QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 965, 23 May 1879, Page 2

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS.

To-morrow, the 60th anniversary of the birth of Her Majesty Queen "Victoria, promises to be celebrated in Oamaru in a manner well befitting .' the Though many of our tradesmen have hot signified their intention to close i their premises, but . have apparently held aloof, from the 'movement, there ia 'every' probability; of/the day-. being -.pretty generally observed as. a close holiday, and many 'will no doubt seek amidst change of scene and pleasure to banish for a time at least the harassing thoughts that the tightness of the money market and imperturbability of bank managers give rise to. The programme for the day is not a very extensive one, and does not afford any scope for much choice. In the morning the Volunteers will assemble on the vacant ground opposite the Northern Hotel, at "8~ o'clock, for the purpose of -firing the-usual salute and feu de joie in honor of Her : Majesty. To country companies the privilege of doing honor, to Her Majesty at any hour that the captains may appoint has been accorded, but we have received no intimation as to what hours have been fixed upon, The principal attraction pf the day will undoubtedly be the first meeting in this district of the Grand National "Steeplechase Qlub, to take place on the Awamoa Estate, kindly placed at the disposal of the Club by the Hon. Mathew Holmes, and extending to a portion of the Totara Estate, permission to use which has also been graciously accorded to the Committee. A capital course has been laid off, possessing jumps of every description, natural and artificial, some of them being regular " yowners," as they are designated in racing parlance, but all well calculated to try the metal of the horses and the skill of the. jockeys to safely pilot their horses over the obstacles, The course selected is not alon.e an admirable one as affording every facility for testing the quality of the .animals, but possesses the stronger recommendation, so far as the general public are. concerned, in that ample' means for witnessing the events are presented by the undulating nature of the ground. The lists of horses engaged in the three events which, with thft Consolation Handicap, fp.vm the programme, include the. of most of the best crosg-pouP,tpy horses in the Colony, and some oapital raciug and jumping should be the result. Some disappointment is felt at the absence of the Victorian steeplechase celebrity Lonehand, but his absence is fully compensated for by the fact that the principal steeplechases are much more open events than they would have been had been present. "We shall not ta give " tips " for the vavio.us vapss, for nothing is njqrg thftu tfee result of steeplechases, the. best horses being often thrown out by an accident, while many of the liorse3 meet for the first time. With reference to the Grand National Steeplechase Handicap, with whioh, wo observe, it has been decided to commence operations, we may, however, remark that the contest should, judging by performances, lie between Te Whetumarama and The Agent, the former for choice, while Loyalty should prove the best of the light division. Still, with the prospect of a few spills before us, we should n vf» hi such good company, pare, to pin our faith to any particular- animal, however good. This should prove a most exciting and interesting race, as in faot should each of the other events, and some capital sport may fairly be anticipated. As we stated in our last issue, the first race will start at half-past 12 o'clock, and we hope that the Stewards will insist 011 punctuality in the starting of each event. The railway authorities have made excellent arrangements for the conveyance of the pub]ig to and from the course. It will be. that the first return from the racecourse will leave at 1 o'clock, an alteration having been made to afford those who are unable to be presont during the whole of the day, an opportunity of seeing the first race, the principal one of the meeting, run, and returning to town immediately afterwards. Full particulars regarding the running of trains, which have been arranged to meet the convenience of country visitors, may be found in another portion of our paper ; and froni these it will be observed that tl}§ ffvves arevery moderate, and that the holders of tickets will be entitled to admission to the course and the grand stand,