TUESDAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 64, 1 May 1869, Page 2

TUESDAY.

The weather during Tuesday was the reverse of favourable for out-door demon* strations. Despite that fact, the public mustered quite as strong as they had done the day previous, and from noon till midnight the straets were thronged. The first event upon the card for the day ' was the levse, held by the Prince in the hall of the Provincial Council Chambers. Previous to, the appointed hour, a detachment of Volunteers, under the command of Captain Copland, took up a position near the northern entrance, and on the Prince's ai-rival at noon, formed a guard of honour. Presentations were made in the following order : — Members of the House of Representatives, Members of the Provincial Council of Ota<*ot clergy, the Mayor and Corporation°of Dunedin, naval and military gentlemen, the legal profession and private^ gentlemen. The next event was the Caledonian Gathering, which, despite the unfavourable state of the weather, was very well patronised. The following sports came off during the day : — Foot Race, ■ 200 yards Ist, Boag ; 2nd, Murdoch. Time 27sec. and 27^sec. Reel of Tulloch—lst, Murray ;" 2nd, Brown; 3rd, Campbell. Heavy Stone — Ist, Harper j 2nd, Bannerman. Hurdle Race, 400 yds .. heats —Ist, Shepherd ; 2nd, Boag ; 3rd r Murdoch. Time, 74^sec, 7lsec, and 74sec. Walking Match, two miles — Ist, Eddie ; 2nd, Macgregor ; 3rd, Thompson ; won by 15yds. Time, first mile, 9^min. ; second mile, B^uiin. Heavy Hammer— lst, M'Nicoll,"' 70ft. ; 2nd, Wetherstone, 62ft. Bin. Mile Fooi R aC e —Ist, G. Murdoch ; 2nd, Brown ; 3rd, Shepherd. Time, smin. 2sec. Cumberland Wrestling — Ist, Robertson ; 2nd, Carleton, ,3rd, Tyson. The day's festivities concluded with a citizens' ball, a "very brilliant affair, which- took place' in the large hall of the new Post-office Building, Princes-street. As the hour for the assembly wore on, the entrance to the hall was beseiged with spectators, and in addition to the arrival of the great observed of all observers, the dresses of the ladies were eagerly scanned 'as well as the other preparations for the occasion. So far as the Prince's predilections are noted, he is said to have evinced a decided preference for Scotch reels Supper was partaken of shortly after midnight, after which, toasts appropriate to the occasion were drank. The toast of the evening, the health of His Royal Highness, was proposed by the chairman (His Honour the Superintendent), and responded to with every demonstration of enthusiastic respect. In replying, the Prince alluded to the gratification it afforded him in visiting New Zealand, which he was pleased to designate the Britain of the South Seas- He referred to the affinity that existed between his own title and the name of the city, and made passing allusion to the neighbouring cities of Nelson and Wellington as bearing the names of two great heroes^ the memory of the orie associated with, his own profession, and the other that of the army— a profession which led him to remark that the Volunteers of this colony, as a supplementary force, were * credit to it. The health of His Excellency the Governor was nevt proposed, but his reply partook of nothing but a few conventional compliments. Ai a later stage of the evening, dancing was resumed and kept up with much, spirit till an early hour of the morning. The town was as brilliantly lighted 9a on the previous occasion. The number of skyrockets, sqiiibs, coloured lights- and crackers discharged was even greater than, on the preceding night ; indeed, thdfl species of amusement closely bordered on^ a nuisance. Idlers and lads were particularly active in discharging crackers' among, the more orderly class who might

happen to "bte passing/ iFeniales in particular" were specially marked out for such petty annoyance^ jind I am inclined to think that many of .their dresses must have sustained considerable damage. With a grossly mistaken indulgence, the police looked passively on at such proceeding*^ indeed, their conduct, both in this re(Hct as well as some others connected with the proceedings, has been •everely criticised. The members of the • city press in particular were subject to a variety of indignities at their hands, which v not likely to be forgotten in a hurry. With a prudence that does them credit, they have refrained from making allusion to the matter ;.in fact, 1 you mayremark from the newspaper 'reports that the police are barely taken notice of at all. This fact must be rather annoying to Mr. St. John JBranigan and his overgrown force, for the fact is that they did everything that . lay in their power tb attract attention. One thing may be relied upon, that whatever is said through the press, it will not go forth to the world that the arrangements made by the police were either satisfactory to the public or creditable to themselves. 'Judging frcm » casual notice of the streets about midnight, I am inclined to think that dissipation was much more general than it had' been the evening previous, and I see from the records of to-day's Police Court that this supposition is partly corroborated. • ■ '