politan Sport.

Suva’s Varied and Cosmo politan Sport.

From Our Own Correspondent.

SUVA, July 7.

AS the clock strikes 1 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, the population of Suva heaves a sigh of relief, and looks forward to a little serious sport over the week-end as a compensation for the toil of the week.

The amenities of life in Suva are such that almost every branch of sport receives its due measure of attention. The common meeting ground is Albert Park, situated within a mile

of the Post Office, which presents to the visitor a wonderful expanse of green level turf.

During the cool season, the park is thronged with devotees of football, and there are no less than three football grounds side by side.

On one of these, European teams contend, whilst on the other two are to be seen the juniors and the Fijian teams. Rugby is the favourite, and the game is fast and strenuous. Our visitors often express amazement at the won derful kicking of the Fijian, who always plays barefooted.

Another portion of Albert Park are the grounds of the Suva Tennis Club, which has six excellent tennis courts. In addition, there are two hockey grounds, and particular keenness is shown by the Suva Ladies’ Hockey Association.

In summer, Albert Park is allotted to the Suva Cricket Club, and there is ample space for three cricket grounds. Albert Park, in fact, owes its origin to some kindly citizen who gave originally rough fields to the Suva Cricket Club, and to them belongs in large measure the credit for the wonderful playing ground, which Suva now possesses. It was on Albert Park that the Southern Cross landed on her memorable flight, in 1929, from San Francisco to Sydney.

In addition to the activities under the aus pices of the Suva Municipal Council on Albert Park, Suva boasts a golf course, which is de finitely strenuous. She has three bowling greens, on which, each year, the Pacific Bowling Carnival is held.

Then there are rifle clubs for both men and women, the latter being particularly keen, and turning out to practice with their miniature rifles regularly every Sunday morning. A little band of enthusiasts run a clay pigeon club, whose guiding spirit is Mr. P. J. Turner, who got 26 successive first barrel kills a few weeks ago.

Another small band of enthusiasts meet and play polo every Sunday, when the tide permits, on a stretch of beach towards Suva Point.

Usually, the ships of the Royal Navy, which visit Suva, are able to put up a team, and the Suva Polo Club looks forward to an annual match. In case this should give the idea of wealthy enthusiasts with their strings of polo ponies, it should be added that each particular member usually has only one pony, of the ‘con verted cab-horse variety” !

In other parts of Suva, on Saturday afternoons, will be seen Indians playing Soccer, or Chinese playing tennis —in fact, sport in Suva is varied and cosmopolitan.