E ] [ ACH E R <35 ASIDE.

Tauranga Record and Bay of Plenty Examiner, Volume 1, Issue 1, 15 June 1867, Page 3

E ] [ ACH E R <35 ASIDE.

T vnr v\r(f\ v. Opotiki. ^ On M mM.iv. J.uno Stli. a grand mai ' for £35 asii'e oime off on ' the Mnnmouth R^. doubt Field, bffwcen Bartlott Provo, the charii pion pedestri.aii of Tauranga, and James U alkey, of BT.!;irn.f. Vietoria, but now of Oneriri. Tbe day v/mj .'ay tliat 'cmild be tvislie ! for, hrigh', clear, and Vr.gny. A cool ' 1 o. f|)„ w.lri).tl, of the sitn's rays, and !v-ndere3 tbe temperatnre agreea'oD and axbibiretinW. The people of ! a ii rau ea were of emrse sweet upon tbeir o« n iti-i'i, Provo. wlio had never heen lieaten h.'y . v : • -in- arenfiv in '.plendid (raining and full of eonfidenee, and ;h"v xvgrg disposad to givp inalead of taking odds. Walker, it is sai'.l' has wom. a name in Vi/oria and Waikato for some eelebr.ited matches, ^rhieh he accompljshed in an ext' aordinary cliort time, and he had a nnmher of ba.-kers who were wiiling to a-hide the event. There was some d issatisfacf ion in the early part of tbe day ex pressed bv Provo and his friends with regard to t he sh^pe o/. tn.e eourse. The selection of groimd was won bv Walker, and his

party clioose the Monrnonth Redoubt Field instead ofthe Cameron road, as was originally propose-1, and the field not beitig sufficientlv extensive for. a straight run, the conrse I aid out was necessarilv oireular or eiliptieal. The nfti# qrrapgemeiit was however agreed fo bv Provo,. .ar.d fho raee came off shortlv after tliree p.m. The distance was -140 yard.s, onee and a half round. and the eonr»e was marked out with flags, which together with a very numerous assemblage of person* on the ground, ahont 400, gave the seene an ani-nated and nieforial effecf. 5 The conr-e was not in firsfrate order, parts of it having heen rooted up by pigs. When the nmn stripped. the ehecrful andelastic bearing of Provo, inereased tlie eonfidenee of his baekefs, whilo TA alkei ' s demeanot, ivas, we thpught rather grave. Still his lithe fignre nd iite reputation he'had previnnslv won as a eraek rnnner in Vietoria. left an impression taat Provo, if victorious, would have his work to do. ITmpire, Oaptain Skene ; Clerk "f the conrse, Mr. Xesbit ; Starter, Mr. Sprigluly; Re/erees, Mv.s-ws. Atkvns and l.eaia. ^ When the start was made Provo. tooK tli" for a short iistanee at a sp'.itting pace ti!! tbe fbird or.fourfh flag, when Walker q ver took hioi, and 'the race was heek and neck for thene.xt two "or tliree flag-y diirlng" which it was said that Pfovo was more than onee jostled by his adversarv ; still he again took the lead, increasing his distance ihead till at'the starting post, when Walker pulled up, and Proyo came in an ensy winrfer.' The chefering of ihe spectators was long'and vociferous as t" e loeal favorite came in victorious and apparently not distressed by the sever?ty of fhe pace ar.d the ground gone over. Tiie stakes to be paid over amonnt fo £65. £35 a side, £5 being allowed to Walker by Provo, >r travellin'g expenses from OpoHki. ^ , A verv iiiferesting and romantic f. aturein I Ihis race transpirtd. It appqars thafc»frovo | is engaged to a voang lady in Vietoria, ar.d i

he d«n"nde 1 on this raco to w" n fh» rvnan--to emhde hi'ti fo v.roceed thith'T.. r -1 -' >im ' hla nlivvcl bri le. "Tf [ .wi-i ' '>•> o'-?. ' | win h**? was hi r«mark, " an 1 if l lo" it l I lo«e her.'' i Tlis |ducky codhvt won the I svmpathr of a grertt portion of#'he sne -tatoA 1 vho withont doubt m'e, ■ 1 #if' their con cratulations the srntini'— " V" • Ivn&the hr.nVe deserVe the fai . We y.-i h liitn ttiture'happiness and.prospt>rft'. .