A TRIP TO THE ALEXANDRA RACES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2883, 6 January 1891, Page 4

A TRIP TO THE ALEXANDRA RACES.

hi [r.v ot;a ows eomiKM'o>'i>r.NT|. a , Ai ti.i; pissing through the I uhikatamea at district, the boundary is readied at ri Heather's Creels. Ini" a well-knovwi M|'Ot lo nil Waipa re.sideiit?i, and the large guni.-i Jiiid willows planted l>v Mr fle itlier tell of Kun.pea.i occupation 111 () l.yc-gone day;. I leatiie.i creek was once the Hill'leeL ol a \ery pretty dispute, lietween the Mangupik" and nhika- ( i aniea Ruul board:, Willi a mode.sty rather uncommon in local bodic.i, neilhci wished to claim I'.nisdictioii over the ceck it,i 11, 111 in,; perfectly :;atl.slled -.vitli the nearest bank — evil disposed ( , ~,e ,-aht it wa.i to avoid ImildiiiL! and maintaining the bridge; but this. 11l course, 11111.-1 have been a uiktakc. J However, I leather j Creek anil the small stream near it are now well bridged, and the embankments shaded with willows. The plan ol planting willows to protect the embankments 19 a good one, and might be more generally adopted thin it is.' The authorities have also erected a e horse trough, which is very useful and t acceptable during the hot summer (J month 1 !. On our right, after leaving q Heather's Creek, is the large f.'.rm 01 Mr Krippner. It seems excellent land, 1 growing good grass and crops, but Mr \ Krippner, like manv others, fails to sec ), where the, prolit is to be lonnd in wheat"rowing, and this year is growing very Tittle. On tho opposite side ol the road, Mr Medway's farm is situated, formerly covered with high ti-trce, much of it is s now eleared and cultivated. A good ] breadth of grass, a plot of wheat anil oils and a nice house are a welcome change from the wild scrub. A little ; farther on can be seen Mr L tgerwood s t find, which was raided, first by rabbits and then by Rabbit Inspectors. I'he proprietor has not yet decided which ot ■ the two was the worse. Indeed it is a iiuestion frequently asked by settlers. | why European land-owners should be t harrassed and fined in connection with rabbits, while Maoris, across the border, are receiving a handsome bonus for every < skin they bring in from their lands. It is j just one of those things that no " fellah ] can understand. On the right hand side of the road to Te Rore, is an extensive 1 block of land lying waste, and I observed wherever a small clearing had been made, by lire or otherwise, a crop of furze was ( growing. This is a serious matter, as the settleis in this neighbourhood will yet find. On the left as we drive along is the farm of Mr Richdale. The homestead is very high, and comparatively free from frosts. The Messrs hiclidale have already disposed of a large quantity of early potatoes at satisfactory prices Opposite are the farms of the Messrs Maekinuon liros,, three of them, and nice compact, holdings they are ; each with a good area of wheat aud oats. At the end of Messrs Mackinnoa's property, is the Te Rore school standing by the roadside. Away to the right across the Waipa, ean be seen the line farms ol Messrs Kosborough and Ilodgdson, the honistcads surrrounded by plantations of pines. These properties are prettily situated, sloping to the morning sun, ami Mount, I'irongia rising :ip dark ami rugged behind them. '.'.'he. little white patch upon one of its slopes, which can be .seen from llatnilloif, when at Te Kore, is outlined distinctly as a snug little farm bolonging lo Mr Byrne, with its paddocks and crops neatly subdivided. 111 {passing the pretty spot named Te. Kore, where a beautiful bridge spans tinriver, Mr Waller James' farm, on the west bank, looks very homelike, with iTecn hedges subdividing it, and nice orchard facing the road. On the left side of the country road, is Mr Munros well-known property, and next to it, the farm recently purchased by Mr Lees from Mr N. T. Maunder. On both these farms a moderate amount of crops arc growing, and looking fairly well. Here we reach the road junction, our course to Alexaudra passing between the farms of Mr Robert llall and Mr Thomas (loodfellow. 011 the former property, which is now farmed by his son, Mr T. llall (and which was well known in former days as the residence of the genial and hospitable Edward Hall), a large amount of cropping is being done, some titty acres appeared as if just sown in turnips ; a large breadth of wheat and oats i.-i looking well. From this point ean also be .seen, across the Waipa, the large area which Mi HOilg.-ou has in grain apparently about, fifty acres, as well as a. big block ready for turnip-'. On Mr Halls farm, I saw the best, eiop of potatoe about Leu aere-. that I have ; :cCll in the Waipa, level, clean, anil with beautiful foliage, they promise a heavy yield, and are a pleasure to look a'. On tlie opposite side ol the road. i\ir (loodlellow jias a large area in wheat ami oats, J should say over a hundred acres. The wheat, which, I understand is planted by Maoris upon shares, in some parts looks well; but in others rather light. Speaking generally, the crops are light throughout the district, which is set, down to the Miccssive wet, during the early part of the season. Mr (loodfellows' many friends will be sorry to learn that he is leaving tho Waikato to reside in Auckland. As a practical farmer and keen sportsman, whether with gun or in the cricket field, being at present captain of the eleven. Mr (loodfellow will be greatly missed. We are now upon the Alexandra race course, anil 1 am afraid my readers will say "about time too." The course which is about a mile out of tlie township, runs for some distance parallel with Mr ( loodfellows' fence, and 1.- level, but I should say rather rough i/oin". The stand seemed to be a temporary structure, aud was but poorly patronised during the day, nearly everyone bringing, so to speak, their grandstands with them in the shape of traps and horse.-', aud a very good muster there was. Visitors from all parts of Waikato were present, ami I should say, judging by the number, natives from all parts of the colony, young aud old, on horseback, 011 foot, and some of them in tirst-rate vehicles. There they were, laughing, talking, gesticulating and thoroughly enjoying themselves. It was a real carnival for the Maoris. We were in time for the first race, and our attention was at once taken by Mr Kiri, chief clerk of the course, with a broad flat-topped peak cap, which gave him a semi-military appearance, and mounted upon an active Maori pony, he was the beau ideal of a clerk of the course ; if you ask me who was the most important personags at the Alexandra races, 1 should say at once Mr Kiri, or the most distinguished, I should repeat Mr Kiri. Nominally, there wa.; supposed :o be until Iter clerk, a Mr Every, but the i|iiiet-looking gentleman who promenaded on;' pol l ion of the course, occasionally (licking at a stray dog, though he might have been right enough ai a steward, or even as a judge, a . simply nowhere as a clerk ot I Ik. l

