THE AUCKLAND REGATTA.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 108, 10 February 1853, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND REGATTA.

(From the Auckland Newspapers.) The thirteenth anniversary of the foundation of the nascent city and prosperous district of Auckland was commemorated, on Saturday last, in the manner in which the denizens ol a province of such surpassing maritime facilities should commemorate such an event, iiy the celebration of their annual and peculiarly attractive R galta. The day proved to be one not. only of tho utmost beauty, but one especially favourable for the display of the various aipiatic contests 10 be engaged in ; fur although the early morning was blight, calm, and melting, yet" scarce had the preparatory gun conveyed its intimation that every thing was in readiness, before a slight breeze began to curl the water, nhieli, although it never

. woke up to the strength lliat some of the . yaclils might have wished, became sufficient L to fill the sails of nil Hie competitors. Throngs • of our fellow citizens were to te seen hastening > to the scene of action. Our numerous and t admirable small craft were careering about with gay and joyous freights. The appearance of the harbour was unusually brilliant. Indeed, we can call to mind no previous Hegaiti in which so many fine square rigged vessels participated. Captain Prnnce having placed his good barque 'St. Michael/ at the disposal of the Committee, did every thing in his power to render her worthy of himself and the auspicious occasion. And, considering that Captain Pr.ince's crew have all duelled, he, his officers, and apprentices accomplished wonders: his ship was as ' bright as a new pin, and most elaborately dressed. From her trucks to her decks she was covered with hunting; and conspicuous in its proper position, at the f.irc-top-gallant-mast head, we rejoiced to behold the starspangled Hanner of the United Slates,—a becoming compliment from the Flagship to the American .Musters in pnit,—mm of large and libiial spirii themselves, and who evinced their hearty interests in us by the conspicuous part ihey took in the sports and entertainments of the day. I Cnpinin Thompson decked the ' Rer-vi' in scarce less gaudy colours than the flag-hip; j nor was the •Jtepuhlik' much behind, her towering mists displaying a variety of emblomalic bunting,—the .-.indwich Islands flag, with the Union Jack in the fly, holding a prominent position at the fore. The following were the order and results of the several r..ccs announced in the advertised , progiamme; 1. For decked, half-decked, and hatch boats not exceeding 25 tons. Prize, 12 guineas | the second boat to save her slakes. Tl.ive entered,—the. Pilot's cutter Anne, the schooner Hon Accord, and the Gnome. At the end of the race they arrived at the Flag Ship in the order in which wc have named them. 2.- For vessels above 10 tons, owned and navigated by Aborigines of New Zealand. No race, only two having entered, while the rules required three at least. 3. For sailing boats of S tons and under. 1 Prize £5. Three boats Marled,—Lieutenant G. Wynyard's Rifleman, Captain Traver's Rocket, Rnd Mr. JcVry Wailc's Jerry,— and a fourth, name unknown (a white host, carrying a white flag with a red cross), came in after the race had commenced. Jllflleman was the winner. 4. For open cargo boats not u der 6 tons. Prize, fifteen guineas; second prize, three guineas. Lander's Lizzy won the first, and Hobinson's Mary Ann the second. Hennett's John and Rebecca started, but gave up the contest fi. For decked orbalf-decked vessels, working for hire, and of not more than 3 inches rise of floor. Prize, ten guine.is. The Jlawkkcad won, beating the Oypsej, the Jidia Ann, and the Frances. 6. For four-oared gigs pulled by amateursPrize ten guineas. There was no race. 7. For whale-boats to be pulled by five oars. First prize, fifteen guineas ; second, five guineas. The following entered,—Modetuma, Republik, Sea Witch. Jasper, mid Fancy. After a line race, the Moctezuma arrived first, the Republik second, 8. For watermen's boats pulling two oars Prize £5. Angelo's Susannah won, beating the Charlotte and the Union. !). For small canoes, not to be manned by more than 12 natives. No competition. 10. For square-stcrncd boats not exceeding 25 feet keel, pulling four oars. Prize, five guineas. The Kuwait, the Rutland Lass, mid the St. Michael's b.iat were entered,— the last, it was understood, only to make up the required number. The Hawaii was the winner. The Kleventh and last race was emphatically themce of the day, being for canoes manned hy :ui unlimited number of natives, the first to leccivcloZ— the second:}/. Vonrcanocspresented themselves ; two of them superbly dressed for the occasion with pigeon and albatross feathers. The piincipal of these canoes which was a present from the Natives ol the Bast Coast, to that worthy man and fast friend of the Kuropeans, John llobbs, uas a perfect model of beauty, seventy-five feet in length and about five in breath, \iillr the most beautifully nnd el?borate*y caivcd head and scrn. This canoe was lately exhibit' d in Mechanic's Bay, and offered for sale for £IOO. She was the object i,f universal admiration on Satuiday, and with her crew of eight and forty stalwart natives—(the other thrtc were iqually and numerously manned) presented a picturesque ami imposing appearand. Having ocon ranged in line, and lip simial for startm" fired, away they bounded „iil, tf P .i.end..u3 shj.iU, lailiing the water mto fonn, pud paddling with arrow swiftness on

their course. The course was precisely the same a? that taken by the whale boats, and so close did they keep on their down harbour career that a blanket might have covered three of their number. But eighteen minutes were consumed in rounding the flag-boat with the tide, and hut twenty-seven minutes occupied in returning to the flag Ship against it. It will thus be seen that the two lirst canoes, (of which our Iriend John Hobbs was second) which came in with the prow of the one over the stern of the other traversed the same distance, but in three minutes less time than the first whale boat. Accustomed as we have been to the extraordinary energy of Maori racing, and the wondrous excitement which prevails amongst themselves and is shnrcd by the spectators, we confess we never beheld anything so brilliant as the race of Samrday. We therefore hope that at the next KegaUa, the two canoes [irizci will be blended together in one race, and that by fretting a Committee in the field in something like the same time and with the same spirit as the Joskey Club, that not only shall we be abb; to offer n nobler prize for our great and exclusively characteristic Canoe Race; but to make the festival so widely known thai a Ma iii Sailing Match mi an extensive scale may also add importance-to mir trill./ National Anniversary. The Kegalla was concluded at a rather early hour ; but, considering it under every aspect, we me inclined to think that it was one of the best that have hitherto taken place in Auckland.