(Specially compiled for the " Waikato Times.") Auckland, Monday. NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1174, 6 January 1880, Page 2

(Specially compiled for the " Waikato Times.") Auckland, Monday. NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS.

The effeot of the bad weathor of Christmas week, was to make the people of Auckland generally anxious for sunshine only on New Year's Day and Friday las*. The earlier part of the week was very promising, but on Tuesday evening the sky was again overcast, and Wednesday saw the rain falling steadily. The appearance of the sky on 1 hursday morning was very gloomy indeed, but by noon that day, the weather was boautifully fine, and the sky perfectly cloudless. Friday was also a very fine day, and no break in the customary holiday enjoyments was caused by the rain, which held off altogether until yesterday. With the exception of the races, the principle event on Thursday was the Sunday >chool Union procession and fete in the Domain, whi3h was taken part in by several thousand scholars of both sexes. The owners of the Hero sent that vessel on an excursion to Motutapu with the children belonging to the various charitable institutions in the city. The children of the Episcopalian Sunday School held their annual festival in the Domain on Friday, the number of children present being about 2000. Had the weather been unfavourable on these two days, how general and deep would have been the disappointment of the children of Au land.

THE BACES. The concluding days of the Auckland Kaoing Club's Miramer Meeting" passed off very satisfactorily. The attendence on Thursday was exceedingly large, and, indeed, it is estimated that there were more visitors on the course that day than on the occasion of any p evious race meeting. On the following day, a still larger number was present. His Excelleocy the Governor, in company with the Hon. F. Whitaker, put in an appearance at noon on both days, and he appeared to evince a vsvy lively interest in the various races. 'I he ground was much more firm than on Boxing Day, hence the results of the principals we o considerably different. Ariel was nowhere in the Cup, the race being between Lara and Hippocampus, with Laertes behind. Libeller showed up well in the Derby Stakes and Auckland Plate, and gave considerable promise of future success. Most of the other races resulted much as anticipated. The Handicap Steeplechase, whioh waslooked upon as the big event of Friday, was a most amasing failure. The combination of racing talent amongst the acceptances was very good. The sta ters included Lone Hand, ihe great Australian favourite, Sportsman, Grey Momus, and Loch Lomond. There was considerable baulking during the race, the great majority of tho jumps being refused on the first attempt by all the horses. Those who did not see it can form some idea of its nature when I say that at one time the whole of the horses were at a complete standstill. Lone Hand was a very easy winner, but his success can hardly be said to be well deserved. I his again, will be easily understood from the fact that the time occupied was 21 minutes and 45 seconds. Last year, when the principal competitors were Agent and Perfume, the race, although slow, was a spleneid one. The time taken then was but 11 minutes. However, the meeting on the whole was a great success, and there can be little doubt that it was one of the most satisfactory ever held under the auspices of the Auckland Racing Club.

PASTOR CHINIQTJY. Since my last letter we have received into our midst Pastor Chiniquy, the reverend prosolyte from the Eoman Catholic Church, who has during the last twelve months been astonishing Australian audiences with accounts of his experiences while a Priest in the Church of Borne. It will be remembered that at the time of the visit of Father Henneberry to Auckland a year ago, frequent reference to the Pastor was made by the Father, and these were not by any means of a complimentary nature. Then there was a considerable talk of a meeting between the reverend gentlemen in Auckland, and

those who ■were not" very strong in their support of either side, or in any way prejudiced against one or the other, anticipated a little fun. But the excitement ended in smoke, and the only apparent result at the time was an almost insatiable demand on the part of the piibUo for copies of Chiniquy' 8 lectures, which were published in Australia in pamphlet form, and bold here by thousands. Then, again, after the country toiu* of Honebeiy there was some further talk of a meeting between the two champions, and the gentleman named expressed himself as being only too happy < to accept a challenge to publicly discusscertain questions upon whioh they differed — very widely indeed. Then came the newa in the earlier part of last year that Chiniquy was on hit> way to Auckland, aud this having proved to be a false alarm, there were some uncharitable enough to accuse the two reverends of being in partnership, and of getting up a little excitement at various points of their travels for the jsurpose of exciting more then the usual interest in their lectures, and to make their sales of books, pamphlets, medals, and so on, more easy and satisfactory to both. This rumour was treated by the supporters of both sides with the contempt which, of course, it deserved. Then Henneberry proceeded to Australia, and a month or two later we were informed of a challenge to a public discussion having been sent by Chiniquy to Henneberry, and declined by the latter. Since that time littlo or nothing has been heard of Hennebdrry, but wo have re- • ceived accounts from time to time of the progress of Chiniquy through Australia, and the attendant party fights. The fact that he was to visit Auckland kept the public interest alive, and accounts of his meetings were perused by many. "When the letter containing the intimation that he was about to leave for Auckland, reached here, meeting of the Orange society wero held to arrange for his reception. After several Christianlike collisions between the authorities of the Presbyterian body and the Orange society in reference to which should take the initiative in regard to his reception, the diputed question was left in an undcided state. The news of the party riots at Timaru and Christehuroh caused additional interest to be taken in his arrival, and from the excitement consequent upon these riots, it was feared that something 1 serious was about to happen here. Public *eeling appeared to grow warmer as the day upon which the steamer was expeoted drew nearer, and on the day when she beoame due the presence of an unusually laiga number of people on the wharf strengthened the suspioion of a probable collision between the two parties. During the day the news of the steamer having passed fcussell was telegraphed, and it was then known that she would not arrive till after midnight of that day. (To be concluded in our next.)