POVERTY BAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4461, 1 March 1876, Page 3

POVERTY BAY.

The great event of the past week has been the races. As expected,- the Turanga Stakes Handicap proved a complete gift to J_Y>i, and the public would be quite justified iu enquiring how it came about that the most iuteresting and most valuable race was so obviously chucked at this mare. Ou the whole, how ever, the races of 1576 have been a success, and a decided improvement on those of preceding years. : The Hurdle Uaee was especially good, the leading horses taking their jumps together all the way round. The stewards,have had a busy time of it—no end of protests—and now they are threatened with legal proceedings in this wise. The programme says the Maiden' Plate shall be open to all horses " that have never won an advertised race." Tins races are also under the Auckland ruleeTwuich say that nominations for the Maiden Plate shall be opun to all horses that havo never won au advertised race. The horse that won thu Muiiieu Plate, AVairarapa, was admitted to have won an advertised race of £2U iu Hawke s Bay, consequently ou protest beiug enteredagainsthim the stewards disqualified him, and declared the second horse, iN T ew Chuui, the v.iuuer. But the nominator of Wairarapa is not content, and says that iu Napier his horse is still a maiden ou tho flat. So bo may be Otere, but Napier has rules of its own ; the Auckland rules are very deliuite. They say a maiden horse is oub that has never won an advertiaed race—matches exoopted—and tho end so far is, that New Chum has-got the money, and 'Wairarapa declares he will suo the stewards.

Mr. R. Kelly has been the subject of a mishap; his stable has been burned- No horses lost, I believe.

By this steamer Captain Head's electioneering agent goes to Tuurnngntu be tried for bribery. The general desire appears that he shall bo fined just sufficient to mark the offence, but sympathy is personally with him, as he was merely au agent to disburse moneys in certain ways.

The member for this place has had a copy of the petition aguiust his return handed to him in the presence of two witnesses, I understand his language on the oecasion was of the moat choice and refined description, and that, amongst other thiugs, he said it Has cost him £000 to get in, and it would post him another £600 to get out. The Government and our Road Board have been in communication about pecuniary assistance ior this place in consequence of the floods, but I dou't chink with any beneficial result for us.—[Correspondent.] ;