CHRISTMAS RACES AND SPORTS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 729, 27 October 1870, Page 2

CHRISTMAS RACES AND SPORTS.

The Westport people have resolved upon holding their annual races and sports during the ] Christmas holidays, 1 and if the enthusiasm of the meeting, held at the Post Office Hotel on ; Tuesday evening, is to be accepted as any indication, a good week's amusement may- be anticipated. It had ] been feared for some weeks that the , dulness of trade would prevent the Jockey Club taking the matter in hand—that, indeed, the public were somewhat lukewarm on the matter of the races or sports, and that a successful meet of any kind would not be accomplished this season. The meetin" of Tuesday evening, however, dispelled all these fears. There was a large attendance and the work was satisfactorily gone through. It was first moved by Mr Seaton, and seconded by My Gilmer, that "It is the opinion of this meeting that annual races should be held in Westport during the Christmas holidays," upon which Mr Shoahan moved and Mr Emanuel seconded that the words "and sports" should be inserted, which amendment was carried. It was then resolved that the sporty should be held on Boxing day—Monday, the 2Gth December, and on Thursday, the 29fch, provided there would be funds sufficient, and that the races should be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 27th and 2Sth December—That the races should take place at the Orowaiti Race-course, provided Mr Jones put the course in racing condition by draining and levelling the same. Mr Jones agreed to do the work necessary and give the Committee the use of the Race-course, upon condition that he retain for his own use the right to the Grand Stand; or he would give the option of purchasing the right to the Grand Stand to the Committee within a month for £SO. That he would drain, level, and otherwise improve the ground before the races would take place, to the satisfaction of the Committee. A large Committee was then formed for the purpose of carrying out the necessary arrangements, consisting of Messrs Freeth, Gilmer, Milne, Sheahan, Seaton, Jones' Robertson, Graves, Emanuel, Poole' Johnstone, Carne, Hughes, Draghicavich, Corr, Humphrey, J Harris, D. Leslie, Lempfert, Macfarlane, Suisted. M'Ginley, Brown, Mailer, Lyonsj Roche, Dobson, Simpson, Stitt, Fisher' and Reid, with power to add to their number. A subscription list was opened in the room, and £SO was collected—Messrs Freeth, Gilmer, Sheahan, and Jones subscribing £5 5s each and several others from £1 la to £3 3s each. Six collectors were appointed to canvass the town for subscriptions viz., Messrs Graves, Gilmer, Sheahan', Robertson, Emanuel, and Lempfert, and five were appointed for the outlying districts, viz., Messrs Jones, Poolo, M'Farlane, M'Ginley, and Lyons. The Collecting Committees arranged to commence their canvass on Thursday at 10 a.m., meeting at the Post Office Hotel at that hour, and the General Committee resolved upon holding their next meeting at the Little Grey Hotel on Monday evening next, at 8 o'clock. * |

THE INANGrAHTJA

la our last issue we briefly referred to the arrival in Westport of parties from the Murray and Anderson's reefs, Inangahua, conveying the gratifying intelligence that the discovery of reefsof very considerable extent and extraordinary richness had been placed beyond doubt, upon further testing the stone and disclosing the extent of the reefs.

Anderson's keep. This, though the more recent discovery, bas given rise to the greatest excitement, and when our informants left, thero were already about 200 people located in the neighborhood. The reef was discovered in tbe creek, a portion having been exposed by the action of the water, The prospectors have a frontage of GOO feet, and the reef, as at present disclosed, is 3 feet 6 inches tbick, is solid and well-defined and enclosed in a blue slate casing. From the latter excellent prospects have been obtained, and all through the solid reef gold is distinctly visible. Stone was knocked out promiscuously from various portions of tbe reef, and every sample—large and small—was thickly studded with gold. On Saturday No. 4 soutb, struck the reef at a distance of about 1740 feet from tbe prospectors. The reef bere also presented an appearance similar to that in tbe prospectors' claim, being the same character of stone, but the reef is not quite so thick.

It was also reported, prior to the parties leaving, that the reef had been struck to the north, about half-a-mile from the prospectors, but this statement, although by no means improbable, requires confirmation. All who have seen the ground are fully convinced of the importance of the discovery, and of the richness of the stone there can also remain no doubt. THE MURRAY REEP AM) CEIIEKT WORKINGS. This reef is to the south of Anderson's reef, and distant from it about two miles. The quality of the stone though not equal to the latter, has still been shown to be good, and as a further test, Kelly and party have sent a ton to Greymouth for the purpose of having it thoroughly proved. Here, also, gold was plainly visible in the_ stone, while the reef presented similar features to Anderson's, but had a larger body of stone, the reef throughout having a thickness of G feet.

The cement workings, distant about a mile from Kelly's reef, also appear to be of value, and it was reported that Adam Smith, one of the claimholders, had disposed of his share in a lease of 1G acres for £7OO. The cement is undoubtedly rich, bui is hard and contains a good-deal of stone, while the thickness has not as yet been shown to exceed 2 feet 6 inches. It is found between two layers of hard rock and consequently offers very great difficulty of extraction. The Cement Company have a fine water-wheel fixed, of 30 feet diameter, and a portion of the batteries was met near the Saddle on Saturday, and was expected to land at the claim the same evening. The party are at present bringing in water and will, in a short time,, be in a position to have a crushing and prove the value of the discovei-y. _ As a_ reefing country the luangahua bids fair to be unsurpassed. All the miners, engaged in the alluvial workings of the luangahua and in the small gullies and creeks adjoining that river, are fully convinced of the presence of valuable quartz reefs in the neighborhood, much of the gold discovered in the locality being found to be thickly impregnated with quartz, and indicating a separation at no great distance from the matrix.