TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4301, 4 January 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[Press Telegraph Agency.] Alexandra, Saturday. Yesterday being wet and boisterous, the sports were postponed till to-day ; but tbe weather being again unpropitious, they were postponed till the 29th. Grahamstown, Saturday. The Maori chief Eewai positively refuses to , allow the colonial prize firing to take place on the range chosen. A new site has been selected, which is believed to bo as good as the former. To-day is a general holiday. A gale yesterday did considerable damage to the gardens. Trees and shrubs were destroyed in many localities. The peaches suffered most. Auckland, Saturday. The races yesterday were attended by about fifteenhundredpeople. Generally they were well contested.- Per the Derby Medea was scratched, and only Eangi and Toi-toi came to the start-ing-post. Eangi, while taking the preliminary canter, bolted off the course, and, when jumping a ditch, fell heavily. Adams, the jockey, escaped unhurt. It was at first feared that Eangi was seriously injured, but the horse seemed to recover very quickly from the shook, and was able to walk off the course. The race was thus left to Toi-toi, which cantered round. In the Handicap Hurdle Eace of fifty sovs., Kate (carrying 9st. 91b.) was first, with Stranger second. Six ran. Kate went off with the lead but was soon overhauled by The Arrow, which maintained the first place until the seventh hurdle was reached. Kefusing the leap Arrow fell behind, and Kate again going to the front kept the lead to the end. In the Hack Hurdle Eace of fifteen sovs,, Stranger was first and Doctor second. The Grand-Stand Handicap was won by Templeton, with Parawhenui second, Yatterina third, This was a capital race, and won by only half-a-head. A heavy N.E. gale blew, and it was pouring rain yesterday. The races and all sports were postponed till to-day. Both days were observed as close holidays. Some trifling damage was done in the harbor to small craft by the gale. The Customs' revenue of Auclcland for the year 1871 was .£221,538.

New Plymouth, Saturday. The wet weather spoiled the sports yesterday. Blenheim, Friday. The sports to-day in Seymour-square were well attended. There was a capital programme. The events were well contested, hut the weather was unpropitious. There was a slight drizzle in the morning, and in the afternoon it became a heavy rain, which completely marred the pleasure of- the annual holiday. Gkeymouth, Saturday. The Customs’ duties of Greymouth for the quarter ending December were £12,236 sd. 2d., being greatly in excess of same quarter any previous year since 1807. Lyttelton, Friday. The Crusader, from London, lias,brought sixteen saloon passengers and 389 immigrants. Seven infants died on the passage, and there was one birth. The regatta took place to-day. In the sailing race for Bay traders for Messrs. Shaw, Saville, and Co.’s cup and £ls, the Catherine was first, the Bee second. In the yacht race for £2O, and a cup of the value of £ls, the Ripple, of Dunedin, was first. The champion "race was won by Albatross. The Peerless, Alert, and Saucy Lass collided, the two firstnamed losing- their jibbooms. The Saucy Lass had her mainsail split. Dunedin, Saturday. The weather yesterday was magnificent, and at least eight thousand persons attended the Caledonian Gathering. To-day it rained heavily, and there were not more than a thousand persons present. The cricket match between Dunedin and Invercargill was won by the former in one innings, and with thirty-four runs to spare. Dunedin made 114 against Invercargill's 34 in the first and 44 in the second innings. In the match between Oamaru and Dunedin, played at Oamaru, Dunedin made 61 iu the first innings, and Oamaru, with eight wickets down, scored only 40. There is little chance of the match being played out. The year' Sj Customs’ revenue was £357,199 9s. 5d., against £283,778 4s. Id. for 1873. Iu the grain market very little business is doing owing to the holidays. Prices remain unaltered. Invercargill, Saturday. Yesterday and to-day have been observed as a close holiday. On New Year’s Day upwards of three thousand people were present at the Caledonian games. To-day nearly two thousand people proceeded by rail to the Bluff, where a regatta is to be held.