Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 393, 19 January 1850, Page 3

Original Correspondence.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander. New Plymouth, Jan. Ist., 1850. Sir. — Our Annual Races came off on the 27th ult.; and, us an appendix thereto, tiiere was a ploughing match. The races were won chiefly by Maori horses ; and it is not unlikely, unskilled though they be, tha f had they competed, the Maorics would have carried off a prize or two for the ploughing also. For the ground selected, from, probably, an erroneous notion that the ploughing wai merely secondary or subservient to the races, was a piece of unbroken fern land in the vicinity of the race course, which, as might have been anticipated, set the display of ait at nought, consequently put good, ordinary, and novice ploughmen very much on a per. However, it was well to have even such a beginning, as]it has afforded the stimulus to repetition ; and, no doubt there will be a better selection, with more variety in sill times coming. And as the circumstances excited considerably more general interest than the rac«s, it is to be hoped that a diversified competition in agricultural workmanship will be instituted. On the following day we had the public exhibition of ft wrestling match, together with such Donnybrook and B,u'tleiny fair fooleries as are now, one and all, and everywhere, becoming less and less countenanced ; such for example, as climbing a greased pole, and racing after a similarly bedaubed pig — all of which scientific recreations, for very sufficient reasons, it would have been wiser to have omitted than to observe. The place of exhibition, too, might have been better chosen, for assuredly the centre of a town, however convenient tbat may happen to be in some allied regpecti, is on the score of common order and decency, an objectionable site. How the said Pig and Pole drolleries succeeded I have not learned ; but, in the matter of wrestling, a stout fellow of a Maori, though untaught in the noble art, Kid all opponent Pakeha champions on the turf, to the no small mortification of these doughty athleta ; and, likely enough, to the disappointment of the abettors of snoh recJiercM fun also. It is to bo hoped that this, as it was, I believe, the first, will be the last. here, of such Gothic saturnalia, and (hat public annual festivals of more rational purpose and amusement will hereafter take their place. Let the piedominant good sense of our community rouse itself in behalf of the utile duke on such coming occasions, and such nonsenical gymisaitics will not be likely again to disgrace our thoroughfares. We are the occupaits* of an agricultural district ; therefore, ploughing matches, combined with other field and horticultural display 5 , ought to be among the substitutes, But seductives to gaming, drinking, and brawling should be deprecated, discouraged, and eschewed. " Meet the disorder in its outset*' says the wise old maxim, " the remedy may be too late ivhen the vice has gained ground through delay." -It is a silly argument to urge that these were the (ports of our forefather!, for with parallel propriety we might see a reverence in throwing all modern social improvement! overboard for the sake of such slowcoaching prejudices ami practices; we might send^too, Mechanics' Instil ] tutes to the land of forgetfulnesa, and then reiort to the tavern and taproom for our modicum of edification and enlightenmen f . One word, too on the subject of horse-racing: In itself, that is, uncorrupted by gaming and blacklegging, it is an exhiluatiug amusement. But it is to be hoped that the fancy will not so grow among us as to give an overweening encouragement to the intioduction, breeding, and training of those greyhound-like weeds of horses which are unsuited for the purposes ofan agricultural district. Fiectness of gallop is not, as yet, an utilitarian object here ; and we have neither woalth enough, no-, generally, idle time enough to devcts to the care and feeding of such useless beasts. We ought rather, and, I trust, we shall, make it our object to dc* monstrate to the world that we desire to be cansidered a rationally guided agricultural community ; and thtu give our friends at home to know tbat though we have noc,yet, all or many of their appliances, we have nevertheless the ambition to imitate their industry and to do our best to " Speed the Plough." I am, Sir, your obedient seivant, Caiso.