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Dunstan Times, Issue 595, 12 September 1873, Page 2

The votaries of the turf have already sounded the note of ( reparation for the coming summer campaign, and in every district where races have been established a Spring Meeting is advertised. After a long dreary winter a little exciting amusement comes most opportune, and these various little events will not only be serviceable in producing a little healthful lecreation but bring a number of people together. A stranger taking up ago'd field’s paper and reading the number of announcements for horse races in such a comparatively confined space and amongst so few people, would almost imagine that there existed a mania in that direction, or that we had all been bred in a stable or perhaps come from Yorkshire, but a more intimate ac quaintance will show that we only indulge in this pastime from motives of mere amusement. There is no out of door sport whatever except horse racing—no fishing, shooting or boating clubs have we, nor do we possess any opportunity to put them in practice, and except a game of cricket, (and we possess but few skilled in this manly game) there is nothing left to us but the race-course. All things taken into consideration this cannot fail being the popular amusement, besides the excitement <n seeing the racing, people by these means are brought together who otherwise would experience considerable difficulty in meeting one another The bookmaker of the race-course is unknown amongst us, a few may make their appearance at thesmnmer events but their visits are of short duration, and little harm is done. Horse racing as practised on the gold-fields is pursued fur the love of itself, while its adaptability to our circumstances Iris rendered it popular. In a business point of view these periodical race meetings cause a considerable amount of money to he circulated ; people by the spirit of emulation engendered, im prove their breed of horses, while many ? a one is constrained to keep and properly stable a first c’ass animal, who otherwise would only aspire to a sorry hack, fed on the herbage of the commonage. The farming interest is materially assisted,Jthe farmer has an extended market for his produce, while he obtains better prices tor his well bred colts, Horae racing as, pursued on the gold-fields is tree fr >ui its ordinary vices and dissipations, and is as harmless in a moral point of view ns a day “ out with the hounds ” in cite old country. It is a healthy out of door recreation and the only recognised popular amusement available under present circumstances The events as advertised promise some good sport.

j Wo are favored with a private telegram to the following effect Mr. Shepherd has made himself still more ridiculous last night (the Bth of September) when the Gold-fields Bill was dismissed from the Order Paper. He attacked all the Goldfields members ; but Mr. Pyke, who spoke well, stated that the fact of the member for the Dunstan having anything to do with a measure was sufficient to ensure its not passing. This was loudly cheered. Shepherd is regarded as politically defunct. He is very irate. A distressing and fatal accident occurred on Friday afternoon last, the sth instant, at Messrs. Theyers and Beck’s brewery, at Alexandra, lesultingin the death of Edward Thompson, the breaking of the thigh of James Simmonds, and a severe bruising of James Hessen, three men who were engaged in the brewery at the time. The particulars of the accident will be found in the report of the inquest on the body of Edward Thompson. Simmonds was removed to the residence of Mr. Iheyers, Alexandra, and, we hear, under the treatment of Dr. Thomson, of Clyde, he is in a fair way of recovery. The body of deceased, after the inquest, was removed to Clyde, and from thence, on the following day, to the Clyde Cemetery. The funeral was an imposing one. fully one hundred persons joining in the cortege, among whom we noticed many friends from Alexandra, Cromwell, and other districts, offering the final tribute of respect to the deceased. The members of the Clyde Brass Band, of which body deceased was an active member, acted as pall-bearers, walking on either side of tiie vehicle c nveying the body, Messrs. Theyers and Beck following as chief mourners. On arrival at the Cemetery, the Band shouldered the coffin, and canied to the grave, where the Rev. Mr. Withey read the Church of England Service, and delivered an impressive oration on the uncertainties of this life, beseeching his hearers to prepare themselves for the dread time. The sad affair has caused quite a gloom throughout the district. The deceased was twenty-seven years of age. His only relatives in the Colonies, so far as we can learn, are a \\ iddowed mother, a .ister, and a brother, who reside in Melbourne, to whom Lis sudden death will be a heavy blow. We are requested to draw special attention of purchasers to tho sale by auction of drapery, millinery, boots, &c., by Mr, I George Eacbe, at Clyde, this day and tomorrow,. Sales continued each day till 9 p.m. On Saturday (to-morrow) will ■ e sold a nearly new five-octave harmonium, and a parcel of beautiful music, of every description, for the piano, harmonium, violin, flute, ic. The following we extract from tho “Australasian:”— “ A preliminary meeting of a few of Mr. Wilson Gray’s friends was held on Monday, the 11th of August, at 15, Temple-court, for the purpose of considering the steps to be taken to have a portrait of Mr. Gray painted for presentation to some one of our public institutions, as a filling and lasting memorial of a man whose name occupies a conspicuous place in the history of this country. A sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. John Everard, J. F. Sullivan, Allan Leitoh, George Craib, and J. J. Walsh, was appointed to find out if a good portrait of Mr. Gray could be painted in this Colony, aud what would be its probable cost. The meeting was then adjourned for a foVtnight. On account of the rainfall, which has been pretty general throughout the district, tho whole of the rivers aud creeks have been more or less flooded, and cousideral.le damage lias been done to properties on the banks. Several nairow escapes of drowning we have hoard of, and of a serious accident to a team while attempting to take the upper crossing over the Manuherikia at Black’s. It appears Mr. Crawford, the owner of an eight-horse team, with a full load of general merchandise, attempted to cross, aud when about half-way, the waggon was capsize 1, and, before the horses could bn un-yoke 1, one valuable beast was drowned. The loss will be a heavy one for Crawford, as, besides the loss of the horse, there will be that of a large quantity of the goods, some being destroyed by water, and others being w.isbed out of the waggon and carried away by the current. Of the escapes from drowning, both occurred on the Manuherikia, Mr John Grindley being one of the . victims. It appears, while driving some cattle across the river, bis horse fell into a deep hole, and instead of swimming, ruled over and over down the stream Grindley was unhorsed, but his foot becoming fast in the stirrup-iron, be was carried with tho horse for a distance of about two hundred yards, when alighting on a shallow bank, he was enabled to extricate himself from his perilous position. The other case occurred near Duncan Robertson’s Balmoral Hotel. Mr. Robertson lias a boat for the use of himself and family, and a mm named MTvemsie, in spite of the warning of danger, persisted in taking it across the river. This he succeeded in doing, but in returning the boat capsiz'd, and be was cast 'into the water a id quickly swept away by the current, and it was not till he had gone some three hundred yards was he rescued by those on shore. “All’s well that cuds well,” and we are much pleased to hear that MTxenzie escaped with his life, and cannot but think the lesson was a salutary one, and hope it ■will have the effect of deterring him from being so foolhardy in future.