LYTTELTON REGATTA.

Colonist, Volume VII, Issue 657, 12 February 1864, Page 7

LYTTELTON REGATTA.

Explorations of the West Coast op €anteeBUB^— Mr. John Rochfort, of this place, whose appointment as Assistant Surveyor for the Government ot Canterbury we announced last week, proceeds today from Neloon to the West Coast for the purpose of exploring the coast on and about the Grey River. He has, on behalf of the Canterbury Government chartered the schooner Mary, of this port, to take down the explorer, and his staff, and provisions, and remain at his disposal so long as may be deemed necessary —Colonist, Jan. 19. DI3TEIBUTION of the Government Prizes to the Town Schools—The prizes given to the Nelson Town Schools by the Local Committee were distributed in the Provincial Hall, on 25th Jan., by His Honor the Superintendent. The prizes consisted of volumes of valuable standard works, beautifully bound. His Honor expressed his gratification at again meeting the pupils, and performing such a pleasing task as was now before him. He was glad to find from the reports of the Local Committee and the teachers that the improvement in the education of the pupils was this year more marked than it had been in. any previous year. Although all the boys had not gained prizes, yet he believed that they all possessed good abilities for so doing, and what chiefly they differed in was the talent of application. He had heard that in selecting the winners the teachers and committee had difficulty in bestowing the prizes in some cases, as numbers of the boys had exhibited nearly equal proficiency. He hoped that by next year there would be still more of that kind of emulation and ability displayed. In conclusion, the Superintendent complimented Harry Gully on the distinguished position he held when in competition with the pupils of the other schools in the province. Below is a list of the gainers of the prizes:— First Division Eoys' School, taaght ly Mr. FranMyn —

Ist Class—James Q-reig, Ist prize „ Alfred Smart, 2nd do. „ Thomas Crooke, 3rd do, 2nd Class—Daniel Burn, Ist prize I, A. Langford, 2nd do, „ T. Disher, 3rd do. 3rd Class—W. Newman, Ist prize j, G. Newman, 2nd do.

„ R. Disher, 3rd do. Harry Gully received the Ist prize for Mental Arithmetic, presented by Mr. Levien; likewise, three books by his teacher, in commemmoration of his carrying off two out of the five prizes given by the Central Board for competition by the schools of the province. Second Division Toion School, taught ly Mr. Sadd —

Ist Class—W. Snow, Ist prize „ J. Bettany, 2nd do. 2nd Class—A. Hart, Ist prize „ T. Simpson, 2nd do. 3rd Class—T. Stevens, Ist prize „ J. Roth well 2nd do. 4th Class—W. Aldborough, Ist priza „ C. Hardy, 2nd do. Arithmetic—W. Snow. Girls' School, taught by Mrs. Sait Ist Class —Helen Johnson, Ist prize „ Polly Dement, 2nd do. 2nd Class—A. Cawthron, Ist prize „ E. Burns, 2nd do. 3rd Class—E. Homes, Ist prize „ S. Langford, 2nd do,. Writing—Sarah Crisp Maps—Ellen Harris.

This event, which marks a general holiday in the port of Lyttelton and city of Christchurch, came off on UTew Tear's Day. The weather, says the Times, was propitious, a beautiful sunny day, with aetiff N.E. breeze, allowed the sailing vessels every opportunity of exhibiting their peculiar excellencies, while the competitors in the rowing matches, in contending against a strong wind and rather rough water, were put on their mettle, with results much to their own credit, and the gratification of the spectators.

Amateub paie-oared boat bace (no steersman.) — Once round the four-eared boat course. First prize, £3 ; Second, £1. Four entries, but only thi'oe started. Planet (30 feet) 1 Black Eagle (27 feet) - - 2 Young Shagaroon (26 feet) - 0 At starting, the Planet took the lead, and won easily by three boat-lengths.

Champion cine eace.—The cup, value, £50, to be ■won twice by the same vessel; the winner of the cup the first year entitled to fly the champion prize flag presented by the Committee 5 £5 added: 2nd prize £10} 3rd to gay© hia stake. Open to all

sailing vessels built, or the lo?iajide,owner being a resident in the province. Allowance of time for tonnage;—lo seconds per ton. .Start from flag-ship down the harbor^ round a flag-boat at the heads, return up the harbour.ipDirad the reef, making the flag-ship on the starboard hand. Eight entries. Surprise (15 tons) 1 Juno (46 tons) - 0 Wild Wave.(7o) 2 Emerald Isle - 0 Crest of the Wave (58) 3 Sylph (50)- - 0 Star of Tasmania (31) 0 Antelope (17) ■ - 0 All the vessels entered for this the great event of the Say, with the exception of the Star of Tasmania, started in first-rate order. The Emerald Isle, which had the weather berth, got under weigh first and led for a short distance, but as they gathered way the Wild Wave first, closely followed by the Juno, drew a-head and to windward, the rest all in a ruck. The cutter Surprise, in getting under weigh, came about the wrong way, but making a short board she got on the other tack, and although to leeward and astern of the whole fleet, very soon showed her superiority. The wind, which had been freshening all morning, now blew half a gale, and the tide was young ebb, a conjunction of circumstances eminently favorable for the beat down the harbor. Gradually the Wild Wave increased her distance from the Juno, which latter vessel was sailod too close to the wind; the Emerald Isle had to tack, no being able to weather one of the ships ; tht Crest of the Wave went to leeward badlye the Antelope ditto; to the rest no place could be assigned, with the exception of the Surprise, which crept to windward of them all, at the same time going three feet to their two, till at last when she went about, having fetched welltothe eastward of Rhodes*' Bay she was three or four hundred yards to windward of the Wild Wave, with the Juno a bad third. It here became evident that the race was between the two first mentioned vessels, and after they were shut in by the point very little doubt existed as to the result. The wind was found to be much lighter at the heads than it was inside, but the Juno in rounding the flag-boat carried away her mainmast, which of course placed her hors de comlat. If this unfortunate accident had not happened, she would no doubt have given good account of herself at the winning point, she being one of the finest vessels on the coast. It was impossible to see, from on board the flagship, the most interesting part of this race, and until the Surprise came past the point with her mainsail boomed out and squaresail set on her return, we were unable to tell how she was doing her work. Her appearance was greeted with loud cheers, and not until she had very nearly reached the reef was anything to be seen of the other competitors. At last came the Wild Wave; then at a long distance behind, the Crest of the Wave, and the rest nowhere.

