OTAGO.

Press, Volume VII, Issue 686, 10 January 1865, Page 4

OTAGO.

The Champion Billtabw Peayeb.—The Daily Times gives the following description of some of Boberts' play, in a match with two amateurs, 750 up and Boberts giving _IXJ-~-Between them they scored only 350, so that, with the given points they stood at • 560 when the Champion had made 751, and --so finished the game, from 420 to 500, he * passed in one rapidly played break, including from the spot and 10 beautifully made red losing hazards in tlie middle pocket. Soon after, Roberts coma break with what he said was a '"""' '" Boeger stroke —one he never misses." The _ed ball ww near the left top pocket, and . Boberta', on the right side within the baulk lime- A direct winning hazard was not pos- , lable; but the chiumpion played very swiftly. and Mb OFim ,b«B Toaving stopped for an in£Jtsat, made .» l©i%e<a_ve after the red ba_: Jtftd got" sway, ovoA wmk char-ply into the

pocket. The break stood for 35, making the total 574, and two others raised it to 578. Then the champion gave to the spectators what was unanimously agreed to be the most beantiful specimen of play lie has shown here. He commenced with a slowly-played canon which left the balls all but touching, and in line with the top cushion. He repeated the stroke which was so much admired on Thursday, striking his ball vertically, and making it circle so as gently to touch each of the others; he made five of those wonderfully soft canons, which so astonish and amuse; he then gathered in four white losing hazards; he had the balls together again near one of the top corners, 1 and made 13 consecutive canons, including | some splendid screws, with play so gentle ! that it seemed miraculous how such motion was secured; and the same style of thing was continued, alternating with occasional hazards, until a score of 111 had raised the total to 690. This break was composed of 35 canons, 13 white losing-hazards, and iour winning and one losing red hazards. Several other breaks were needed before the game was won; the last being made up of 2_, wholly by spot strokes. The Moa. —The bones of the Moa, which we noticed last week, were forwarded by Mr. Payne to the Exhibition, and have been duly j received and placed in the building. They are looked upon as very rare. At the local committee meeting ori 29th ultimo, a communication was read respecting these bones. Mr. Webb stated that the bones had been handed over to Dr. Hector, who had promised to place them near others in his possession. Dr. Hector hoped to be able to construct a pretty complete skeleton of the Moa. At least it is his intention, as far as possible to effect a complete restoration of the skeleton by placing in. juxtaposition at the Exhibition all tbe relics of that singular bird at his command. The portions of the leg exhibited by Mr. Payne has for this purpose been admitted into the gallery appropriated to the museum of the Geological Department.— Oamaru Times, Jan. 5. The Foece of Habit.—A rather striking instance of the reforming effects of imprisonment on old offenders was brought to our knowledge last night. It will be remembered that rather more than a year ago a cash box was stolen from the Caledonian Hotel, Walker street, and a man named Kenworthy, alias Longbottom, was convicted of the offence and sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment. This worthy received his discharge from gaol on Tuesday, after having served his sentence. True to his old instincts, or probably bearing in affectionate remembrance the comforts of his late lodgings, -and desirous of an earlyreturnto the kind care of Mr. Stoddart, this light-fingered gentleman having, no doubt during his periods of exercise at the Bell Hill excavations, noticed that the tools employed were allowed to take care of themselves, resolved to appropriate Borne of them to his own use. Aijcordingly, at a late hour last night, he, in company with a congenial " pal," paid a visit to the G-dvermnent store at the foot of Bell Trill and took possession of sundry implements lying about outside the building. But he had calculated too little on the possibility of detection, for whilst making his exit with the articles in question, he was suddenly pounced on by a trusty warder named Macnamara, and then and there made prisoner. His accomplice succeeded for the present in getting away. The culprit is one of those delightful characters which a lengthened residence in Tasmania occasionally developes, and "is well known to the police." It is to be hoped our hero's sojourn in the Dunedin gaol may be of longer duration than before, and be made less agreeable to him.— lbid. Du. - ~»i_r Races. —A general meeting of the Otago Jockey Club is called for seven this evening, at the Provincial Hotel, to fix the date of the Annual Races, adopt a suitable programme, elect stewards, and officials, and settle other necessary business. As it is full time that all preliminary arrangements \ were made, it is desirable that all members should attend, who can make it convenient. | A well considered programme, published in time for the inspection of the many sporting visitors at the approaching Christchurch j Champion Race, must insure a success for' the Dunedin gathering in March.— lbid. Stoppage of the Southl__~> B___w_.y.— The Southland News says:—Our Bluff correspondent writes : — Mr. Aldridge, of Ross and Aldridge, the railway contractors, called on Friday morning, informing mc that j they would not be in a position to run the trains as specified in my former communication, on Monday next, 2nd January, although everything had been arranged and permission obtained from his Honor the Superintendent for the use of the engine and carriages. The cause of dissppointment is that the subcontractor, Mr. Hawkins, has thrown obstacles in the way by not getting a portion of the line completed, and will not allow any further trains to run until the works are taken off his hands. Messrs. Ross and Aldridge regret greatly that this drawback should have arisen, but trust in about a fortnight to be able to give the public a pleasure trip from the Green Hills to the Bluff. Until then, our New Tear's pleasure trip on the first permanent iron railway of Southland will have to be deferred.