AUCKLAND.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 19, 8 December 1883, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(from our own correspondent). The chief events of the past week in Auckland have been the arrival of the immigrant steamer Triumph, direct from London ; the extraordinary wreck uf that vessel ; and the Takapuna race-meeting. The Triumph is a large steamship of 2000 tons, and when lying at the Queen Street wharf she appeared of imposing dimensions. She arrived on Tuesday the 27th, carrying some five hundred immigrants, of English, Scotch, and Irish nationality. The condition of the immigrants was excellent on arrival, but that of the steamer excited some comment. She appeared dirty aud ill-ventilated, and the accounts given by the immigrants of the captain aud officers created an unfavourable impression; so much so that the usual gratuities bestowed in recognition of duties satisfactorily performed were witheld by the Immigration Department.

The Triumph, having discharged her immigrants, and the Auckland portion of her cargo, steamed for Wellington on Thursday night. She was accompanied by the pilot two miles Beyond Kangitoto. Before leaving, the pilot gave the captain the correct course and all necessary instructions. On Friday morning all Auckland was in a ferment of excitement when the Triumph was descried a wreck on Tiri Tiri Point. This at first appeared incredible. 'I o begin with, the lighthouse on Tiri Tiri rendered it almost impossible to believe that any vessel could have accidentally gone ashore there. To reach the Point the steamer hid gone five miles out of her uour-e, in a direction opposite to that given by rhe pilot. The night was perfectly still and clear and the sea calm. The behaviour of the captain and officer* excited a great deal of suspicion and comment,

and as various steamers reached the scone of the disaster enquiring particulars and offering assistance, the captain refused any explan al ion of his extraordinary position. The officers and crew also maintained a suspicious demeanour. There was only one passenger on board, and he was asleep when the accident occurred. She ran ashore at about 10.3 ) p.m.

Steamboats have since been running to and from the scene of the disaster, carrying the interested and the curious l o form their own conclusions. Either alien board were drunk and incapable, or the grounding of the Triumph was no accident. The rays from the light on Tiritiri m ist, have b••en streaming down upon the very deck of the steamer ui she approached the rocks, where she now lies a wreck.

An attempt to float the Triumph was unsuccessfully made on Sunday hist. Four steamers were engaged, and Iho best possible arrangements made. When the order “ Kull speed astern ” was given, all four powerful engines steamed their best, together with the engines of the Triumph ; but. t ough the great steamer shook and quivered again under the powerful strain, she failed Io bu lge an inch from her position. After a two hours' tr<al the attempt was given up for th*’ present. It i& evident that, if the vessel is to be saved at all, some more effectual steps will have to be taken Her fore compartment has some ten feet of water in i>, which ebbs and flows with the tide. The rock upon which she is lying is protruding through her bottom. The Takapuna Racing Club, an institution growing steadily in importance every year, held their Spring meeting on Saturday last, on their picturesque little race-course at the North Shore. The course was in excellent running order, the day beautifully ane, and everything favored expectations of a really successful meeting, expectations that were fully realized, as the close finishes and good fields proved. The running commenced at 1.30 punctually, with the Spring Handicap, three horses being brought to the post. After an exciting contest, the winner turned up in Mitrailleuse, a three-year-old filly by Musket, with Snider (another Musket) a good second. The next event, the Hurdle Race, was won with some ease by Chandler, with Harkaway second, that old rogue Lone Hand again disgracing himself by bolting off the course, and thus disposing of his chance.

The St. Andrew’s Handicap brought the respectable field of nine starters to the post, and speculation Was rife, it being considered by most people an open event, though Woodpecker was made rather a favorite. After three or four attempts to get them away the flag dropped to a fair start, Yuba Bill getting, it anything, the advantage. The smallness of the course and consequent frequent turnings are no t conducive to fast going, and the pace from the first was not remarkable. The favourite made an effort just before entering the straight, the last time round, but Yuba Bill, in possession of the inside running, managed to maintain his lead and lauded a cleverly-ridden race by about half a length.

The great event of the day, the Steeplechase, now came on for discussion, four of the six entered coming to the post. Chandler was again must fancied, but each horse had his circle of friends, a steeplechase being at the best an open event. Fly led off at a pretty good but and was fiist over the double opposite the stand, followed by Christmas, Tricotrin, and Chandler, in the order named, little alteration taking place for the first mile. Ou coming down the hill ac the back of the course, Fiy ran inside u post, which necessitated his returning, thus allowing the others to gain a considerable advantage. Not for long, however, us he set off iu hot pursuit, and before the double was again reached hud raced up and given them a lead over. Tricotrin had run off «*i a rather sh irp turn just before the water-jump, au<i from that moment was out of the race, he being never able to get on terms with the leaders. The waier-jump, whi.h was a teazer, and enoug i to try t lie metal of any good hone, was cleared m a grand style by all without a mistake. During the second round there was liitle al teratiun, all jumping in a really splendid manner, and all within a length uf one another. Not a single mistake was made, On entering t io sLrdgnt Uliunlier gruimlly drew up to the leaders and a flue race ensued, ending in Chundier being first, with Unristinas about had a length behind, and Fiy about a neck in the rear of Christmas.

Ti e Flagstaff Hill, the point of vantage from which these notes were taken proved a magmfi ent stand from which to witness this race, which may be described as a reu iy grand one from -tart to finis i. The races ended, nothing remained but to make one’s way back to I he ferry b >ut returning to Auckland. The road Boon became a busy and dusty scene, each individual hurrying off to avoid, if possible, the annoyance of missing the first bout, and having to wait, for another. Gr at w<*s the scrambling Mid jostling in < ousequence. At the wuarf one could form an idea <>f the extent uf the c»owd. The lit le steamers, in turn, were crammed from stem to stern, with a noisy human freight. Th- re was barely standing room on board, as each pushed off, various individuals still striving to obtain a footing by scrambling up over the p.ddle-box, or crawling up the side assisted by the hand of a friend.

Auckland looks as beautiful as ever. People complain of the weather, which*, according to all accounts, has been as unseasonable as iu other parts of the colony. The past week, however, has been delightful spring weather. There is a profusion of flowers iu the gardens on every side. Strawberries have been late as elsewhere, but are now obtainable at all the strawberry gardens, aud it is as pleasant and fashionable as ever to partake ol strawberries aud cream, lor a shilling in an arbour, cool and pleasant, but suggestive of earwigs and spiders. Queeu Street is, as usual, thronged i n the afternoons with the gay and fashionable. Nevertheless we have not seen uianv striking or remarkable toilettes. A general and becoming simplicity and neatness prevails, and it Is pleasing to observe that the abominable crilluulette is not conspicuous.

Conversation in Auckland at present b’.-in-ami ends with t, e Trumph. To day (th"' day) there is some disposition to ’withho'd private judgment upon tee officials unlil public enquiry has elicited the fa ts of the case. Ao extenuating circumstane. s have jet appeared, however.

The Chinese portion of the c-ew, some 24 in number, have caused some amusement bv . heir demeanour, luitiri is a spiral fishingground, ..im the lieatlien Chinese, deli,>,ted by the discovery, brought out. their fi° ingta kle on Saturday and enjoyed a glo'ioiis day s sport, hee dess of the coudiiion of their vessel, or the coming and going of spectator. Pishing from the bulwarks of the wrecked steamer, the almond-eyed celestial filled bucket after bucket with schnapper aud other fish, every fr.-s'i h ml being greeted with buisis of chiid-like j ,y atid enthusiasm.