Interprovincial Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 751, 10 January 1870, Page 2

Interprovincial Items.

AUCKLAND RACES, 1870. The Auckland Race Meeting of 1870 commenced on Friday, 31st pecember, in a pouring rain which continued without intermission the whole day. Nevertheless, though fthe " course in front of the stand was a lake of puddled clay, six inches deep," the attendance was much the same as usual, and " the numher of carriages with, ladies and families was nearly equal to that of- other years." The first race was the Maiden Plate of .£IOO, 1| miles, won by Mr M'Gee's Maori Weed; Mr 11. Stafford's Lady Florence, second ; \ and Mr Walters' Dainty Ariel third. The Epsom Plate of .£6O, 1 mile, was contested by three horses, Orlando and Nebula being scratched, and was won by Mr Hunt's Kaiser, with Mr Farmer's XXX second, and Mr Walker's Slander third. " The ground, which had been bad before, had now become cut up, and the horses had some dreadful work to do." The Innkeepers' Purse (handicap) of £SO, 1| miles, was won by Mr Stafford's Nebula, Mr Walker's Slander being second. The bad weather was not the only thing to mar the pleasure of the day. " Two men, mounted, and very drunk, would persist in coming upon the course," and assaulted the clerks of the course who tried to eject them, and who had at length to take refuge in the saddling-paddock. Order being restored, five horses started for the Metropolitan Handicap of .£2OO, 2 miles, which was won by Mr Hunt's Kaiser, Mr Farmer's Abbess coming in second, and Orlando bringing up the rear. " Passing the grand stand all the horses were within a length of each other, casting up a perfect deluge of mud, in which both animals and riders were enveloped. . . The colors of the jockeys were almost obliterated, arid their faces were daubed with patches of slimy mud." Another " row " took place at the close of the race. One of the clerks was dragged from his horse by a mob. Some gentlemen went to his assistance, aud a second disturbance arose, which was. quelled " after a good deal of mauling on both sides." Two horses —Nebula aud Numa —only ran for the fifth race, the Garrison Plate of £6O, 1J miles, which was easily won by the former. Some drunken men appeared to have a strong objection to tiie officials, and at the conclusion of the race the melee was revived. The day's sports closed with a scene of unparalleled anarchy and rowdyism. The New Zealand Herald's report, from which our ex • tracts are taken, goes on to say that " within a few seconds there was a. general disturbance all over the racecourse. The officials naturally sought to assist their colleagues. The hon. Mr Vivian was attacked, and he did some excellent execution on the faces of the ruffianly fellows who had assaulted him. The Messrs Walker were also mobbed. Several of the officials were conducted in a state of exhaustion to the saddling-paddock. Some of them were slightly cut. There was one man who received a severe cut over the left eyebrow. The confusion had now become so great that the r jj most peaceable moved from the field. Any further racing had to be abandoned. Those who occupied the grand stand were reluctant to pass through the excited crowd, for there were .several 'roughs' who would not have thought much of mobbing any persons who might be supposed to sympathise with those against whom their resentment was aimed." The second day (Jan. 3) was fine, with a moderate westerly breeze. Some 3,000 people were on the ground, and there was no repetition of the previous day's rowdyism. The following were the races: — Maiden Produce ,£SO, 1 mile,—-Mr Paton's Marseila, 1; Mr Walters' Dainty Ariel, 2. Town Plate, £IOO, 3 miles,—Mr H. Stafford's Nebula, 1 ; Mr M'Gee's Maori Weed, 2; Mr Farmer's XXX, 3. Thames Plate Handicap, £7O, 1| miles, — Mr Farmer's moonbeam, 1; Mr Walter's. • I Orlando, 2; Mr H. Stafford's Laceujfced, 3, Quartz-crushers Prize, £QQ

