[PER PRESS AGENCY.] AUCKLAND. 17th March.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 371, 18 March 1879, Page 2

[PER PRESS AGENCY.] AUCKLAND. 17th March.

Sir George Grey will turn the first sod of the Waikato and Thames railway when visit- , ing Hamilton en route for the native meeting on the 23rd. About 100 chiefs go up from' Auckland, including representatives of north- \ era tribes. ' ¦ • The Ngaruawahia races to-day were well attended. Loafer's owner declined racing against Sportsman, and took him to the PUko races. Considerable interest was excited in expectation of the contest . between them. Handicap Hurdle Race, , of 20 soys., and a •weepsteak of 1 soy. ; two miles; eight jumps. - — Sportsman, 1 ; Robin Hood, 2 ; Irish Emigrant, 3. Ngaruawahia .- Cup, of 40 soys., added to a sweepstake of 1 soy. ; two miles.— W'zard, 1 ; Sultan, 2; Memento, 3. The Tatnaki races took place to-day. The following are the results '.—Maiden Plate — Won by Robinson Crusoe. Steeplechase Handicap, of 25 soys, j two miles and a-half . Won by Harry Mount. East Tamaki Handicap, of 50 80 vs. ; two miles— Yatapa, 1 ; .Gillie Cullum, 2; Don, 3. A protest .was entered against Tatapa for going inside a post The annual Catholic festival was held in the Domain to-day. About 1000 were in the procession, headed by a brass band with banners. The Christian . Doctrine Society presented an address and a purse of 100 sovereigns to Father Walter McDoaald for bis zeal and energy in the society's affairs. 'The sports were well contested.