Sports Day To Honour

The King

From Our Own Correspondent VILA. June 16.

KING’S BIRTHDAY holiday was cele brated in the New Hebrides by a Condominium public holiday on Thursday, June 7.

On the previous Saturday there was the annual native sports to commemorate the event held in the British paddock.

This year a precedent was created when a European team was invited to compete against the native teams. In previous years the sports carnival has been a com petition between local native villages ex clusively, with British members of the community acting as time-keepers, track stewards, judges, etc.

This annual sports day I's a much looked-forward-to event among the natives and they enter into it with great enthusiasm. The tug-o’-war and the 220 are not matters to be trifled with! The high jump is so serious an affair tha|-, in the spirit of the occasion, contestants do not always await their turn to jump.

Results are often alarming. But this is all part of the fun.

This year the team representing Fila Island were the winners and were pre sented with the Challenge Cup by Mr H. Flaxman. The European team scored the highest points and their leader was presented with a plaque.

The following Wednesday night, the eve of the public holiday, Mr. Flaxman entertained a hundred guests to a dance at the Residency on Iririki Island.

Although it had rained heavily during the day, the weather cleared somewhat and did not mar the evening. Supper was served under marquees on the extensive lawns of the Residency.