The course was sailed over by the Surprise in 2 hours 42 miv. The Wild "Wave passed the flagship about fifteen minutes and tha Crest of the "Wave 35 minutes later.

The vessels were nearly all handled in a very skilful manner, especially at the start, when they were rather close; but the performance of the winner was particularly admired. # There is some talk about the cutter being disqualified on account of tonnage ; however that may be, there can be no doubt of her superiority in every point over the other competitors. The other prizes were :— The Qoten's Peize.—For waterman's crews only, in watermen's boats plying at the stairs let Prize, £10; 2nd Prize, stakes. 1 The Volunteer—GK Messiter. 2 What You Like—Gardiner, - 3 Fair Play—Asliworth. Amateub Fotxb-oabed Boat Race.—lst Prize £15----2 nd Prize, £5. ' ' 1 Mr Macdonald's Black Eagle. 2 Mr Cameron's Young Shagaroon. 3 Mr Caro's Planet.

The Black Eagle came in first, but had to allow 8 seconds for length of keel, and the Young Shagaroon having come in 4 seconds afterwards was declared the winner.

Saixtng Match toe Open Boats.—lst Prize, £10----2 nd ditto, £3. ' 1 Captain Kerr's White Star. 2 Canterbury Yacht Club's Upidee. 3 Captain Duckett's Jack. Watebman Skiff Race.—lst Prize, £10; 2nd do, £2 1 Mr Cochrane's Erin go Bragh. 2 Mr Snoswell's Stranger. Fitb-Oabed Whalb Boat Race.—lst prize a cup, value £25; 2nd ditto, £5. 1 Mr Ashton's Win if I can. Sailing Match por Boats tjndee 20 Tons.—lst Prize, £20; 2nd ditto, £5. Open to all decked boats in port or "running on the coast. 1 Mr Malcolmßon's Antelope. 2 Mr Whitby's Annie. 3 Mr Russell's Ebenezer. G-ia Race.—For river gigs over 26 feet, four-oars. Ist Prize, £10 10s ; 2nd ditto, stake. 1 Mr Macdonald's Black Eagle. 2 Mr Caro's Planet.

Anti-Postal Wit.—The annexed communication with the alliterative title appears in the Lytielton Times: —

PUNCTUAL PLUM PUDDING AND PItOTEACTED

POST-OFFICE PBOCEEDINGS. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sib—So you would like to have " been behind mo ■with a brad-awl" at 2 p.m. on Christmas Day, would you ? Just as I was sitting down to dinner too— about as Christian a sentiment as has been expressed this Christmas, Til be bound. Compliments of the season to you, Mr. Editor. Happy New Year to you, you blood-thirsty knight of the brad-awl. Balaam certainly must have prodded his moke with a brad-awl, when that gifted quadruped addressed his master in the vernacular. And so you really tliink I ought to forego my Christmas dinner to enable you to enjoy the Some News with your deaert ? But no, you cannot be'in earnest, you must be chaffing. "We may as well understand one another, Mr, Editor, so I will just inform you that, if the English mail arrives at 2 p.m. on any future Christinas Day, with intelligence of a war with America, and the funds at 50—if it brings a registered letter containing a remittance of JBIO,OOO for each individual of the community—if it brings news of Sir George Grey's arrival at the heads—if tidings arrive, at that day and at that hour, that the Wainiakariri is coming down at the rate of four miles an hour, and may be expected in Christehurch in twenty minutes—l any, if all these circumstances happen, my roast beef shall still be consumed at 2 p.m., neither shall the customary illuminations of my plum pudding be delayed or hastened one single instant—Perish the Poßt-office first" —The notion is most savoury certainly! Why, if X thought you meant it, I would pledge myself to give you the whole of Boxing day to cool down, ao as to receive your letters in a becoming state of equanimity, The idea of pitting my Christmas dinner against tho public convenience—preposterous! Why, don't we give you twelve English mails a year, and don't we invariably deliver them, newspapers and all, within, three or four days of arrival? And don't we give you a small matter of three weeks on an average to digest the intelligence and consider your replies? Well, what more do you want ? As to the brad-awLjart of tho business, if you mean to be personal, wl§r you can provide brad-awls for two on Hagley Park, or elsewhere, at any time except 2 p.m. on Christmas Day. Barkis is willing. Your obedient servant, POSTMAN,