1| miles,—Mr Hunt's Kaiser. 1; Mr Walters' Numa, 2. The Farmer's Plate Handicap. .£SO, lij miles, was contested by five' horses, —Kaiser, 1; Abbess, 2; Nebula, nowhere. For Pony Race, <?210, nine horses started —Monitor, 1 ; Bell Bird, 2. The third day's sport commenced with the Hurdle race, £4O, 2 miles and a distance, over 8 flights of hurdles. Warwick, 1 ; Harksuvay, 2. Auckland Handicap, £SO, 1| miles, —Nebula. 1; Orlando, 2; Moonbeam, 3; Numa, 4. Selling Race, £35, 1 mile and distance, —XXX, 1; Numa, 2. Handi cap Steeplechase, £G0"; second horse £10; about 3 miles,—Mr M'Gee's New Zealander, 1; Mr Griffith's Highflyer, 2. This race created great interest and some disappointment, being won by a most unlikely-looking horse. Stewards' Cup, £50, 1 mile,—Orlando, 1 ; Slander, 2 ; Abbess 0. Consolation Handicap, £2O, § mile,—Mr Walter's Yatterina, 1 ; Slander, 2; Lacenfeed, 3 ; Mr M'Gee's Make:u, 0. The day's sports were concluded by a Hack Race, for which seven horses ran—Mudlark, 1 ; Harkavvay, 2 ; Lacenfeed, 3. The p.s. Royal Alfred brought up from the Thames on Friday evening for the Bank of New Zealand, 3 5 374 ounces of gold.—New Zealand Herald, 3rd January. The retorting fur the Golden Crown that took place yesterday, yielded SlGozs lOdwts, making a total of 1,4980zs lOdwts, including the parcel lodged on the previous day. This was melfed by the assayers of the Bank of New Zealand, Messrs Quint and Smith, and only lost 48ozs lldwts of gold making the total resuh of melted gold in bars 1,4500zs lOdwts. —New Zealand Herald, 3rd January. The usual fortnightly retorting foi the Una Company took place yesterday, and yielded 200ozs 13 iwls of gold from about 150 tons of stone. The gold was deposited in the Bank of New Zealand. —New Zealand Herald, January 3. A parcel of gold, the result of a crushing for the .Sunbeam, was melted yesterday at the Bank of New Zealand by Messrs Q.iint and Smith into a fine bar weighing 10/ozs 12dwts. —New Zealand Herald, January 3. The Tauranga correspondent of tinNew Zealand Herald says thai amongst the Mao; is in'that district there is a report of a general rising, tlie King taking part in it. He adds: —'"lt is haidiy worth credence, but i cannot help noticing it, considering the authority from which it comes." We have to acknowledge the receipt by the Star of the South, of the first number of a new and neatly-printed Auckland daily—" The Morning Advertiser." The proprietors are the well-known newspaper-publishing firm of Harnett & Co., and this is the twentieth journal they have started in the Australian Colonies. We have also seen a copy of a well-conducted weekly, called " The Auckland and Thames Leader," published at the Thames by the same firm. Another daily, to be called " The Evening Star," is also announced —the first number to be published on the Bth. A man named James Fitzpatrick was killed in Queen-street, Auckland, at 11 p.m. on the Ist January, through beiog run over by.a cab, which was being driven at a gallop along the street. It turned out that the driver, Arthur Cash, had been racing with another cab, and that in trying to avoid the one, deceased had been thrown down, receiving serious injuries. At an inquest held on the 3rd a verdict of " Accidental death " was returned, a very mild censure being at the same time passed upon the driver. Cash was brought up on the following clay at the police court, on a charge of furious driving, when it was argued by his counsel that if the Bench dealt with the case " they would be subverting the verdict of the jury " ! The case was remanded for a week, bail being taken in two sureties of ,£lO, in consideration of his previous g ,od character. The other driver, Stretch, would also be brought up on a similar charge. From the Auckland papers and from private information we learn that Te Kooti is generally supposed to be in the vicinity of Tokangamutu, at which place, according to a correspondent of the New Zealand Herald, he was shortly expected to arrive.

I The Government has advertised for tenders for the supply of a large quantify of woollen goods to be manufactured in New Zealand for the use of the Constabulary. Twenty-five per e<mt. of the quantity ordered is to be delivered to the Colonial Storekeeper, at Wellington, within eighteen months from the date of the tender' being accepted ; the remainder to be delivered at the same place and in similar quantities every six months until the contract is completed. Miritana —the Maori recently sentenced to pay a fine of ,£3O or suffer 3 mouths 1 imprisonment at Wanganui, for obstructing the survey of the Manawatu Block—has, it seems, got tired of confinement, and lately wrote to his friends, asking them to pay the money and let him get out. They replied that it was not worth while, as a good many more of them intended to pursue the same course as he had done; and, as there was not money enough among them to pay. fines for all, they would join Miritana in the jail, which they anticipated filling. We (Evening Post, December 29)' understand that information has been received by the Provincial Government, this afternoon, to the effect that the survey of the Manawatu Block has again been stopped. Some GO or 80 of the dissentients have gathered together, pulled down some trigonometrical stations, and otherwise interrupted the work. A native chief named Ptiki Paka waited upon his Honor the Superintendent yesterday, and complained of the neglect of the General Government in not taking immediate steps towards opening the Upper Thames district for mining. His Honor said he would be glad to see the district opened, but it was out of his power to deal with the matter at present. Iliki said if the Government did not complete the negotiations, the natives would deal with other parties. —New Zealand Herald. sth January. A fire broke out on the morning oi the 20th December, about 2 o'clock, in Cashel-street, Christchurch, between the Al Hotel and Angus, saddler, near the rear of the hitter's home The principal places destroyed are: — Beath and Co., drapers; Pratt, Somer set House, draper; 11. and D. Suther■ land, grocers; Lane Bros., butchers; Scrimgeour and Duncan, blacksmiths. Beath and Co. are the largest sufferers. Most of the loss is covered by insurance. A recent case of distress promptly relieved has come to our knowledge, and is of- so praiseworthy a character that we cannot refrain from telling it to our readers. A gentleman in the Telegraph Department, in Auckland, married, and possessing a small family and smaller salary, about twelve •months ago became insane. In the hopes that change and proper treatment would effect a cure, the, then Telegraph Commissioner granted him six months leave of absence on full pay. The leave expired, and instead of having improved, the patient had become hopelessly worse. His term of service had not been such' as to warrant the Government giving him any pension, but, as his wife was anxious to get buck to Scotland, they gave him a gratuity of <£G5. This, however, was far less than the sum necessary to pay their expenses hi this Colony until the departure of the family, and save them from landing penniless at home. The district Inspector wrote down to Wellington, suggesting a subscription being raised iii the Department. The officer here took up the idea heartily, and but a lew moments elapsed ere every official at every station in the Colony had contributed his quota, and nearly one hundred pounds was subscribed in an hour or two to be sent by the first mail. This sum was advanced 'tern porarily by the general manager here, and remitted by a steamer leaving Wellington at the time for Aucgland, in order to avoid any delay which would have been caused had he waited till each subscription could arrive bore from every out-station. By this time the distressed family have been made happy. —Evening Post, Dec. 29. The Nelson Colonist makes the following remarks upon the decision, given at Nelson, on the Wangapeka laud sales:—"Fortunately, after a patient and searching enquiry by Mr Domett, the unhappy dispute respect-

