PUNIHO

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 28, 5 October 1894, Page 2

PUNIHO

(Our own Correspondent.) The race between Mr W. Gray’s roan filly and Mr B. Gray’s black filly came off on Monday last. This event has been all the excitement at Okato for some time back. The Okato folks turn out to any kind of amusement in good numbers, but if you want to bring out the old men and oldwqmen, young men and young women s - : -boys and girls, and Maoris, Just trot out a horse race and it will draw like a soap and sugar plaster on a boil. Tbe roan filly was the favourite, but when the horses stripped the black looked in such splendid condition that opinions changed, and a good number bets were made. The roan, however, proved to be “ true grit,” and won as she liked, in very fast time. Since the race the winner has changed hands, Mr Judge, of Warea, having puichased her, and you may expect to see her at Opua in the # Harakiki Stakes, when there will be more horses behind than in front of her. Quite a melancholy gloom has been cast over the district by the Pearson tragedy. Mr Pearson was a quiet, sober, and industrious settler, respected by everybody, and great sympathy is felt for the unfortunate man and his family. I hear tbSt his wounds are not serious, but his mind is apparently unhiuged. Since he has been in the hospital he managed to escape through a window during the absence of the nurse, but was afterwards found on the beach. Mr McLachlau, M.H.R., is on a visit to this district to see his son and a number of old Canterbury friends.'