Held at Wellington, Easter, 1905.

The Tournament of 1905, to which Victoria College had been looking forward with so much anxiety for many months, is over. With it the first cycle is complete; the venture inaugurated in Christchurch in 1902 has passed from its experimental stage and been "launched"—to borrow an American mixture—"down the ringing corridors of time." Success, in fact, has followed the flag—and it was the recollection of good weather and the good management provided by the other centres which gave such a nervously pathetic and agitated appearance to the Victoria College students who gathered at the Manawatu Station on Good Friday night to welcome the Auckland representatives and drive them to their homes through the pelting rain. The southern students, who had arrived by the "Mararoa" in the sunshine of the morning, were, we doubt not, thinking things about the climate of the City of Wellington. Saturday dawned cold, gloomy and windy, but without rain and clearing steadily. It only remained for the Mayor, with sturdy optimism, to declare that Wellington would rise to the occasion and the thing was done. The Fates were defeated and Jupiter smiled.

The Mayoral Reception.

Shortly after nine o'clock on Saturday morning a large number of students and citizens met at the Town Hall and his Worship the Mayor, Mr J. G. W. Aitken, in a kindly speech, welcomed the University representatives to the City of Wellington. He considered that such meetings were doing good work for the human species because isolation narrowed the human mind and did not make for broad culture and progress. The University sports were free from the gambling taint and he looked forward to the time when students from Australia and even from Europe would lend a yet wider interest to the gatherings.

Sir Robert Stout, as Chancellor, welcomed the students on behalf of the University and spoke of aims and ideals of the institution and especially of that esprit de corps and "University feeling" which these meetings did so much to promote.

Professor Blunt, of Canterbury College, returned thanks in a short but happy speech in which he struck the key-note of the reception—the closer union of the Civic and the University authority.

When G. F. Dixon had returned thanks on behalf of the Students' Association, a photograph was taken and the Meeting adjourned to the Wellington Tennis Club's Courts in Palmer Street.

Under the happy auspices of a clearing sky and a mayoral blessing was the Tournament of 1905 begun.

Victoria College Teams.

The teams which represented Victoria College this year again contained much material which had been tried (and found wanting) on previous occasions, animated by the same firm resolve—to do or die or come again next year!

The following are the names of the representatives in the different events:

Note.—The names of J. A. Brailsford and P. W. Robertson who represented Victoria College in the Men's Doubles at Dunedin in 1904 were inadvertently omitted from Vol. III, No. 1, page 13.

The Debating Society elected A. H. Johnstone and A. G. Quartley for the Debate, but they were unable to undertake the work owing to their departure from Wellington. One of the two reserves, Gleeson, was also away, and the other was H. H. Ostler. Ostler was to be away from Wellington till Easter Thursday—but Tudhope, the Secretary of the Debating Society, was on the war-path.

Tennis.

It was ten o'clock on Saturday morning before the struggle began; the struggle which resulted in the first victory of Victoria College in these contests. It was our ladies who did it, for it was the Ladies' Singles and Doubles with the Combined Doubles which gave us the three events necessary to win the Cup. Miss Batham and Miss Van Staveren were easily the best ladies in the competition and it is very much to be regretted that circumstances did not allow them to play off the final round of the Ladies' Singles. The Men's Championship Singles fell to H. Bundle of Otago University. There were many close sets in this event and the games between O. Prouse (V.C.) and R. G. Sellar [C.C. 1-6, 6-3, 6-4], F. P. Wilson (V.C.) and L. T. Pickmere (A.U.C.) [6-5, 5-6, 6-5] were especially interesting. Bundle won his way to the final by safe and consistent tennis, winning the final from F. P. Wilson by (6-1, 6-4). The result of the Men's Doubles Championship was in doubt right to the end. The semi-final round gave two surprises, for G. P. Anderson and R. G. Sellar (C.C.) beat R. St. J. Beere and F. P. Wilson (V.C.) and F. A. de la Mare and O. Prouse (V.C.) beat H. Bundle and A. Friedlander (O.U.). Both matches were severe struggles and all the players wore in a state of physical collapse. The final was won by Anderson and Sellar by 6-4, 8-6. Two Victoria College pairs met in the final of the Combined Championship and Beere and Miss Batham won the last set from Wilson and Miss Van Staveren.

The Victoria College Tennis Club is to be congratulated on having representatives in the finals of each event and on having won three out of five championships.

The following table shows the result:

Victoria College thus won the Tennis Cup with three wins.

Athletics.

Although Easter Monday was clear the conditions did not promise records in the running events. A strong northerly wind blew throughout the day and the stretches which had to be run against it were very exhausting. Although the authorities were very obliging the track prepared was very rough, and unless the City Council is prepared to do more for the running course, sports on the Basin Reserve must soon be a thing of the past. Although the wind had done much to dry the track the ground was still heavy and dead.

