anderson says he made Taiaroa Heads on Wednesday evening from Oamaru, and lowered all sail during a very severe squall, but before the sails could be made snug the schooner began to drift to leeward, and one anchor and 65 fathoms of chain were payed out.
When morning broke the Houto was eight miles off the land, with her anchor hanging plumb.
After a very strenuous heave the anchor was hauled in, and it was found that one half of the stock had carried away.
All day Thursday the Houto lay to under a close reefed foresail, and that night the weather moderated, but by that time the Houto was 20 miles to the eastward, and, the winds being light, she made slow progress back towards the land.
Captain Anderson states that when he left Whangape three weeks ago for Oamaru the Houto was hove to for five days, and in all his 25 years' experience on the New Zealand coast he has never seen such a succession of gales and high seas as he has during his present trip, but fortunately the vessel only had one sail blown away, and came through the ordeal in splendid style.
She has a half cargo of kauri for Dunedin, and will afterwards return to Kaipara. - ODT, 9.6.1914
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
