CORRESPONDENCE. To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 167, 25 March 1864, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Hawke's Bay Times.

Sir, —As I understand that you have, with that propriety for which you are remarkable, given the sack to that nefarious individual who disgraced himself in the eyes of the whole civilized world by making light of the great wooiocracy of this Province in that poor and pitiful account of the Hawke’s Bay Paces which, I regret to say, appeared in your valuable columns a short time since, I send you an account, of the Great Waipukurau Autumn Meeting, which I feel sure will afford infinite satisfaction to your readers and to yourself. In the words of the immortal Will, extracts from whose writings you may have heard me read to the exquisite delight of a select company of “ fair Amazons” of the most fashionable description, I may say—- “ Let mo play the lion, too ; I will roar, that I will do any man’s heart good to hear me ; I will roar that I will make His Honor say, ‘ Let him roar again .* let him roar again' ”

You be surprised at my sending you this thrilling account, but the fact is (entre nousj I have had a fall out with the other paper. That immaculate honorable man of patriotic and lofty views who conducts that distinguished and honest journal, whose pure mind has never been given to filthy lucre, and whose high-born soul has never condescended tonotice coppers, I regret to say, had the impudence to impugn the beauty of the compliment I pay the charming girls of Napier when I call them “ fair Amazons.” Yes I it is a fact 1 and the ruffian actually had the audacity to add that “ As far as he could see I might as well call them ‘ fair Mermaids’ while I was about it.” Horrible, isn’t it ? But worse yet remains to be told. Not content with thus wounding my feelings in their most tender and susceptible part, that unconscionable monster refused—l declare, actually refused—to pay for the small modicum of beef and beer which I felt myself compelled, in the cause of the people, to take on the race, course the other day. It was no use pay remonstrating ; it was no use my pointing out how utterly impossible it is to write well if not fed well; that flinty party insisted upon it that pay he would not, merely remarking that “ You eat too much !” The coarse-minded brute! The fact is, I must have “ my pound of flesh.” I tried every bit of beef on the Napier race-course, and went into every place where I could by any possibility find a sandwich to satisfy the craving of my large mind for animal food. Singular, is it not ? that mind should thus be dependent upon matter! But for the abundant supplies thus gained, the people of this Province would never have been enlivened by that sublime and at the same time exceedingly lively account of the Hawke’s Bay Races with which I favored them, and which, I grieve to say, appeared in the columns of the Herald. But to my tale. “ I grant you, friends, if that you should fright the ladies out of their wits, they would have no more discretion than to hang us ; but I will aggravate my voice so, that I will roar you as gently as any sucking dove ; I will roar you an’ ’twere any nightingale.” I am, &c., Boz. N.B.—Jokes made to order, upon reasonable terms. Public and private dinner parties attended. No objection to wear a white choker if required, or to wait at table occasionally. WAIPUKURAU RACES. Really, after the description of a fine day which appeared in the account of the Napier Races published in the Herald, it is impossible to do greater justice to that original subject, and we therefore subjoin an extract from it, as the most perfect and inimitable description extant. “ On the first day (Wednesday) the weather could not have been more favorable. Indeed it would almost appear as if the stewards had entered into a contract with that important individual yclept the Clerk of the Weather for a lease of his power during the continuance of the meeting. If they did so, faithfully Mr. Clerk kept the agreement, for the morning broke with a gentle south-east breeze, just sufficiently fresh to pleasantly counteract the effect of a somewhat hot sun which shone throughout the day.” There, that we call superfine writing ! Arrived on the race-course, which is an exceedingly picturesque one, with the advantage, which we did not observe on the racecourse at Napier, of the refreshment booths being right in the way of the view of the races.' We, however, think that the stewards shewed their keen appreciation of the “ inner man,” for, certes, eating comes before racing all the world over, and a man who would lose his dinner to see a race must be a poor soul with a sorry stomach. Crowds of the most fashionable people enlivened the course. “ Pair Amazons” on prancing palfreys, accompanied or escorted by exquisite and devoted gentlemen mounted upon “ upstanding high-actioned steeds” “ lent enchantment to the view.” We observed that the ladies’ palfreys were quite delighted with the idea of carrying their fair burdens. We don’t wonder at it. We should have no objection to carry such a burden ourselves. Of course we were immediately recognised and greeted with many sweet smiles and warm looks by the fair creatures, whom we overheard saying, in their own sweet and naive parlance, “ Why, there’s Mister Boz. Oh, do look!” In short, we were the “ observed of all observers.” We didn’t properly see any of the races, because somehow or other the bell always rang just at the very moment when we had discovered a glorious piece of beef “ under cut.” But, nevertheless, there can be no

