ALBERTOWN RACE MEETING.

Cromwell Argus, Volume II, Issue 101, 17 October 1871, Page 5

ALBERTOWN RACE MEETING.

Fkiday and Saturday, Oct. 13 & 14.

The race meeting at Albertown ha 3 always been an event of importance to the district around Lake Wanaka, and has annually received most encouraging patronage from the residents in the neighbourhood, as also from Cromwell and Cardroua. The meeting on Friday and Saturday last was no exception to the rule, the attendance being highly satisfactory to the promoters. The stewards were Messrs H. S. Thomson, J. G. Shrimpton, A. M'Callum, G. B. Bond, and I. Loughnan. Mr Loughnan was judge, Mr Bond acted as starter, and Mr M'Callum performed the duties of secretary. The refreshment-booth was under the cave of Mr T. Russell, of the Wanaka Hotel. Among the visitors from Cromwell were Messrs Smitham and Harding, who drove up in a mail phaeton drawn by four spanking bays. The turn-out created some little sensens ition on arrival .at the Lake, where such sights are but seldom seen. On Friday it rained almost incessantly in the early part of the day, rendering a postponement probable ; however, a show of improvement in the weather towards mid-day determined the stewards to adhere to the date fixed. Accordingly, at about two p.m., preparations were made for the first event, the Maiden Plate, for which three horses started, and which was won easily by Comet. The results of the various races were as given below :

Maiden Plate of £3. (One mile.) Mr L. Grant's Comet I Mr H. Campbell's Governor 2 MrH. 8. Thomson's Pompey 3 District Handicap of £lO. (One mile.) Mr Hudson's Merrythought 1 Mr J. Mace's K;\ka 2 Mr Partridge's Kettledrum 3 Mr——'a Mignonette 0 OrKX Handicap of £lO. (Mile and a half.) Mr Colclough's Fenian, Bst ] 21b 1 Mr Grant's Morvcn, 9st 91b 2 Mr Ryan's Brunette, 9st (Sib 3 Mr Giant's Kangaroo, Sst 21b 0 Betting:—Even on Morven (the favourite); 2 to 1 against Brunette ; 4 to 1 against Fenian ; 5 to 1 against Kangaroo.

There was a great improvement in the weather on the second day, and the number of spectators on the course was fully equal to the attendance on Friday. The principal race was the Elwick Plate, given by Mr H. Campbell for three-year-old district horses. The start, although fair, was so badly taken by the young horses that at the finish of the race the merits of the various animals were almost as undecided as before the start. This event excited great interest, as it brought to the test for the first time the stock of Mr Campbell's Els wick; and much disappointment was expressed. at the unsatisfactory result of the trial. The winner, Boomerang, was the obje.it of general admiration, and by competent judges was pronounced to be almost the perfection of a racehorse. The results of the several races are appended:—

ELSWtCK Plvte of £5. (One mile.) Mr Campbell's Boomorang, by E'.swick. 9st 61b 1 Mr Thomson's Elawick Colt, Sat 21b 2 Mr Shrimpton's Hawca, by Golden Cloud. Sst 21b .... 3

Hack Hack. (Half-mile hsats.) Pretence (late Dootlltsrabuok) won easily. Co.nsolation Handicap of £5. (One mile). Mr 'Grant's Morven, lustßlb 1 Mr llyan's Brunette, 10st41b 2 Mr Campbell's Governor, Bst 121b ... 3 Mr Thomson's P'ompey. Sit L2lb 4 ,'Mr Grant's Kangaroo, Bst 61b 0 ■IJ Hospital Race. (Half-mile.) .(Won by Merrythought, beating three others.

On Saturday morning a number of gentlomen wont on a yachting excursion up the Lake, but had gone only a short distance when the wind failed, and being unable to make headway, they returned to the mooring and had a pull round tho coa'St. The grandeur of the suenevy"around Pembroke elicited many expressions of adniuntinrf from all tlio enjoyod tho pleasure ol bciolding it,

During the past season the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company have at their thre-j establishments manufactured 4.526,000 lbs of preserved heef and mutton and 6"20 tons of tallow ; and 1100 bales of wool have been fell - uiougerecl on the premises. This was the produce from IGj.OJO sheep and 3000 head of cattle.

An inquest was liclcl at the Hospital on Wednesday (says the Daily Times) upon tlio bodies of two Chinamen, passengers by tbe (rinding Star, who died m that Institution. The verdict returned was " Died from tubercular disease of the luugs," to which the jury added as a rider Llut, in their opinion, the large amount of sickness and death on board the Guiding Star, on her recent passage from Hong Kong to Port Chalmers, was in a great meiwe caused by the want of sufficiently wholesome, provisions on board, and the passengers came on board with insutfioient clothing, and without sufficient means of sustaining their bodiiy warmth during such a passage. The eonsoquenue was that they huddled close together, tuns producing by the foui air and emanations proceeding from their bodies another element of disease.

The establishment of County Courts, "with the view to promote a be'.ter, simp'er, and choapsr aclmin'stration if the law in civil cases," and to supersede the exis ing District Courts, formed the subject of a m ition introduced by Mr T. L. Shepherd in tin House on Sept \\ Mr Shephe d, in mo-ing the motion, said that the esfc\blishmant of County Courts, with jurisdiction up to €i!so, would bs an ines'LnnMe boon t-> tho public as c implied with t'-c existing District Courts, chiefly in consequence of the simplicity of the procedure and the moderation of the costs of suit. They wotted withtraw a large number of caso3 from tho Supreme Court, and c>uld, in the towns, bo presided over by tho Supreme Court Judges, who had ample time at their disposal, and m the country districts by the preseno Dis ricfc Court Judges.—Mr Fox said tho (Jovernraent would give tha subject every consideration dur« ing tho recess, and be prepared to take action in the matter next shepherd said that, as the Government* Isid made tbi« promise, be would ask leave of the Hou#j to A-ii'alsJM Ip aoiviu. - -Motion. Tithdravrn.