THE CALEDONIAN GATHERING.

The fifteenth annual Caledonian Gathering, which commences on next New Years' Day, promises to bfc a great success. A most liberal programme of prizes has been drawn up; the total amount of which is £525. As heretofore, bagpipe music heada the list, for which four prizes will, be awarded, the highest being £10, and the lowest £2. A leading event is the " Caledonian Handicap" of 150, 300, and 44o yards, and for which the prizes are certainly of a description cuch as not only to offer considerable inducements to our local " peds," ' but also to those from a distance. There are five prizes for each event, the highest being > £6, and the lowest £1. Then, ia addition to this, those who succeed in making the first, second, and third highest aggregates will receive £15, £7, and £2, respectively. In each of the following instances, the first priz? is £10 — wrestling " North Country style" 12st and under ; wrestling " Catch as catch can ;" handicap walking race, aud handicap mile race. Leading features on the second day will be tho "Dunedin Handicaps," consisting of three events, and ' for which the' prizes are the same as in the case of the " Caledonian Handicap " above referred to, and the wrestling match, ," North Country style," open to all comers, and for which the first prize will be the Champion Challenge Belt cf tho value of £33 and £10 in cash. Beyond these there will be a handicap walking race for which the first prize will be £10, and a half-u.ile handicap walking race for which £14 have been voted. There will be an extra day's sports on the Saturday following the gather* iug, on which occasion the two principal events will be a handicap consolation race, for which £21 have been appropriated, and a trotting match for ponies under 13 hands. Applications have been received from B»llarat and Sandhurst for programmes, so there ia every prospect not alcne of the entries being numerous, but also of the events being well contested,