O T A G O.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 36, 13 March 1863, Page 2

O T A G O.

{ fFROJI OUR. OWN CORRESPONDENT. J 1 DUNEDIN, Monday, 9th Marcli. 3 During the last week little or nothing was „ done, talked of, or thought about outside the s racing arena. Every body has been taken by j surprise at the result of the races, and the Victorians have dropped their money upon . the several events to a very large, and with some, I fear, to a very serious amount. The (1 Champion race was won by the little mare a Lady Bird. She stood very low indeed in the general betting, the odds against her being about twelve to one % She certainly was held in considerable estimation by a few of the. knowing ones, who were in the secret , as to her speed and racing qualities. Mormon, the favorite, at even betting against the c field, at which he was backed for very large c amounts, was at the trial found sadly wanting, coming in an indifferent second._ He, however, managed to'retrieve some of his lost honors by winning the Town Plate on the r third day's races. The weather on the first and most important day was remarkably fine, — gloomy ami overcast, but quite dry and s cool. The second day was more unfavorable g for turf operations, 'a great deal of rain - having fallen during the night, which made d the course heavy and the roads bad to travel over. The day, on the whole, was tolerably fine, but sharp showers at intervals greatly g marred the enjoyment of the sport. Friday, the third and last day, as arranged by the ir Stewards, was all that could be desired, c The Handicap Steeple Chase was won by Daniel Webster, the Town Plate by Mormon, the Forced Handicap by Young Alma, the :- Consolation Handicap by Partisan, and the d Hack Eace by Loddon. r. A fourth days' sport was decided on, but if excited no special interest. The day was fine, but even enthusiasts in turf matters c had had quite enough with three days' sports" g Lady Bird having won three hard ridden )- races in succession, has placed her at the n head of the colonial bl ood. I have been in- . formed that L3OOO was offered for her, and r, refused by her fortunate owner. If your \, readers have taken the trouble to peruse n the account of what has been a very g exciting affair, they will have had enough of .- racing news for the occasion, and I had better o turn to matters of more general interest.

: The election.... for Superintendent will take : placa onlSsiturday next. Very great effort s I: are: being made by the friends of. Mr Harria ■• to retain that gentleman.. Jt is thought that ■ i tHe rbtingAvilL'Jbe^ery .even, but that Mr will, on" tfie returns being sent forward, find himself at the head of the poll. On Wednesday last fourteen hundred passengers, chiefly from Victoria, landed here; thislamountbeing supplemented on Friday by the arrival of two hundred more. News has come to hand announcing other ships having been laid on for the passenger trade to tins port. I need not tell you that a very large number, as soon as they land, make their •way to Invercargill. We ' are getting very jealous of you, and rather disapprove of the spirited manner in which you conduct your affairs. A report has come in here that a really payable gold field has been discovered in your province. Whether this is to be classed under the head of " fact" or " fiction" we must look to you to enlighten us. A great sensation was created a day or two ago when the fact was announced that Gilbert, a mate of the notorious Gardiner, had been captured at the Dunstan. He will be brought before the resident magistrate this morning, but there is no doubt he will be remanded for cumulative evidence previous to his committal for trial. Gardiner, it is asserted, is somewhere in the neighborhood of the Dunstan, and his capture is looked upon as almost certain. How he entered our province unobserved by a watchful and efficient police it is difficult to say. but it is pretty certain he ■will not leave with such impunity. In my last I informed you that the weather had broken up. Since then it has appeared to have altered its mind, for we have had some beautiful days and winter has not dared as yet to show his hoary face. There is still some muddle respecting the exact day the escort is due here, in consequence, as I understand, of an arrangement not yet completed for the returns to be forwarded on weekly, as was formerly the case. On Saturday the Lake escort brought down 20.447 i ounces ; to-day the Dunstan escort is due with 8587 ounces. Wetherstone^s and Gabriel's l eturns are not to' hand ; but allowing •■ even for an increase from these older fields, the total of the escorts show a considerable falling off from previous returns. : A great deal of indignation was created in '< town yesterday on account of a man said to have been in a dying state having been taken • about eight o'clock on Saturday night last, 1 to the hospital, and there refused admission ■ by Dr Yates, the resident surgeon. I have i made inquiries and find the report quite • true. It -is also ce< firmed by a letter I , observe published in this morning's Telegraph. '• Dr Yates has assigned no reason for such an ■ unusual, and, as it appears to most of us, '■ inhuman proceeding. When the unfortunate ■ sufferer was taken to the hospital, which was i done by placing him on a dray — he had prei viously received a medical certificate signed • by Dr Hocken, stating that the man was in 1 a state which required immediate medical ■ treatment. • Two of our most respectable tobacconists, • one in a very large way of business, have s been convicted of smuggling tobacco, and | , mulcted in penalties to the extent of three ' times the estimated value of the tobacco I smuggled. An opinion is gaming ground that both at Invercargill and at Dunedin 1 large quantities of goods escape payment 1 of duties. Our custom house force is to ■ receive an augmentation, so " bold smugglers " beware. ! The Gothenburg -will steam away m an i hour or two from here. She carries a large : number of letters for England, merchants ; not caring to risk the whole of their corre- • spondence to the last steamer, which leaves • here on the 17th to catch the English out- . going mail. There have been so many misses : and mistakes upon previous occasions that I , think they do quite right in making sure by 1 sending the bulk of their business letters by an earlier mail.