LYTTELTON NEW-YEAR REGATTA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 435, 3 January 1857, Page 5

LYTTELTON NEW-YEAR REGATTA.

Thursday last, being New-year's day, was a gala day in this town. The Programme of the amusements for the occasion had been some time before the public, and the excitement had been greatly stimulated by those pecuniary enquiries which the supporters of such festivities relish so highly. The morning of the day was brilliant and calm; causing the remark that this, like previous regattas, would pass over without a sailing match. About 10 o'clock, however, a breeze sprang up from the S.W. which freshened towards noon, and, though not blowing evenly over the whole harbour, gave the sailing boats a very fair chance of distinguishing themselves. Prom this favourable circumstance, and from the fact that a larger number of entries of decked craft had been made for the principal race on this than on any previous occasion, the sport was unusually, good. The programme was fully carried out, except that no race for five-oared boats came off, there being no competitors for the prizes in that class. An offer was made by the Committee to the owners of Maori boats in harbour of a prize of £5 for a race between themselves, without any subscripr tion or entrance money; the natives however refused to pull for any sum under £20. The races cams off as follows, Mr. Luke Dale acting as judge :— Decked Boats—2ls. entrance. First prize £20 ; second prize £7 ; 10 entries. Julia Ann, Swanson 1 s Father Thames, Waghorn 2 Emerald, Me Chitchie ... 3 Caledonia, Rhodes 0 Eagle, Clarkson 0 Gipsy, Clifford 0 Sea Bird, Martin 0 Uira, Toomey 0 Fanny, Foster 0 ... City of London, Hughes 0 The course was from opposite the jetty round the Egmont and the reef, twice. The Father Thames got a good start and led to the Egmont, when she lost the breeze and was passed by the Julia Ann, £011 a slant. The Cutter kept the lead all round, and came in a good first, ten minutes before the Emerald, followed by the JFjither Thames. The Emerald made a mistake in course, taking the wrong side of one of the flag-vessels, and consequently gave up the second prize to the Father Thames, but was permitted to save her entrance as the third boat. The other craft tailed off at various degrees of distance. Open Boats.—los. 6d. entrance. First prize £12; second £5; 3 entries — Maria, Rhodes 1 Romeo, Grubb 2 Gustos,Simmonds ......... 0

Custos started to make a race ; the other two made a good match. Four-oabed Whale Boats.—7s. 6d entrance. First prize £10 ; second £5; 3 entries. There She Goes, Parkinson 1 Annie Laurie, Healy ...... 2 Egmont, Genet 3 The three boats kept a pretty even distance from one another; There She Goes taking the lead from the commencement and retaining it to the last. The crews were apparently not very well accustomed to pull together, and the stiff breeze somewhat interfered with the speed of the boats. The. effect was distressing. Skiff.—Entrance ss. First prize, £5 ; second, £1. 3 entries. Can't Help It, 'Strickland 1 Waterwitch, Healy, 2 I Don't Know, Jenkins,... 3 Dingy Sculling Match.—Entrance, 25.66U First prize, £3 ; second £1; 3 entries.... ; Uira, T. Clarkson, I Will If I Can, G. Clarkson, 2 Waterlily, Wilson 3 A Duck Hunt followed, wherein the webfooted animal was represented by T. Clarkson, and the pursurers (of what branch of the animal kingdom we know not) by G. Clarkson and S. Scott. The struggles of the bird were gallant enough to be a short time successful in the attempt to escape, but superior numbers were at length irresistible. This concluded the contests of the day, all the minor English (so called) sports being wisely omitted from the programme. In the afternoon, about 200 children were regaled in the Town Hall on children's holiday food, tinder the auspices of the Committee. This was a splendid sight. At the beginning, appetite and excitement prevailed in about equal degrees; but, as the former diminished, the other appeared to increase, 111 the extreme limit seemed to be reached in each direction, Such a scene of merry confusion as we saw when the tables and stools were removed, and the hall was made ready for general recreation, we never witnessed before. Dancing was rapidly lost in jumping, and music was drowned in shouts of laughter. The greatest merriment prevailed among the little people, and if some of them did suffer at night, it was but small payment for the joys of the day. We were heartily pleased to see the affair so well conducted, and the result was encouraging to the projectors. When the children were tired, and departed, their elders dept up the diversion in their own way, with somewhat more orderly gaiety, and the hall echoed with the merry feet of dancers and the strains of festive music until midnight. So ended a most agreeable holiday.