The programme commenced with the 100 yards, which was run with the aid of the slight wind. In the first heat Brownlie and the Australian Parker could not be separated in 10sec. Grehan gave the spectators a taste of his quality when he won the second heat in 10sec dead. Walker won the third heat, off 2 yards in 10⅕sec.
The final was a great race. After getting the finalists properly settled down Mr Rudkin got them away with a perfect start. Grehan was noticeable for his lightning action in getting well away. Over the last thirty yards he came through very strongly and breasted the tape just ahead of Brownlie in 10sec.
To run the 100 yards twice in 10sec is a sterling performance, and when naturally thinking of the wind blowing with the competitors one must take into account the fact that the ground inclined to be heavy, and also that the Caledonian Ground is by no means a fast track.
Grehan won his heat in the 220 yards in 23⅕sec, but his chances were spoiled by the final being run in a storm. Eppstein, off 17 yards, lasted long enough to win in 23⅖sec.
There is no doubt that Grehan would have headed him if the weather had held.
I’m not dead
During a hearing at the Supreme Court in Christchurch, the court was puzzled by the contradictory dates of a testator's death. The mystery was solved by counsel explaining that the person who died in 1921 was cousin to the testator who died in 1924 and bore the same name. The dates had been confused. His Honor said that it reminded him of a case in the dominion where the testator, having been confined in an asylum, was declared "dead" by the Legislator, so that his affairs could be administered. This person, however, recovered his reason some years later. It was a case which was unique in New Zealand and probably in the world.
County must pay for highway
At last meeting of the Tuapeka County Council a demand was made for a further contribution of £100 towards the reconstruction of the Manuka Gorge section of the main highway, and members decided not to comply with the request unless it was absolutely compulsory. To decide this point the opinion of Mr T.F. Martin, counsel for the New Zealand Counties’ Association, was sought. It read: "In my opinion the Tuapeka County can be compelled to pay the further £100. The cost of constructing, reconstructing, or maintaining main highways and bridges thereon falls on the local authorities within a highway district ‘in such proportion as may be fixed by the board’ — see Main Highways Act, 1922." — ODT, 19.3.1925
Compiled by Peter Dowden