doubt that it was excellent, especially the beef. In fact, these races, on both days, far surpassed anything of the kind we have ever before seen. We were, however, greatly disappointed at not seeing His Honor the Superintendent on the ground ; but it must be highly gratifying to that susceptible individual to know that we thought of him. The ground was kept by a picket of the Defence Corps, whose principal business appeared to be to keep themselves sober, which they succeeded in doing pretty well considering ; and upon the whole, with the exception of the absence of His Honor, it was quite a charming affair altogether. All Hawke’s Bay seemed to have turned out; and the only person besides His Honor whom we did not see was Jemmy W , the printer, who was left behind in the care of a couple of “ bobbies,” to prevent his pilfering our description of this race meeting, the authorities, at our special instigation, having found it necessary to interfere. We made this arrangement beforehand, because, as it is our wont to take notes, it was by no means improbable that that questionable party might by some means or other get possession of those notes, possibly while we were unconsciously or abstractedly taking a little refreshment. [We have omitted our correspondent’s description of the races, because, although that description is exceedingly graphic, yet there appears to be such a contradiction and confusion relative to the different horses, their riders, colors, and ages, that we have thought it desirable, with deference to his great powers, to give the simple facts. To use a favorite quotation of Mr. Boz’s, “ Beauty unadorned is adorned the most.” —Ed. H.B.T .] MAIDEN PRODUCE STAKES. Of £25. For all horses foaled in the Colony that have never won an advertized race. 11, miles. Weights—3yrs. Bst 71bs; 4yrs, 9st 7tbs; syrs, Oat 121bs; 6yrs and aged, XOst. > Mr P. Russell ns b g Nusia, 4yrs G. Down 1 Mr. T. Oxen ham’s g g Darby, aged T. Oxenham 2 Mr. J. Leach's bk g Conti, syrs T. Goldsmith 3 WAIPUKURAU STAKES. Of £35. Smiles. Weights—3yrs, Bst; 4yrs, 9st 7lbs; syrs 10st: 6yrs and aged, lost, 31bs. Mr. Ormond’s g g Higiilow, aged D. Taylor 1 lleta’s bk g Billy, aged 2 Otone’s b g Rakgitoto, 5 years o Hapuku’s ch g Tawhi, aged o LADIES’ PURSE. Of £2O. 1 mile, heats. Weights—Same as for Produce Stakes. Mr. Ormond’s g g llighlow, aged D. Taylor 1 1 Mr. P. Russell ns b g Numa, 4yrs G. Dawn 22 Lieut. J. St. George’s b g Towaue, aged T. Wild 3 0 3lr. J. Leach’s bk g Conti, 3yrs T. Goldsmith 4 0 HURDLE RACE. Of £2O. 2 miles. Over 5 hurdles 4ft. high. Weights, 3yrs 9st; 4yrs, lost 71bs ; syrs, list; Uyrs and aged, list 4!bs. Mr. B. D. Danvers ns b g Tk Ohohe; 3yrs Hague 1 Mr. F. M. Chapman us b m Romance, syrs D. Taylor 2 Lieut. St George’s b g fowARE, aged H. Gaisford 0 Mr. Fookes’ g m Nymph, 3yrs A. T. Danvers 0 SCURRY STAKES. Of £lO. 1J miles. Catch Weights. 31r. P. Russell ns b g Noma, 4yrs O. Down 1 Mr. 11. Gaisford’s br m Bird’s Ey£,2yrs U. Gaisford 2 Mr. J. Leach’s bk g Comet, oyrs Scratched CONSOLATION HANDICAP. Of £lO, For all horses that have started and not won at this meeting. 2 miles. Post Entries. Heta’s bk g Billy, aged J, Hague 1 3lr. T. Oscnhara’s g g Darby, aged T. Oxenham 2 Mr. W. P. Fookes’ g m Nymph, 3yrs Down 0 Lieut. St George’s b g Towabk, aged Heslop 0 Hapuku’s ch g Tawhi, aged Tangala Ke 0