LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume I, Issue 9, 29 August 1861, Page 2

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE

New Magistrates. —The following gentlemen have been added to the list of Justices of the Peace for the Colony of New Zealand. The Hon. Colonel Andrew Hamilton Russell, and Capt. Andrew Hamilton Russell, both of this Province. International Exhibition, 1862.—The A T ew Zealand Gaz&le contains the names of the following gentlemen as commissioners in this Province to devise and carry out the details necessary to facilitate the transmission to London of such articles as may be selected for exposition at the Exhibition to be held at London in 1862 : —His lion, the Superintendent, Alexander Kennedy, Joseph Rhodes, John Alexander Smith, and Henry Stokes Tiffen. Sporting. —The first event of the came off on Saturday last, being a match against time : mine host of the Golden Fleece backing himself to ride a given horse from his own door to Mrs. Fougere’s, at Clive, within half an hour. The match was made on the previous Thursday, in Mr. Ferrers’ large room, Mr. W. Ferguson, of Clive, being the backer of time. Very considerable difference of opinion was expressed as to the probable result by the supposed knowing ones. Although every one credited the wide-awake judgment of Barny, yet the general impression appeared to be that he had undertaken a hopeless task, and that if practicable at another time, in the then state of the roads, which had been partially obliterated by the recent high tides and wet the odds were against him. Previous performances were discussed, and though each person appeared to have done the cfistance faster than any other, and no two agreed in their time, all admitted it had never been run in half-an-hour. The match being made, Mr/ Ferrers properly enough at once secured the services of the punt, that no obstruction might arise from that source, and then took a spin over the ground upon another horse. We have since learnt that on this occasion he completed the distance within the prescribed time, and so gained additional confidence as to the morrow’s result. Two umpires were appointed, whose watches were set together, one of whom remained in port to eftect the start, —the other Waipureku to time the arrival. At twelve o’clock, in the presence of a crowd of spectators, the word was given, and horse and rider set oft at an easy canter, which was kept up, with a slight increase, if anything, to within half a mile of the Maori church, the road hitherto being very fair. From this point, however, to the ferry the road was terribly heavy and bad—either bog or loose shingle, and here Mr. Ferrers increased his speed, and carried on thoughout to the punt, the horse pulling double the whole way. The ferry was reached in 22 minutes, A minute and a half, thanks to energetic hands, sufficed to cross the river, when, the race being partially over, Mr. Ferrers stopped to shake hands with Mr. Ferguson, and then cantered quietly in, winning with the greatest ease, with four minutes to the good. A liberal champagne luncheon was provided for the assembled company at the expense of the

winner, who shortly afterwards proceeded up the country. The race never wa§ in doubt —old chrones had not a ghost of a chance. Horse and man are entitled to great credit for the way in which they managed their mutual parts —the horse for his pluck and endurance under his welter weight and the had roads, and the rider for his temper and judgment in timing the horse so satisfactorily, and enabling him to win with 15 stone on his back, without being unusually distressed. The match was for 201. , besides which Mr. Ferrers won several other bets.