. ■■ ,-a > , ami a.; Mr I'.iii swept pa ,t, wllli ]:i i lull" \vlii|' 11 i'' u < ■ mi ilu- \u: i.all. 11l lli.il. "illy fiv. ;ik- : > tv ln!lv 111'- tUo 11 o J i i i 1; i ■. 'tin: lit. I uu . II:, II iii illf.:. I'i.'uii;;lit out a ..mall I'dil o! tin-, i.'. 'J ii'.' Inn:;'. ■ |!i':i|"'il v.vll. but tin; j-'ct. \.j.? ..ioii ■ Mi'.' iie-i. i:vi!i(, I! i o .Manbui, u.io v.i;l ii.ii :v:u;.cd. A i;ood lir.ld of iliirtocn horses laccd the sUnnr, iv,-o ot them hailing from V\"hatawluta. Tiio-e highly-trained were pri!il<\ and 1 in* iac, I. ami'all •/ ' ii in;?. 1,-n'il lui'lli. in. I'm I:i l»r linman jil 11• 1 inns l'lii'\ .vrlailiK :<)> i'i-,i>!• ,-a"li"l I'll' 1 nVt'l, !'.;i Imni I In- u nmi.' ■■in!, i'.cl ii.-t.-i.-; on !■> the t'up. Thisua.; ,■ "'r'rili'il as a oonehisiou for j/j':iely, and so it proved. Hu seems to bo a read snort horse, ami bail .it Alexandra no opponents worthy of him. The arranf'ements made by the stewards were very complete, even to the issuin:: of tlie o'lieial programme, which, 1 noticed, wn < not nil neatly in book form at Tin: \\*a i K AT'» 'I'niKs Ollico, ami a p pea red io be in "mat demand. l.etore leaving the .•oiivii" 1 I'v-nvl oui your Alexandra ~.-ii'i'i'"| "i"ient, who, when I men! lOi'.ed I v,-i: wwiwtcii iu a rrn:ot'- ir..-nsin;i'

with the Ti.MK-i, regarded me suspiciously for a moment, arid slid, 41 I' rom win re '.'" I hurriedly explained anywhere hut Te Awauiutu. Ile relaxed at once, and shoo!; hands warmly One cannot

attend th.-*e Miinll 1 mcc- Hurting without rc.ilisillthat liou(> , er ncce-siry, in a r,iein<_' sense, it may I)'' that, the energies I.f alfWaikato should be directed to supporting a lar-e and central racing club like the South Auckland, lhc;c little live ineel ing.-; will always lie popular, furiiiahint', as they do, a pleasant holiday, with mild c\eitenicnl, to many and other.", who otherwise would never gc.t one.