ALEXANDRA

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2706, 14 November 1889, Page 2

ALEXANDRA

New RAi I K«)L'i(SK.--Tl)e new racecourse that -,vas laid out iu the settlement at the back of the old redoubt had to bo abandoned, as it was found the labour required to form a good course was more than the community could afford. Hearing this, the natives in the vicinity, who are sportsmen to a man, have taken the matter in hand, aud yesterday quite a number of them came down aud commenced clearing the old racecourse across the Mangapiko near MrTlios. Goodfellow's farm. A capital mile course on a dead level is laid out, and a good pait of the clearing done by them. As several of the settlers are also to give a day's labour on it, there is little doubt a good day's sport may be relied upon here on BoxingDay, with as large an attendance as usual, the weather being propitious, Tho natives will, I expect, have almost, if not quite, the whole management of tho races, as few of the Europeans in this district are interested in horse-racing, except as onlookers, not as horse-owners. Mv W. Searancke is the secretary, and is working energetically to carry out the races, canvassing for subscriptions, etc.

Accidents. —We had two accidents here last week, but fortunately not of a serious nature. One was the boitiug of a team of four horses, attached to a waggon loaded with pigs, belonging to some natives who had pulled up in front of the Post Office. Something startled the horse?, who went off full swing towards the Mangapiko bridge, the driver ran and attempted to seize the reins, but got thrown down under the waggon, the wheels fortunately missing him. He was, however, rather roughly knocked about, but no bones broken, going down the cutting the waggon was capsized, killing one of the horses, and severely injuring the «ther, and one pig was killed, and the waggon was broken, The horse killed was a fine looking animal. On Friday, as Mr Dowdecan was unloading some bonedust at his farm, near Alexandra, while getting into the dray to get out the last bay, something startle.! his horses, he turned, and while endeavouring *0 get hold of the reins, seeing that a collision with a gate post was inevitable, jumped out, falling on his hands and knees, tho collision with the post eventuated, throwing down the horse in the shafts, and capsizing the dray. Strange to say Mr Dowdecan succeeded alone in getting the horso out of the dray and harness, not feeling himself in anyway injured. Sometime afterwards, however, ho felt great pains in his knee, which continued all night, and in the morning was helpless. As he was alone, he was in an awkward fi.i, but fortunately during tho morning Mr Wills called on business, and gave him assistance, and on its being known Mr Dowdecan's neighbours soon attended and looked to his wants. (Jreat sympathy is felt for him throughout the district. The strain to the is a severe one.