ANNIVERSARY FETE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 260, 26 January 1848, Page 2

ANNIVERSARY FETE.

On Monday and Tuesday the eighth Anniversary of this settlement, was duly celebrated with the customary sports and amusements. The first day was fine but rather sultry, with a light breeze from the northwest; towards the afternoon the day became overcast and threatened for rain. A commodious stand was provided as usual on the course for the accommodation of the ladies, and an extensive line of booths was erected by the different publicans for the refreshment of their customers. The band of the 65th regiment, by the kind permission of Colonel Gold, was on the course near the grand stand, and between the races performed a variety of well selected pieces. There was a goodly muster of settlers, many of them from the country districts who had left their usual toils and occupations for the purpose of indulging in a little relaxation and enjoying the diversions of the annual holiday. There were also a good many natives mostly dressed in European clothing,, the women wore gowns and hats or bonnets, and among the latest improvements in maori costume we noticed the introduction of veils. We may also notice, as an incident 'worth recording, the presence for the first time of a Governor of New Zealand at the celebration of these anniversary sports. His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Grey were on the course on horseback during the first day, and appeared to be greatly interested in the day's amusements. The day's sports commenced with the sailing match for decked boats. Five vessels started, the Fly, Katharine Johnstone, Petrel, Catherine Ann, and Triumph. This- \ match was very well contested and won by the Fly, the Catherine Ann coming in second. ! The sailing match for skiffs or dingies followed, in which six boats started, but'the I race lay between the Fairy and the Bee, the Fairy winning easily. Three boats started for the rowing match, the Australian, Friar Dick, and the Racehorse, which arrived in the order we have placed them, the two first were manned by crews of whalers, the last by a man-of-war's crew, but the former from their practice in pulling maintained a decided superiority. There was also a canoe race which afforded great interest, three canoes started, two of them were large canoes each manned by from twenty to thirty rowers, the third was a small light canoe manned by eight rowers, this race was very keenly contested throughout the canoes keeping very closely together ; the race was won by Epuni's canoe. Hurdle Race. Six horses started for this race, at first they all kept pretty well together, but at the first leap Lottery threw his

rider who soon recovered himself, however, and mounted again, at the the third leap a more serious accident occurred ,• in attempting to clear the hurdle, Governor threw his rider and broke his fetlocks, so that he was obliged, to be killed on the spot. The other horses bolted or refused their leaps, and in the second round Naughty Boy kept the lead and was winning easily when at the sixth leap he threw his rider, who however was not seriously injured by his fall. Eventually Daylight was the winner, distancing his other opponents. The result of this race was very unexpected as before starting the odds were 2 to 1 against Naughty Boy and Governor, and 20 to 1 against Daylight. Daylight walked over the course for the second heat.

Hack Race. — This was a closely contested race, but Scourge kept the lead throughout and won easily, Brown Stout being second. In the second heat four horses started, but Scourge was the winner, Brown Stout coming in second. Before starting Phormium Tenax was the favourite. Maori Horse Race. — This race offered some capital sport ; several started, but the race lay between a native named Stephen, and another duly habited in jockey costume with black cap and blue silk jacket, they rode with great confidence, and kept well together until towards the end of the first heat, when Stephen got ahead and was winning easily ; — but the race is not always to the swift — for enjoying his anticipated triumph* before it was secured, his horse bolted on the wrong side of the winning post and threw Stephen, and before he could remount, his opponent passed the winning post. In the second heat, Stephen was thrown again and his horse running away his opponent won the race. The Mule race closed the day's amusements, Bessy as usual proving by her steadiness the winner. On the second day Naughty Boy, Zamor and Lottery started for the hurdle race for the Beaten Stakes, but Naughty Boy became the winner, distancing the other horses. There was a very good hack race between Vampire, Phormium Tenax and Bullet Eye. Vampire took the lead and kept it for the first part of the race, when his rider was thrown ; this accident left the race between Phormium Tenax and Bullet Eye ; the former came in winner. A Maori foot race, a war dance and other diversions followed, but the day which had been showery towards the afternoon settled into steady rain and caused the spectators to disperse early. We believe the rural sports will come off this afternoon.