Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 652, 5 February 1859, Page 4

Colonial.

WELLINGTON.

From the papers lately received we extract a few items of intelligence from this province. The Spectator of the 26th gives the following account

•"'■• ANNXVEHSAEY EEGXTTA, 1859 ?. Boreas, " our constant friend," having marie a night of it, it retired to rest at break of day : very -■ considerately consulting the amusements of the •-denizens on his " battle field," who had issued a • programme of aquatic sports to commemorate the 'nineteenth anniversary of the foundation of " Wel- ' SI 0";- at £ fc and P"Vipal settlement in the south of New Zealand. A more brilliant moraine th 6> most fastidious pleasure-seeker could not have «nT 'T Wi fch a}?™ Jusfc su%ient to cool the "■£327 ? ' ?. •? wPan8Ie the broad expanse of water fronting-thei town, the day seemed all that a Yachtsman could hope for. The hardy boatman of £L A T 6, early astir P'-epanng their gaily , ISiiHrSw 1" thV Ppr°achin^ Contest :IthJ active .ttle-WongaWonga" combining business "w th pleMwe, after'discharging an inward cargo of -a hundred bales of wooldnto the Eobert Smalls ■her steam up preparatory to receiving the excursion■kvmgicifcizens who flocked to the place of embarka■JiraaMl o clock, and quickly covered the-deck of «Jhe ravounte. On the booming o f the signal gun tae warp was cast off, and with her Irving freight the pliant little-vessel ploughed her way through the briny element towards « Somes'- Ishiiid," amid -t.he cheers of those on board, andthose who watched 'her progress: happy faces met the gaze at every point:; the good folks of Wellington had evidently laid themselves out for a day's enjoyment and an--peared determined that nothing should jaar.their tpleafiure. ; / ' " / V . ■ " The harbour bore On its T>osom its usual laro- e ' amount of Shipping, which, with the White Swan and other portion* of-our steam fleet, decked from truck to taftrail with the gayest bunting, presented «nenlK'enn,g scene. The noble looking ship Robert Small" and cl.pper brigantine Louisa"laden with the iroaiLh of. the province, a»d shortly to J.e«reu»-ior the good old country,—the numerous <».wting craft,-the tiny skiffs of.lovers of aquatics darting to and fro, added fresh interest the *timng madmts. The am phi theatrical character of the hilly in the neighbourhood of the porb, with the 2-iclj and-vancd foling© of the stately trees covering they", slopes—the clearings of' the settlers, clothed vrtfk verdant freshness—gave the admirer of nature ißundant pleasure in contemplating the beauties oefqre him ?' we coufd not regard the prospect with out fervently wishing that those who are shut v" iti ainoky and crowded cities could take their etanfj

