Held at Christchurch, Easter, 1902.

he great Easter Tournament has come and gone. The hard work and the anxiety are almost forgotten in the pleasing recollection of the result. That the record may be complete, and the memory kept green, it is proposed to state briefly the history of the movement, the object its promoters had in mind, and the success of the first meeting.

Historical.

In the year 1900 the Victoria College Students' Association received a letter from Canterbury College suggesting that the University Colleges of New Zealand should meet at Christchurch in the Easter of 1901, and hold a Tournament which should include Athletic, Tennis and Debating matches. Although the idea was considered an excellent one, there did not seem to be much enthusiasm on the part of our Association, and Otago and Auckland must have suffered in the same way, for the suggestion of Canterbury College was allowed to drop.

On the 9th August, 1901, the Canterbury College Amateur Athletic club renewed the invitation, and this time all the Colleges were in earnest. Immediately the invitation was accepted, a Training Committee was set up at Victoria College to keep the fire burning during the long vacation. The details were left to the Secretary and a Training Committee, and after a great deal of correspondence the programme, trophies, standards, etc., were decided upon.

Objects.

It will not be out of place here to state the objects which were kept in view by those who managed the first Tournament. To begin with the unit, they desired to infuse new life into the individual Colleges; to encourage that feeling of esprit de corps, which must come when the members of any institution stand shoulder to shoulder for a common purpose. It was hoped, and the hope has been justified, that the purpose was large and good enough to unite a strong party in each College. In the secoud place, they wished to create what might be called a "University Life." The students of the different centres had hitherto known practically nothing of one another. Now, it was proposed to bring them together; to get them to know one another, and, as children of the one Alma Mater, to meet in friendly rivalry—man to man. By bringing the students throughout New Zealand into touch, it was hoped to expel from the University the spirit of narrow provinicialism so rife in other spheres.

There is another aspect of the Tournament on which stress might well be laid, and one which will be handed down as a tradition to all future University generations. The promoters of the First Tournament had at heart the interests of pure amateur sport. The spirit of professionalism has done much to ruin all departments of sport. School and college sport in New Zealand is yet free from it, and every effort was made to keep University sport clean.

Looked at broadly, then, it may be said that the students of the University have begun to resent the idea that the Colleges are mere cramming machines, and are determined to use the medium of healthy athleticism to develop the social, and, with it, the intellectual side of University life.

Honour to Whom Honour is Due.

There can be no doubt that the meeting at Christchurch in Easter, 1902, marks an epoch in the history of the New Zealand University, and althongh it is hard to apportion praise where all worked so well, there are several names which seem to call for special mention. The work done by Mr. F. T. M. Kissel, Secretary of the Canterbury College Sports' Committee, was the most onerous, and to him a great deal of the credit is due. Mr. F. C. Long, Secretary of the Auckland University College Students' Association, and Mr. W. M. Thomson, Secretary of the Otago University Students' Association, were most energetic in their efforts, while the enthusiasm and attention to detail shown by Mr. G. F. Dixon, of our own College, will long be remembered by those who worked with him for the cause he made his own.

Victoria College Teams.

The Tennis Team was supplied by the Secretary of the Tennis Club from the Challenge "Ladder," and consisted of Miss Van Staveren, Mrs. C. V. Longton, Misses M. C. Ross, F. G. Roberts, E. F. Wedde, A. W. Griffiths, Messrs. F. P. Wilson, R. St. J. Beere, H. P. Richmond, J. Graham, F. A. de la Mare and A. J. Will. J. Burns, who was Champion of the Club for several seasons, was through an accident prevented from going to Christchurch, and H. Buddle was also unable to go.

The team for the Debating Contest was elected by ballot' and consisted of H. P. Richmond and J. Graham, with S. W. Fitzherbert and F. A. de la Mare emergencies.

The Trip.

On Thursday, 27th March, the Auckland College Team were met at the Manawatu Railway Station, and both teams embarked on the s.s. "Waikare." It was beautifully calm, and a night which augured pleasant days in store. On the upper deck, under the clear bright stars, song and story sent time speeding, and the ship was far across the Straits before we went below. In the morning we looked out on a calm and sunlit sea, and were soon on deck making a better acquaintance with our Auckland friends. A quoits match took place between Auckland College and Victoria College, and it was one of the closest finishes of the trip. Six on each side competed—six shots each—and the excitement was intense when the score stood at 6 all, and only one more ring, a Victoria College one, to be thrown

The last quoit, defying all laws of probability went on, and our College was proclaimed victorious amidst deafening cheers. It took rather less than no time to get to Lyttelton, where we were welcomed by representatives of Canterbury college; and, after the usual delay over luggage, we arrived in Christchurch, and sought the homes which the hospitality of the College had had opened to us.

At 10 o'clock next morning the four teams met at the Cranmer Tennis Courts. It was warm, but the dull grey clouds kept the glare of the sun from the players' eyes, so that the conditions were perfect for good tennis. Wilding, the Champion of Canterbury, gave a fine exhibition, and on the following Tuestday carried away the University Championship with ease. Victoria College had the honour of being more strongly represented by ladies than any other college. Mrs. Longton carried off the Ladies Championship, while Mrs. Longton and Miss Van Staveren together won the Ladies Championship Doubles. On Saturday night the Debating Contest was held, and resulted in a number of speeches of very even merit. Otago University gained a well deserved win, which it commemorated with a true Maori haka. Monday was a perfect sports day, and Lancaster Park was in good order. The races were run off to time, and in every event there was keen competition. The times were good throughout, and in one instance the standard was broken, and in another was equalled. The record of 2 min. 3 1-5 sec, set by A. s. Henderson in the 880 Yds. Championship was the result of a very fine race, beautifully judged. The standard equalled by W. H. Moyes, of Canterbury College, 10 3-5 sec, for the 100 Yds, was the outcome of a splendid race.

The Ball.

It is not necessary to say much about the ball on Monday night after the sports. Those who were there will appreciate it, and those who were not, won't. the magnificent hall at Canterbury College was filled with youth and beauty, and the fleeting hours were all too quickly gone.

Meeting of Delegates.

A hurried meeting of delegates was held on Tuesday evening, at which various matters were discussed concerning the management of future tournaments. It was decided to hold the next tournament at Auckland. It was also decided to purchase a challenge shield for athletics, a challenge cup for tennis and a scroll shield for debating. Other important business such as the reconstruction of the rules for debate and regulations concerning the eligibility of students to compete were left to be settled by correspondence.