NELSON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 549, 6 February 1858, Page 4

NELSON.

Oar contemporary the 'Nelson Examiner,' has employed some " new chum" to pub together its news from the New Zealand settlements. In its issue of the 2nd ulfc., under the general headings of "New Zealand Provinces" hut two are mentioned, and these are " Canterbury and Port Lyttelton !" Under the head of " Canterbury," the * Standard' is quoted for information from the abstract of Treasury "Receipts of Canterbury ; under the head of "Port Lyttelton." the ' Lyttelton Times' is quoted for information as to the financial position of Port Lyttelton. We need scarcely remark that both the abovo papers were commenting \ipon the last quarter's accounts of this province. The Weather and the Crops.—The unnsual prevalence, during the lust three months, of strong sou!h-west winds hn«, we regret to say, been productive of great mischief to the grain crops. Where the sowing was late, the ground,' although occasionally refreshed by has been sj dried up by these winds,

that both barley and oat crops have suffered severely, and in too many instances the wheat crop likewise. The system of farming pursued by many of the smaller cultivators, of taking all they can off the land and giving it back little or nothing in return, has, in the absence of anything like adequate tillage, so impoverished their farms, that we cannot wonder at the wretched appearance which some of their crops now present. On the other hand, it is gratifying to see instances where a wiser system has been jiursned, in which the crops (where not affected b3 T these strong and parching winds) promise to be most abundant. If farming is to succeed in Xew Zealand, it must be conducted upon those sound principles which are found necessary to its success in older countries.— Nelson Examine)'. Jan. 9

•waika.it races. (From the ' Examiner,' Jan. 6.) These races, which were established as a " Christmas sport " in the Wairau three years ago, have been remarkably well supported, considering the small number of persons resident in the district, and the distance at which, in a pastoral community, persons live apart. From a desire to make these annual gatherings more popular, the racing this season was extended to two days; but the.result scarcely justified this step, for the attendance being divided between the two daA-s, the number of persons who attended, although probably greater than on any former occasion, appeared somewhat less than last year. With respect to the sport, we cannot speak so well of it as we could wish, since the great superiority of Potentate over all the fields he rau against made his victories so easy as to take all interest from the races. The wretched condition also in which the three-year-olds—the future competitors in our Great Trial Stakes — were brought to the post caused disappointment, and was a very sorry contrast to the field of young ones which came out at these races last year. For the Maiden Plate only one of the three-year-olds was started ; and although Cassandra is a half-sister of Potentate, being out of the well-known mare Princess, the dam of Glaucus, Symphony, and other winners—the filly never showed in the race: and the mistake of throwing away a mare like Princess, by sending her to a weedy horse like Priam, was very strongly shown. The race was an easy victory to Prince Charlie, who, being able to keep the lead from the start, won the race without any attempt afe bolting, to which he is addicted. The Jockey Club Plare, which was the race of the meeting, brought together Potentate, Zingara, and Strop. Strop only went for the first mile, and then pulled off, reserving himself for the Handicap: and Zingara, who had only arrived from Nelson four days before the races, and who looked in our eyes too stout to run, although she did her work gamely, certainly never asked the horse to race the remaining mile.

The Handicap Stakes brought to the post Strop, Printer's Devil, Miss Nightingale, and Prince Charlie, and was won easily by Strop, who gave 61bs. to all the others except the black colt, who received from him 4Tbs.

The first race for the second day was the Ladies' Purse, our fair friends in the Wairatt having subscribed very liberally to the purse which bore their name. Potentate, Zingara, Strop, and Prince Charlie started for the first heat. Strop doing his best to take all he could out of the horse, so as to allow the black mare to go against him for the second heat; but neither the one nor the other could make the chestnut go faster than what appeared to him to be a common exercise gallop. How he can go when asked we may probably see in Nelson in March next, but it- was not shown at the Wairau meeting.

The Shearers' Purse, a welter race of two miles, was also a very hollow affair, for Potentate again won as he pleased, the only racing being between, the Punter's Devil and Alma for second place.

The Consolation Stakes afforded by far the b^st sport of any race at the meeting, Zingara, Midnight, Miss Nightingale, and Alma, having been placed by the handicappers on prett}'equal terms. The weight put upon Zingara was thought by many to be too great, for she gave Midnight and the filly 18 lbs. each, and Alma 14ftis. In the race, too, Midnight, a powerful mare, by Riddlesworth. the cut of a good huntress, took a strong lead, which she maintained for half a mile. Zingara and the filly runningtogether, but on reaching the ropes, Zingara, vfiio had been creeping up quietly, went in first, and won easily.