THE ESCORT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 29, 29 August 1868, Page 2

THE ESCORT.

The naval fortnightly Escqrt arrived in Dunedin on Tuesday with the following quantities of gold : — ° _ . OZB. DTfT. Tuapeka 967 o Warpori • 858 p Waitahuna 271 0 Woolshed ... Queeustown \\\ CQ2 18 Arrow 471 x Dunstau 625 12 Black's 504 q Cromwell „ 504 6 Manuherikia ... „'. 8.54 6 St. Bathan's 277 18 Hamilton ... ... m% \ Macraes ... Mount Ida 868 0 Bvritzers * ... „, „,- ... Tptsl ... 6303 14 i

The first annual Ploughing .Match in the Tuapeka district took place yesterday at Evans' Flat, in a paddock belonging to My. David Evans. The ground being a convenient distance from Xiawrence, a large number of spectators availed themselves of the opportunity of witnessing the match, amongst whom, the day being fine, were a considerable sprinkling of the fair sex. Mr. Evans had a booth on the ground where all kinds of refreshments were supplied, a.n,d the spirit of the gathering which is at all times of an essentially quiet description, was well kept up to the cloae. There were ten entries but only six teams came forward by the advertised hour. "Wo holioye two or thtee other teams came forward in the course of the morning, but were too late to perform the required ploughing. The following is a list of the competitors :—: — HOUSE TEAM*. Ov?ner. Ploughman. Maker. R. Lancaster S. Walker Barrowman 1 Do,. J. Brown Do. 2 J. C. Roberts R. Coahrano Hutchison 4 — Hutchison ' Owner Chambers 5 P. Robertson l^l'Gilvray frraj BOLLOCK TEAM. P. Robertson J. Drysdale Seltar & son 3 The judges on this occasion were 3\£essrs. George Walker, Andrew Smith, and William Ramsay, who, after spending some time in agreeing upon their decision, delivered the same to the committee, when Mr. J. R. Gascoigne announced the following ploughmen as. the successful competitors in the match : — The prize for the best tmn out was awarded to James Brown, ploughman to Mr. Lancaster ; for the best kept harness, awarded to Samuel Walker' ploughman to Mr. Lancaster. Tho money prizes were then announced as follows : — Samuel Walker, first prize, L 5 ; James Brown, second prize, L 4 (both ploughmen to Mr. Lancaster) ; J. Drysdale, bullock team, received the thirl prize of L 3 (ploughman to Mr. Peter Robertson) ; Robert Cochrane, fourth prize, L 2 (ploughman to Mr. J. C. Roberts) ; Mr. Hutchison, fifth prize, LI, who attended his own team. In announcing these results Mr. J. R. Gascoigne said he had pleasure in congratulating the district upon the measure of success which had attended, the match. He thought there would have been more entries than there had been, but several who purposed coming forward to the contest had for some reason been kept back. He was instructed to say that the judges were only duty bound to make some commendations, as the committee could not give prizes to all. Between the fifth and sixth on the list the judges had considerable difficulty in deciding which should have the fifth prize, but after weighing the matter fully they finally decided that No. 1 lot or the sixth on the above list should go without a prize. In the evening about forty gentlemen sat down to a sumptuous dinner in the Evans' Flat Hotel, provided by Host Evans. Hoiace Bastings, Esq., occupied the chair, and was supported on his right by G. B. Vause, Esq., and on his left by J. C. Brown, Esq. After the usual loyal toasts had been drunk with all the honors, the chairman proposed the toast of the evening, 11 Our Agricultural Interests," and in the course of his remarks he adverted to the fact of gold mining having proved a wonderful agent in opening up and developing the resources of a coimtry— but after mining; then came agriculture, which proved a sure means of consolidating things. He would venture to say that seven years ago no one imagined for a momont that a ploughing match would be held in Tuapeka in such a Bhovt time. Although not an agriculturist himself he took a deep interest in the subject, as it was one materially affecting the district. He suggested the idea of an Agricultural Hall and the holding of markets, &c, as by such a step he believed an emulation would be created to raise good crops and firstclass stock. He considered it the duty of everybody in the district to encourage the object they had in view. As man were to a great extent the architects of their own fortune, so the prosperity of a district depended entirely upon the will of its inhabitants. The toast having been warmly responded to, Mr. Vause proposed "The Mining Interests" associated with the name of Mi: R. Williams, who responded. The following toasts were drank in succession : — " The Commercial Interests." " The Provincial Council." Responded to by Mr. Brown, M.P.C. "The Ladies," "The Fourth Estate." The chairman proposed j "Mine Host," after which Mr. V«iuse in an elaborate and highly eulogistic speech, proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman. Songs by Messrs. Bastings, Vause, Williams, Christie, and others enlivened the evening, which made a pleasant finale to the first district Ploughing Match, but which we trust is but the prelude to a new era in the agricultural prosperity of Tuapeka. AN accident happened on Wednesday evening to Cobb and Co.'s coach on the road near Waitahuna. While Mr. Tolcher's contract has been in progress, it has been necessary for the coach to take a steep nasty sidling, which entails great caution on the part of the driver. At this point on the occasion in question, the body of the coach was thrown completely off the wheels, and the passengers carried with it. The passengers were three ladies and a child. Mrs. Geo. Walker we ars sorry to learn, received a slight bruise on the leg, but beyond that we are not aware of anything serious having resulted from the accident, By the assistance of some of the men working on the road the coach was temporarily repaired, and the passengers brought on to Lawrence, We are requested by those who witnessed the accident to say that no blame whatever could be attached i to the driver. It is usual, wo undetstand, for the passengers to alight and walk at the part of the road described ; but as they consisted entirely of ladies, the coachman, rather than put them to inconvenience, tried to dispense with that trouble, but with the result above stated. Mr. Maule opened the Cafe do Paris in Robs Place on Thursday evening. We were glad to hear that he received so mnch encourngement on the first day the Cafo was oper. Mr ""Maul© has sliovru great tuete- in the decoration of his saloon, which is large and commodious sad tttremely corofarftbla.