Tologa Bay.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1048, 14 March 1882, Page 2

Tologa Bay.

(from our own correspondent.) March 8. At the race meeting held here on the 27th February, the whole of the winning Maori horses— four in number—have been disqualified. Three (one a winner of two races) on the ground of notbelonging to the district, andoueon the ground of the nominator or owner not being a subscriber. Needless to say this result has created no small amount of indignation among our dusky brethren. 1 heard so many reports re the reason for disqualification, etc., that I determined to go to the fountain head to try and obtain correct information, and from Mr. W. W. Brown I learn that Tupera and Wild Duck are really not district horses, and, therefore, justly disqualified, but as regards the surroundings I think 1 must confess that there is something a little unjust. Notices have been posted up in English, but none in Maori, neither has there been any explanation given to them, and Mr. Brown astonished me when he said, “Ilarpunga the winner of the Hack Race was disqualified because the owner or nominator was not a subscriber to the funds. The mistake arose through an error in the wording of the programme, and we were bound to abide by it, though in all previous meetings this race has been excluded from the rule of nominators or owners being subscribers." Now it seems very hard that the Maoris should be made to suffer because the Pakehas make a mistake. In writing out the notices in Englisji, and no notice being written iu Maori, the Natives had no opportunity of detecting the omission. I have written thus fully because general feeling, both Pakeha and Maori, is bitterly averse to the action of the Stewards, and if allowed to pass unnoticed Tologa Bay Race Meetings will get a bad name, whereas the action of a lew should not be allowed to spoil the pleasure of the many, and bring a slur on the racing character of the district. Some little time since I reported the shipment to Auckland by Mr. Andrew Reeves, of some 590 sheep, now I understand that the district is to be enriched bv the addition of some 1,509

sheep to add to the flock of Mr. Robert Noble. The Southern Cross is anxiouslyexpected with her livingfreight. She was to have left Lyttelton early this month, but was some few days lace in her arrival there. The weather has been very hot indeed lately, rain has fallen by day and night in showers, but instead of decreasing the heat, has only made it more unbearable, making it damp and close, instead of clear.

The s.s. Rosina is also very anxiously expected. Our bonifaees are out of draught beer, and have been for some days, and if a supply does not soon arrive, the bottled beer will soon run low, and we shall be driven to “ hard tack ” the same as we were some two months since. It is a pity regular communication between here and Gisborne cannot bo established.