ing the late sales of auriferous land at Wangapeka, has undergone the first, and we hope final stage of its decision. Mr Domett, in an elaborate paper, and, after hearing lengthened evidence, re viewed the whole case, and on the considerations of the provisions of. the act, declared bis opinion that the sales were illegal. The opinion (which by the way, and on nearly, the same grounds, agreed with the arguments of Mr Moss, the representative of the miners) Mr Domett rightly said in no wise precluded persons fnvm trying their rights in the proper tribunal the Supreme Court. At the same time its expression, backed as it was by a careful analytical survey of the provisions and bearing of the act of Parliament, will have the immediate effect of stopping the issue of Crown Grants, and of leaving it in the position it occupied priorto thesales. In this we think justice has been done to the diggers, and we believe that most of the purchasers will quietly qoncur with the decision which does not preclude justice being done to the purchaser." We (Evening Post) learn, from pri vate sources, that a man of the name of Young, who has for some time past acted as collector for our contemporary, the Oamaru Times, has suddenly disappeared, and that a warrant for his arrest on the charge of embezzle tuent has been issued. The Taranaki News, of the 25th. December, says that a.small bouse, the property of Mr Bundle, sen., between the Waiongana and Waitara rivers, was burnt down on Sunday last. It was left with the door locked on Saturday, and was seen standing on Saturday, at 2 p.m. There is, therefore reason to suspect that the fire was the work of an incendiary. ' A Greymouth paper says:—Our readers will be glad to learn that the Grey River Coal Company will soon be in a position to make a fresh start with a capital of £25,000. Some difficulty and delay was caused through the doubts of one ,£6.000 shareholder as to the value of the County Council's guarantee. Now, however, the matter will be arranged, as soon aithe paid up capital of the company has been reduced from ,£50,000 to £25,000, which is more than can be expended on the railway and rollingstock. The s.s. Wanganui brought to Web lington on her last trip 169 bules of flax, the largest quantity yet received in a single shipment. A good deal oi this is from the mills of Messrs Rees and Gibson, at Rangitikei, who stili keep up the high character their flax has acquired. A survey was held yesterday, by Captain Kreeft, on 103 bales, at the stores of Messrs Venneli, Mills & Co., intended for shipment by the Halcione, which was reported to be dry, and in excellent order for shipment. The favorable accounts received by the mail from England will, no doubt, give a further impetus to the flax trade, and in a short time we may expect to have a very large supply for exportation. The unwillingness with which the wool vessels receive it at the rate of 70s per ton will injure themselves more than us; we will soon be able to get vessels to load llax alone at 50s to GOs, and glad of the chance to take it. The Halcione and Electra, and similar vessels may make difficulties about taking it at a high rate of freight; we will yet see them very eagerly competing for a share of the trade which will have passed into other hands. —Evening Post, 29th December. The Wanganui Chronicle says that a''fleece, certainly one of the finest in the district, of a hogget, the property of Messrs. Easson Bros., has been found to weigh lZflbs. The hogget was quarter bred, Merino and Lincoln, and abput 15 months old. The Wellington Independent, Dee. 23, says:—The Wellington yesterday took to Canterbury five of the Alpacas that have been running about so loni; en Mr Rhodes' land at Wades Town. One of them is of the original lot imported ; the others are bred here. We understand that they have been sent as a present to Mr Robert Rhodes from his brother Mr W. B. Rhodes.

A Giiave Coa'sidefvAtion. —A Southern lawycr was the other day defending a case against a railroad company for running over and maiming a child. He gravel) told the jury that if they awarded damages, the people of New Orleans would eternally be sliding their children into the street to be run over,