TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 1928, 22 February 1867, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

The Avon Election.—Mr Reeves will ineet the electors at the Plough Inn, Riccartori, this evening at half-past seven o'clock. Practical Phrenology, Mr Hamilton delivered his third lecture in the Town Hall last evening, and was as successful as on the two former occasions.

High School Lectures.—Dr Haast will deliver his second lecture on Geology this evening, in the Town Hall. The chair will be taken at 7.30.

. The West Coast Road—Cobb and Co. announce to travellers overland to and from Hokitika that the distance is now done in ;thirty-three hours, and that the fares have been reduced. , > The -Late Case of Drowning in the Rakaia.—The inquest on the remains of the human body lately found in the Hnkain will ; be held this day at the Hospital, where they ■ are now lying, We understand that at the inquest some evidence will be adduced which ' will probably lead to the identification of the deceased.

/. Theatre Royal,—Last night the comedy of" Alaska and Faces" was played here to a very well attended house. Tlie "Lady of Lyons" burlesque was the afterpiece. This evening is appointed for the benefit of Miss (jqugenheim, the performances being under the patronage of his Honor the Superintendent.

Literary Societt.—The usual weekly meeting of this society was held last night. Dr Foster occupied the chair. The subject for debate was" Whether Provincial Institutions ought to remain for the present on the existing footing ?" Mr March opened the question in the affirmative. Mr Hewitt took the opposite view of the question. After an auimated discussion Dr Foster summed up in an able address, "and the negative w*s carried,

Supreme Court.—ln the report of the sittings under the Debtors and Creditors Acts, which appeared in our columns yesterday, an error occurs. It was stated that in the case of William Kershaw the final order for relief was suspended for six months, The fact is that upon an affidavit of a meeting of creditors having been convened pursuant to the Amendment Act, and a resolution passed thereat recommending that the final order of discharge should at once be granted, the same was granted.

: The English Mail,-Great complaints arc made respecting the non-arrival of the English mail by the Taranaki, which reached Port at 7 am. The Rangitoto came in at 10.15 a.m., having left Port Chalmers at 4 ■p.m. the previous day, two hours after the sailing of the Taranaki. Moreover, the Taranaki is the boat subsidised by the General and why she was not allowed to bring our mail three hours before the Rangitoto i 9 more than we can imagine. Telegraphic Despatch.—Of late we have noc hud much to complain of in the matter of delay in the telegraph department. But on Wednesday night a message, commenced to ,be transmitted at Wellington at 7.30, was not finished in Christchurch till 10.40. Three hours and ten minutes 1 Why, a merchant in New York can ask the price of gold in London and receive a reply in less time. But we have another instance. A telegram, giving the polling for the Otago Superintendency, was commenced at Dunedin last night at 6.20, and reached our office at 11.401 Five hours and twenty minutes! Oamaru Races. —These races come off on ; March 7 and 8, The local paper in Bpeaking of them, says There is a promise of a large field of horses at our forthcoming race meeting. In addition to those in training in Oamaru, the presence of Stormbird (the winner of the Canterbury Champion) and his stable companion Virginia, may be expected ; and it is probable that the following, which figured at the late Ohristchurch Meeting, and are now in Timaru, will also be here Musician, Scandal, Presto, and f.ittle Lady. •Mr Gibson of Waitangi will send three; Toii'toi, The Pet, and another. Then there will be Mr A. It. B. Thomson's Camel, and Mr Douglas's Idle Boy and Waimate. Sinking Fund and other Canterbury horses, in addition to these just mentioned, are also expected. ludeed, Canterbury evidently means to make up for last year's defeat. From Hampden we learn that four horses will be sent; Kegnum, Young Alma, Patchwork, and another.

I Timaru Races.—Our Timaru contemporary of Wednesday thus summarises the reF suits of the first day's races The entries ■for the various races were smaller than those I of last year, but to makeup for the deficiency i in number the horses were infinitely superior, l and consequently the running itself was a great improvement. For the Maiden Plate, the first race of the day, four horses went to the post. The race was a very good one, I Musician winning, thanks to the bad jockeying of Knottingly's rider, who, however, ! made a good second. For the Innkeepers' Purse there were four entries, but only three ! horses came to tho post, Candidate being scratched. This of course was Storrabird's I race, although Presto made a gallant struggle, coming in a good second. The Ladies' Purse was won by Candidate against Presto and Hunter. This was a capital race, and wellcontested throughout; but we think it would lmve had a different termination if Presto had come fresh to the post, and had not run in the previous race. Hunter was nowhere. For the Hurdle Race there were four entries. More amusement aud excitement was afforded by this race than has ever before been witnessed upon the Timaru racecourse. Musician was a great favourite, and was backed even against the field freely, but at the first jump he baulked, and had no chance then in the race. The race was afterwards thought to be safe for Odd Trick, but at the very last leap lie refused to obey his rider and went on the outside. Sinking Fund was then the leading horse by three or four lengths, and only a very short distance from home, hut Camel somehow rushed in to the winningpost first. The race was truly won by the jockey. The excitement over the finish of the race in the grand stand, and in fact all over the ground was intense, and Mr Ilyde was loudly cheered when lie rode into the saddling paddock. The Hack Hurdle Race was won easily by Ilifleman. For the Silver Cup there were five entries. Candidate was the favourite, but lie did not reward the confidence of Ins backers. The finish between Scandal and Presto was * ery good indeed, as both horses were well ridden. Presto had, however, in our opinion, done too much work. The results of the second day's racing appaared in our columns yesterday. Snetd's Town,—We are much gratified to observe that Dr Dudley, coroner for the northern district, has called attention to the state of the main thoroughfare through

Sneyil's Town. Its condition, especially after a day'a rain, has long been a disgrace to the district, and there is every reason to believe has been the cause of several cases of fever, two of "which have proved fatal. To those unacquainted with the district, we must state tint lifter the building allotments were sold, and the street laid out, the latter, in consequence of some misunderstanding between the original owner of the land and the Mamleville Road Board, in whose distiict it is situated, were never properly made over. The consequence of this is that the streets have been allowed to remain in their natnral state, thus speedily becoming full of large boles in which the rain water collects and is permitted either to evaporate or sink into the ground, during which process a proportionate stench is caused. That this state of affairs should be permitted to exist is disgraceful to those concerned, especially that the residents pay their full complement of rates for whicli they receive r.o immediate return. Should the persons concerned be still unabletocome to a satisfactory arrangement by which the streets may be formed and drained, we trust that the government will take the matter in hand before fresh stimulus is given to the disease which lias already curried of! two individuals since spring, and before it spreads to other parts of the districts, which during the present iiot weather is more than probable.