Whilst the times were necessarily slow the contests were good and the competition keen. T. E. Y. Seddon (V.C.) and W. H. Moyes (C.C.) had a fine struggle for the 100 yards. At half-way they appeared level. Twenty-five yards from home Seddon was leading by about a yard and appeared to be winning. Just on the tape, however, Moyes made a great effort and the race was declared a dead heat. In the 880 yards race J. Davie (O.U.) avenged his defeat of last year and won the race with ease. Moyes again won the 220 yards and for the fourth time in succession captured the quarter mile. In the former event Seddon, who ran third, was put back 2 yards for breaking. The Mile Flat went to Victoria College, de la Mare leading all the way and winning by 10 yards. W. J. O'Kane (O.U.) annexed the 120 hurdles for the third time and ran away with the 440 yards hurdle event. J. Davie (O.U.) won the Weight Putting and established a record in the Hammer Throwing, beating G. P. Anderson's throw of last year by half an-inch. Two Canterbury men, Holderness and McKean, fought a hard finish in the Mile Walk. W. Oliphant (A.U.C.) broke the High Jump record by clearing 5ft. 4½ ins., and Gilray (O.U.), won the Long Jump with 20ft. 7in., 4 inches short of Buck's record. Thus in the Championship events Otago scored 6 firsts, 5 seconds and one third; Canterbury 3½ firsts, 6 seconds and 5 thirds; Victoria College 1½ firsts and 5 thirds; Auckland University College 1 first and 1 third. The interest in the result was sustained right to the finish and it was only the 440 yards Hurdle Race which decided the day and gave to Otago University page 16 the honour of wresting the coveted shield from Canterbury College, whose teams had held it continuously since the inception of the Tournament. The Ladies' Cup awarded to the competitor scoring the greatest number of points, was won by J. Davie with 21 points. Canterbury College won the Relay Race for the fourth time in succession and was also successful in the Tug-of-War.

[The Official Results are given on Page 19.]

The Debating Contest.

Judges—Hon. Sir Robert Stout, K.C.M.G., C.J., Rev. T. H. Sprott, M.A. and Mr J. W. Joynt, M.A.

The subject chosen for debate this year was the light and airy proposition "That Mr Chamberlain's Fiscal Proposals are fraught with Danger to the British Empire." Auckland University College was drawn to take the affirmative against Victoria College whilst Otago University had to take the negative in opposition to Canterbury College. S. Mays led the way for Auckland and although his attack lacked fire at first he warmed up considerably towards the end. G. Toogood was just the same "old George." He did not exactly demolish Mr Mays, but he got well on to "those vampires" who are preying on British trade. L. T. Pickmere, who followed, had the great advantage of arguing from conviction—and it soon became clear that he knew what he was speaking about. His delivery, however, was too monotonous and his fluent speech was too much wanting in verve to allowhim to appeal strongly to the public. H. H. Ostler who was not arguing from conviction, made a good speech. He walked with confidence amidst a maze of figures which he forced on his audience by means of scrolls—written in his own handwriting. The audience did not take the figures too seriously and the "roughs" at the back of the Hall, who knew the speaker's views, palpably gurgled at the thought of "the vultures" who were tearing the vitals of Britain's commerce.

A. S. Taylor broke the ice for Canterbury College. He was fluent and forcible if somewhat mechanical, and showed true human sympathy by stating the case from the point of view of page 17 the "submerged" classes of Great Britain and the teeming millions of India. J. B. Callan made up what he lacked in volume of sound by velocity of utterance—and it was with difficulty that the flow could be cut off. He showed skill in the manipulation of similes and was withal solid in thought and finished in expression. A. B. Chappell, the champion of two former years was well up to his old form. He had a grasp of his subject matter and a skill in turning his points which was almost too didactic in style to get hold of his audience. L. T. Burnard who followed him was much more natural. His sunny smile and bright wit went straight to the hearts of the people, whilst his intelligent grasp of his subject and ready adaptation of the opposing arguments must have put him well in favour with the judges.

Sir Robert Stout announced that the debate had been won by Otago and hearty cheers for the victors ended the proceedings.

The Dance.

The Sydney Street Schoolroom was the scene of this year's University Dance. Some of the results were observable on the Tennis Courts next day when the players who had won their way to the final and semi-final rounds had to play, some of them, from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. The hall was crowded and the decorations, which had been arranged by B. C. Smith, looked very pretty. During the evening Sir Robert Stout presented the Athletic Shield which had been earned so well by the Otago team that day.

The Harbour Excursion.

On Tuesday afternoon a large party went to Day's Bay by the "Duchess" and Victoria College proceeded tc pay off old scores and, so to speak, slay the Amalekites. This was effectually accomplished by a football match, two hockey matches, and various hampers of light refreshment provided by Mr J. Godber, Victoria College winning in each encounter. The football ground was very hard and so were the remarks of those who had to wait for the second round of Mr Godber's cakes—remarks shouted in unison from the gallery.

Hunger being in some measure appeased a very enjoyable concert was held, to which items were contributed by members of all the teams. The Master-of-Ceremonies was assisted by a small but athletic committee which decided on the next performer and heaved him on to the platform. Such a committee was not to be gainsaid and it did its work with so much judgment and skill that the fun was fast without being uproarious. At 9 o'clock the "Countess" left for town and the holiday was over.

The Meeting of Delegates.

While the "Countess" was making her way across the harbour the delegates began a meeting which ended in—a pie-shop. The "still-vex'd" question of eligibility was discussed but no change was instituted. An important alteration was made, however, in the Tennis Rules, The number of entries for the Tennis Championships, which had been fixed at two from each College for each event after the 1905 Tournament, was amended so that in the Ladies' Singles and Doubles three entries should be allowed. The idea was that the Tennis programme should be curtailed owing to the shortness of time for the events and the strain placed on those who are left in three events on the last day. It was pointed out, however, that as Tennis gives the one chance of representation to the ladies it would be unwise to further limit the number—especially as ladies' matches might be arranged on Easter Monday morning.

The Parting.

The Auckland team was cheered away by the Manawatu train on Wednesday morning, and the scene at the "Mararoa" in the evening was one of wild, hilarious uproar. Behind the shouting and the cheering was the firm friendship of comrades-in-arms, proved many times in five hard days, and the knowledge that these were "jolly good fellows" every one.

Official Results

Athletic Championships (Easter Monday).