ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

Jas. Scott. — The Petone and Ponsonby crews finished. 7th and Bth respectively in the Champion Whaleboat Race.

The football season, it is expected, will be formally opened this Saturday. Aquatics and cricket are now things of the past — at least, for the next six months. The Auckland and Ponsonby had a practice match in the Metropolitan on Saturday afternoon. The champion open-sailing boat Mascotte is to be disposed of by art union shortly. The North Shore had a practice match at the Recreation Grounds. North Shore, on Saturday. The Ponsonby Juniors, Newton and Avawa Clubs, played scratch matches on the Surrey Hills on Saturday afternoon. •Waymouth is engaged in the construction of a 4-ton yacht, which he intends offering, ■when completed, for private sale. Whiteside has not, it seems, lost any of his old form. In the scratch match on Saturday he shewed out most prominently. The inaugural opening of the football season will take place tin's afternoon, with a match New Zealand v* World, on the Domain Ground. Sir Kichard Sutton and Lieut. Henn, British yachtsmen, have challenged the Yankees to compete for the American Cup, won from the English Squadron in 1851. The N.Y. Clipjoer says George de Noremac, on Feb. 2G, concluded his task of covering '51 miles on foot each day for 100 days, Sundays excepted, on a 44-lap track in rear of his publichouse, Midlothian Hall. The Hewson-Brett rowing match is likely to fall through. Hewson's backers want the race rowed off on smooth water, while the other side want the reverse. The Albert played another scratch match on Saturday afternoon, A to L v. M to Z. Banks captained the former, and Stuart the latter. The game resulted in a draw, each side securing a try. The Argonaut Rowing Club, of Toronto (Ont.), have decided to send their representative club four, which has proved itself the champion crew of America, over to England to compete at the Henley and other regattas. The cricket season closed on Saturday with a match between the Gordon and Auckland Second, and resulted in an easy victory for the former ; the latter only batted nine men. The following are the scores: Gordon, first innings, total 142. Auckland, first inuings, total for nine wickets, 57 ; second innings, total for three wickets.,. 75. At the annual meeting of the A.R.U.F.A., held on Satuaday evening last, the following were elected as junior clubs of the Union : Victoria, Arawa, Athletic. Graf ton, Gordon, Waitemata, Ponsonby Juniors, Manukau .Auckland, Home Bay, Albert and Newton. The Te Kopuru Club also joined. The American slogger Sullivan was recently fined £23 for ill-treating a horse ; and at latest his wife was on the war-path for a divorce on the grounds of cruel and abusive treatment, and gross and confirmed habits of intoxication. On February 23, at Toronto, Ont., Charley Mitchell met n local named John Schole3 in a m four-round Qneensberry contest, before a " swell " audience, led by no less a personage than the Lieut.rGovernor of Ontario. The fight is said to have been a good one throughout. When time was called, the referee decided in favour of Mitchell. Tiie, Grafton Second had a rather easy victory, over the United Warehousemen on Saturday,, defeating their, opponents by 17 points to ml. Gardener (two tries, one of which Leckie converted- into a goal), Heskctt (a goal), Connolly (two tries), and Ohlson (one. try) were the scorers. C. Macky had charge of the winning team, and W. Skeen -captained the losers. , . "

The Intercolonial Eight-oar Boat Race, which was rowed on the Parramatta River on Saturday last, resulted in a victory for the New South Wales crew by two lengths. Victoria was second, Tasmania third, and Queensland last. The first and second were the favourites. The Champion Punt Race came off at Mangawhare on Saturday morning last before a large number of spectators. The first prize was £50, and the course about three miles, Moore was the only Auckland competitor. The race, which is said to have been closely contested, resulted as follows : — H. Brown Ist, R. Moore 2nd, Patton 3rd : time, 20 minuLes. The Rayner-McCune 12-hours' walking contest, which was thought would go to a law court, will be decided on the track of the Theatre Royal to-day (Saturday). The Australian concedes his opponent 3J miles this trip, and, from what I hear, is again confident of success. The local man is well supported, however, and his chances are considered rosy. The "pedaling" begins at 11 a.m. and finishes at 11 p.m. The following will represent the Albert in the match against the Manukau, on Saturday ; team to leave by break, at 1 . 30 sharp, from National Bank: Smart (capt.), MeDermott, Cole, Firth, Ridings, Rowe, Rotherham, Martin, Wilkie, Dewar, Goodman, Grellespie, Slaitor, and Lincoln. Lyre, Bruce, Page, and Iddott, emergency men. A match, has been arranged between J. Brown, of Mercury Bay, and G. Culpan, of Coroniandel, to run one mile, on May 28, in | Mercury Bay, for £30 a-side. Culpan is allowed £o for going over. This race is j causing great interest in athletic circles. Both places are backing their local man. Both are well known to be good stayers and pretty fast over the distance. There is no doubt that, if the pair start in good form, it will be a very keen centest. Articles have been duly signed for the contest between Foley and Farnan, arid it would seem all trouble should now cease till the men meet in the magic square. In the articles signed by Farnan's representative j small gloves are stipulated, but the Melbourne party appear to have suffered a scare since appending their signatures to the document, as they now want the show to come off with the ordinary pillows. So far as the small gloves are concerned, it should be all in favour of Farnan, as, with his alleged terrific hitting power, it would, give him a better chance of success. Prof. Miller's challenge to Farnan and Hicken, to a boxing contest for .£250 aside to take place in this city, reads : — I hereby deposit £50 with the proprietors of the Evening News and the Town and Country Journal, to j)ox Farnan and Hicken to a finish for £250 aside, the match to take place in Auckland, New Zealand, four months from signing articles of agreement, which I am now prepared to sign under the following conditions : I meet Farnan first, and, after one hour's rest, I meet Hicken, the winners, Farnan and Hicken combined, or myself, to take the whole of the gate receipts after expenses are paid. As it is a well-known fact that I have been suffering from a sprained wrist, and have been under the care of Dr. Webb, of Melbourne, I claim to have the privilege of weariug a strap if I think it necessary, which will be submitted for approval on signing articles. — William Millek." There is no likelihood, however, of the challenge being accepted. Those who assembled to view the glove fight on Saturday night, between Eugene Donovan and William Murphy, for the lightweight Championship of Auckland, witnessed one of the severest pugilistic encounters that has taken place within the precincts of the Theatre Royal.. The stakes were £20 a-side and door money, which, by the way, will amply compensate the winner for the injuries received. During the first few rounds some rattling counters were sent in on either side, Murphy forcing the fighting. There was also a little science displayed, which, however, did not last long. In ' the third round Donovan shewed signs of weakness ; Murphy, who received some severe taps on the snuff box in this round, took very kindly to 'em. In the fourth round Bill resorted a good deal to pushing, and once sent Donovan sprawling on the floor with one on the left lug, causing the ruby to flow copiously. In the fifth round the combatants appeared shaky on their pins, and science was now a thing of the past. Donovan delivered some powerful blows on Murphy's nasal organ, which by this time had assumed quite a rosy and bloated aspect. However, the little \m gave a receipt 'for all he received, Donovan's torso presenting a dotted appearance with a warmth and wealth of colour that would have delighted the President of the Art Exhibition. In the last four rounds there was nothing worthy of record, both men beingvery weak. In the seventh Murphy had decidedly the best of his opponent, sending him on the floor once, and against the ropes several times. But in the ninth and last his strength failed, and he had to strike his colours to his stronger antagonist, amidst the cheers of the assembled spectators. Murphy stood his punishment throughout unflinchingly. Three cheers for Sir George — Murphy !