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tttS ? i "*!"" in tho c Wment, and dr rik in the delurbt .wluoh-oannot but be -experienced Uttder y C^ mb!. nßllion * circumstances, tin Jr ill fOt T ' *'**"*** wo could dis, ilujt, and other outlets (to *he countw.^ic-nio by van «hade beside the murmuring rivulet— bafoWaU nsi.der^;l>ach cel o^ groining under the «llf • lm&Pl\^y^Poß and sizes containing the^delicacies of .the reason' and other concomifiS °." 8"ell ruefclc revels. Pleasure .vans, too,filled mth flowers of loveliness^reatiori's Mvosi daughters.: and now and then would strike upon the ear, wafted from some shady nook, strains-of Plaintive harmony from some striving amateur performer, endeavouring, with commendable industry, to conquer :the difficulties, of-Love Not,' followed ■(with decxded by the 'Angel's Whisper/ meloTie^ " m *v gttze'' "»d.other ,thrilling " The *'heaa of the bay' was however-the ereat attraction, having been fixed upon as the starting place for the boats which were entered >to contend tor the pmes. The commodious offices at the Exchange were handsomely placed at .the disposal of the committee by Mr. Hunter. . * « 'The events of the day were farther enlivened sLJ-TT 1 °f E2 mtor > from London, under Swedad l o CJ lours,--th c first occasion, we believe.on which the flag, of that.nation has. floated o'er the waters o£ Port N.cholso B ,~as well ashy the intelli! gence that Mr Suisted, one of the original settlers, with bs family, had returned hy herto New.Zea' land. Laterm the day, tlie^crewsteamship Lord Ashley rounded Point Halswell, contributing -to the activity and .gaiety of the scene. tWo - 1 1 2o'clo. ck ' evr£JT«nng being in readiness, the signal was given ' Prepare to weight and at the sound of the gun the boats started." The particular account of the races is too long for our columns. The first was a -skiff race, fo? whwh .there were entries, won bythe Active. IJie -.second was a four-oared race, won by Captain Bar-ke's g.g, Robert Small. Third, a sailing raS for cargo boats, won by the City of London. Fourth pleasurayachts over.2o feet keel, won by a boat rejoicing.m the n ame of «^our Chums,' for coasting_craTt«ndei;.loo tons, won by the -Erne -al whtfff nhe Mary Thomaon and Emerald, in ~th* «» stated to have been-left fai-/^" aSS't ' slxfc> waa a BCul^g race, won by fS , Laurre J a»d a seventy for watermens' boats, observed > large party of fashionables under the bvS M^ Whlt^ S i r an ' who^e entertained by Capt. M'Lean and who appeared to epjoy themselves, and to take a livelyinterest in the several races as the competing vessels passed the steamtr on • their way up and down the iarbour. .The Wonga Wonga discharged her passengers about ™?V S Clvr' h-° «P.res Bed tfiemselfes highly gratified with their cruise, and the arrangements ma€e for theirwmfort on board/and on leaving £S-tIPVe^ c v Wr fchy «*"»*»*«, G^tain Jvennedy,"three hearty cheers. , tlJbi'?'?!'^ in.courtesy to Messrs. Lucas, Pilcher, Curtis, Hunter, Valentine, andthe other members of the managing committee, as well as to tne-mdefatigable honorary secretary and ■iSSSli^i-^ P, Ubllc forthe activity and judgment they_ displayed on the occasion .of the E^f y^1 7as iS o,worthily.commemorated. £r P StAi. bui Wf trllst ihafc Previous to the celebration^ftheaGth bkthdayoHhe,settlement, they wnUn^avow.bytheir influence;^ fornraßegatti S^^ which, ife may be character pfpur aquatic^ sports will be raised, and tW^ements -of each succeeding ,be

upon the result of the sailing match for decked vessels under 100 tons S™ffl,- c th^ Auckland clipper Isle, a r match was made up between her, the Mary Thomson and Emerald, which came off yesterday, at the suggestion of Captain Oakes himS£ms? |^ rous that ey«T opportunity ■should te afforded his opponents at the Anniversary Kegatta to test their sailing qualities-. under the pressure -of a-smart South East breeze which blew yesterday; 'the want of wind on the 22nd beins supposed'by^hß Masters of the Thomson and Emerald to have occasioned their defeat. The race,was beautifully contested between the Greens • the Mary Thomson, having carnedaW some portion, oi her^ar, just before time for starting, retired; but the Emerald.ut was.clearly seen.-stood no chance of bearing off the prize ; her antagonist, splendidly handled by Captain Oakes, coming in at least a mile a headomthe run of about -dS miles." School TEAST.-On Monday the anniversary of this settlement was celebrated by the Sunday schools ot the town, the teachers and children of which after mustering at their respective school rooms, proceeded in a .joyous procession to a pretty green spot on the Karori road, where similar festivals have been^ held for several successive years. On the grouna 'tlrey were joined by the school from Karon, and alto-ether, including.Visitors, there were upwards of 500 present, young and old. Th« day was bright, the grass was freshened by the previous rain and the sun's rays were cheerily glinted back from sparkling youthful eyes, bongs and hymns, set to. tunes adapted to youthful under the able leadership of Mr. Moxham. of the Wesleyan Churcli. A liberal provision of tea bans and cake had been nrade,to which the children and adu ts did ample justice. Various games and sports filled up the afternoon, and about swe n o clock: the- procession was again formed, and the whole left ground, without the occurrence of a single circumstance to mar the pleasures of the day.— Spectator, Jan. 26.