Local and General.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 197, 30 December 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

«■$ Rural Sports. — At a special meetiug of the Winter Entertainments Committee, held yesterday at White's Hotel, Mr J. Ollivier in the chair, it was unanimously resolved that the sum of £10 from the surplus funds in hand should be handed over to the Rural Shorts Committee. C Cure Boating Club.— Cr meeting of this club was held on Monday evening at the Pier Hotel. It was resolved that the Secretary transmit a challenge to the Railway Rowing Club, invitingthera to rowafriendly match for £25 a side, with the R.R.C.'s Lurline against the C.B.C.'sTui;anydistancefromfourtosixmiles on the Waimakariri, at any date most convenient to the members of the R.R.C. ; the same crews to compete in the same boats that rowed at the Heathcote Kegatta. It was also resolved to enter the Tui, with the same crews for the Lyttelton Regatta four-oared race. Cattle Fairs os t:ie Peninsula. — A large and influential Iy attended meeting of stockowners and others interested in the establishment of fairs as above was held at the Travellers' Rest, Head of Akaroa Bay, on the 26th inst. Mr H. Piper was called to the chair, and stated the object for which the meeting had been called. He considered stock fairs would be advantageous to the Peninsula, not only as a means of bringing buyer and seller together, but also as a means of introducing fresh blood amongst their herds and flocks. He would do all he could to assist in the matter. Several other gentlemen addressed the meeting, all being unanimous as to the desirability of carrying out the object for which the meeting was called, and a committee was elected for that purpose, with Mr J. R. Taylor as the hon. sec. It was arranged that there shall be two fairs in the year — one to be held in March aud the other in September. The question of site' was left for the committee to determine upon. \£ yt **■ Heathcote Regatta. — A meeting of the committee was held at White's hotel last night. The business on hand was to decide ihe protests entered against the winners of feome of the races on Saturday last. These /were discussed and dealt with as follows : — [sailing race, left open for further evidence ; jfour-oar race, protest by the Tui disallowed, iln the men's pair oar race, Mr Andrews said [the Iris was bored by the Stranger whilst leading, and the protest of the former was accordingly held over for further evidence. In the jscullers and consolation races, the real difficulty appeared to be that the red flag at the jwinning point had been taken down or carried away. Mr Moorhouse, the umpire, after patient enquiry, decided that the first race should be pulled over again, and it will come off at an early date. In the second instance, the race was ordered to stand gootl I - the Emu taking first prize — but the coroV mittee agreeing that another prize of £|« should be offered for competition by any' three of the boats, and that it should, if post sible, be rowed for during the Lytteltora Regatta. j\ Duvauchelle Bay Races. — These annual events came off on Boxing Day, and on Moit day last. Owing to the state of the tide on Boxing Day, it was impossible to begin th<?' races till late in the afternoon, and they had, therefore, to he finished on Monday. There was a much larger gathering of spectators than usual, and all seemed to enjoy themselves. The first event on the card on Saturday was the Maiden Plate. For this, the following started — Mr Duxbury's Blarney ; Mr Shadbolt's Flying Cloud ; Mr J. Bell's Black Bess. In the first heat, the horses came in in the order given above ; in tbe second and third heats, Black Bess was first, Flying ' 'loud second, and Blarney third. For the Wainui Plate, the following ran — Mr G. Brough's Happy Jack ; Mr .Shadbolt's Flying Cloud ; and Mr Shackelle's Currency Lass. They came in as named n the first heat. In the second, Happy Jack was again first, Currency Lass second, and Flying Cloud third. In the third heat, Flying Cloud was first and Currency Lass second. The race for Galloways was won by Mr T.* Brough's Wild Irishman. Currency Lass and Toby also ran, but the Irishman had the best of it in both heats. The Hack Race was won by Mr Wright's Captain. Mr Armstrong's Frisky, and Mr B. Shadbolt's Dick also ran. Frisky came in first in the first heat, Captain second, and Dick third ; in the second heat, Captain was first and Dick second. The Consolation Stakes were won by Mr Shadbolt's Flying Cloud, Currency Lass running a good second. The Hurry Scurry was won by Mr Shadbolt's Dick. On Monday, the races commenced with a Sweepstake, the entrance for which was £1. The following ran -Mr G. Brough's Happy Jack ; Mr J. Bell's Black Bess ; Mr B. Shadbolt's Flying Cloud ; Mr T. Brough's Wild Irishman ; and Mr Shackelle's Currency Lass. In the first heat the horses came in as named ; in the second, Happy Jack was first, Currency Lass second, Flying Cloud third, Wild Irishman fourth, and Black Bess fifth ; in the third heat, Black Bess was first, and Currency Lass second. A match, for £5 a side, between Black Bess aud Flying Cloud, was easily won by the former. A swimming match was won by G. Brough, T. Brough being second, and B. Shackelle third. A foot race was won by T. Brough, W. AY right being second, and J. Fry third. The races and sports were wound up with a ball at the '''ravellers' Rest, which was a great success. Mr Salek provided an excellent dinner on Boxing Day.

Lyttelton Regatta. 1 — We are authorised to state that the new railway carriages lately imported will be available for nse on the Regatta-day. In this way, the crash and disappointment of last year will be avoided. The railway will be able to take, easily, any number of passengers that may present themselves. Railway Rowing Club. — A meeting was held at the boat house of the club last evening to arrange entries for the Lyttelton regatta, and discuss challenges received from the Canterbury and Kaiapoi clubs. Mr li. P. t'rosbie, vice-commodore, occupied the chair. Authority was given to enter certain boats for Lyttelton, and it was agreed that the match with the Canterbury Club should take place on the Avon on Monday next between 5 and 6 p.m.; the remaining business was deferred until the return of the commodore. The Front. — The Wanganui Chronicle of Dec. 24 states that all continues quiet a'ong theKni-Iwi boundary, and there is little t<> note regarding the war. We learn that I'itok >waru has shifted his head quarters from Nukumaru nearer to the W*ii totara. and further into the bush. The tents still remain in the former place, and there is a strong picquet posted on the ridge at Nukumaru, but the main body appears to be gone. It is said hy some of the upper river natives that the rebels have obtained a reinforcement of 200 men from Taranaki, but we have no means of verifying such a statement, and only give it for what it is worth. We are in hopes of having something more stirring to tell in « short time. We understand that Colonel Whitmore may be expected in a few days, and that he then means to make a great de monstration. Rations for a thousand men are t • be required at Patea and along the coast S The Colonel is a capital hand at proraising great things. Speaking (tf Patea, we may mention that the settlers there have put up a capital breastwork for themselves, an-l one behind which they would be perfectly safe. On the other hand, the redoubt occupied by the troops at Mr Booth's house is a complete mistake. It is commanded by the sandhills close to it, where the enemy would And any amount of shelter.