OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 56, 24 July 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

OTAGO.

A match of billiards, for £SOO a-side, has just been ai-ranged to come off the'first week in August, between a gentleman amateur who plays under the nom de guerre of Mr. W. Townsend, and Mr. John Lamb, of Yictorir, hitherto reputed to be best player in the Australian colonies. A great deal of interest is likely to be excited in the match, and to enable a number of persons to be present to witness it, it is likely the game will be played in the theatre on a table specially erected for the purpose. —Otago Dailg Times. The same week as the billiard match above referred to, there is to be a match for £6OO a-side, between Mr. Julius’s Kauri Gum and Mr. Townsend’s (the same gentleman above referred to) Falcon, over the course used for the last Dunedin

races; the distance to be three miles. Both horses are in active training, and opinions are divided as to their relative chances— lbid. S.vajces,— A gentleman informed ns yesterday that while walking on the banks cf Pelichet Bay, he distinctly saw a snake gliding among the scrub! He described the snake as being about 18 inches to 2 leet in long, and staled on.attempting its capture, it darted swiftly across the road into the bush. There are no reptiles of this species indigenous to New Zealand, but it is just possible lliat small snakes may have found their way in some of the vessels from Australia. If our informant was correct in his opinion of the reptile, it is to be hoped that it will be destroyed, as the naturalization of two or three snakes in New Zealand, would soon lead to a large number of these unwelcome visitants, the dense underwood of this colony affording so much protection and concealment.—■ Otayo Daily Times.