ST. BATHANS RACES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 496, 18 January 1879, Page 3

ST. BATHANS RACES.

The Annual meeting of the St. Bathans Baeing Club, advertised tor the 27th and 28th December,was, through the execrable weather that prevailed at the time, unavoidably postponed, and although the elements were still unfavorable to the carrying out of the programme, a start was made on Saturday the 28th. The severe weather of the previous few clays made the running very heavy, and, of course detained many visitors who would otherwise have been present, while the small fields for several of the events' may be atributed to the same cause. The following, is a resume.of the proceedings: •

' ' FIRST DAY. Maiden- Pirn, ID sops., for all horses who have never won an advertised, prize of ;10 eova. One mile. • \Peight for ago. Entry • 10S. ; . Jojjpa' Tlarriken, aged (Dongee) ... .. ,1 Pyle'a Frist, 3 yrs (Reid") ••• ... ' 2 Ki4g's Rufus, aged (Sawyer) ... - ... -3 Mallon's Charlie also ran, and for half the distance it was.anybody's race., when Larrikin and Frish singled out,' and a . good race up the straight.ensued, resulting as. above.

St Bathaks Handicap of 15 sava. 1£ mile. Keenan's Manx Boy, 10st 10lb, (Dongee) 1 A. M"h.ay's Hector Bst 41b, (H. Reid) 2 Jone's. Larrikin, 9st- 51b (Sawyer) ... 3 'King's Rufns ... ... ... ..." 0 Holding's Maggie ... ... ... 0 A very fair start was effected, and the lot kept well together for about a'mile, when Manx .Boy, full of running, took the lead, winning as he liked. Seixikg Rack of 10 eovs. Mile heats. Jone's Little Sell, £2O, 9st (Alexander) 1 Pyle's Lauder, £2 r 9=t (Sawyer) ... 2 M'Kay's Highland Chief ... ... 3 There was a good deal of speculation over this event, Lauder having a slight preference, however, condition told, and, after a most exciting struggle for three quarters of a mile, the mare gradually drew away and won easily. The second heat w>s run with the same result. Mr. Jones bought the mare in for £2O. ' Hack Race of £5. One mile. Catch weights. Allan's Jack (Reid) 1 Coley'a Topsy (Scherp) ... ... 2nd Five started, this was the best race of the meeting, the lot being well together until entering the straight, when Jack and Topsy had a fine set to, for first place with the above result. .' • SECOND DAY. ' Fltiko Handicap of 10 sovs. One mile. Keenan's Manx Boy, list 101b, (Dongee) 1 Jones' Larrikin, Bst, (Scherp) ... ... 2 If a! lon's 6st 121b, (Fahey) ... ... • 3 Considerable diversity of opiuion existed as to the probable result of tliis race, but again Manx Boy, showed his quality and won almost without an effort. As there were no entries for the Cambrian Stakes, a Trotting Match for £5 was run off instead, and won by Mr. Harley's Nobby. Oonsolatiok Hait-icap of 10 sovs. One mile. Mallon's Charlie, Bst. 71b 1 Pyle's Lander, 9st 01b .. ... ... 2 The pair went gamely for this event, but Charlie would not be shaken off, and won with comparative ease. HYDE. (From our own correspondent.) As I write a rrosc grateful shower continues to descend which will reclothe the earth with verdure, and cause our fields to burst forth anew into exuberant growth. ■ should it continue it will prove a blessing, and a mercy indeed to our farmers hereabout, who have been in a state of low despondency through the past month. We are anxiously but patiently waiting to see the advertisement "Contract No. 68" disappear from your columns. As then we shall consider the bridge across the Taieri aufait accompli. We do not care how soon the work is got under fair swing, as I have no doubt it will give employment to a number of deserving men here, who are just now out of harness. The site is a very judicious selection on the part of Mr. Browne, our engineer, who had a nnmber to choose from, but chose the one which in an engineering point of view will do most credit to himself as an engineer and be a less expense to the county. An act of a very mean description was perpetrated here a few days ago. Itseems that Mr. Price was engaged to take loading from Palme-ston through our township, and on getting through he was despoiled of a case of spirits. This not only throws doubts of a nasty character upon Mr. Price, but cost him the price of the spirits. I hope the perpetrator may be handed over to the punishment he deserves —if he be found out.

The Royal Mail still continues to travel via Hyde under the able management of Ned Devine, who is much better known up your way than on this road. However, there are very few who have not heard of "Cabbage-tree Ned," and I am confident he will soon win the golden opinions of folk about here as he has everywhere else. Mining operations have been unusually quiet for some time back owing to the scarcity of water- Pour of our miners— Messrs. M'Kay, M'iN'ally, Gill, and Hally have in consequence gone in quest of fresli fields. May" they be successful is my prayer. For do we not want something to relieve thi3 horrid monotony ?