Anything and Everything

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 63, 8 October 1891, Page 1

Anything and Everything

Between the Customs officials and an eminent minister of one of the sects relations are strained. “ Where did you get that hat ?” is the casus belli. It seems that the reverend gentleman, who was returning to Auckland from a visit to Australia, expected a reception on the wharf from a large concourse of admirers, and wishing to look respectable, invested in a new hat costing 20s. In ignorance of Our stringent revenue provisions, he neglected to hansel the new “ potae,” and the officers demanded and exacted 20 per cent, ad valorem duty. Prayers, protestations, pleas, and remonstrances availed not. Insult was added to injury. He was brutally told that he should have encouraged local industry by telegraphing to one of our hatters, who would have punctually executed his order. It is really too bad to inflict a fine of 4s. on the laudable desire to appear respectable. To have worn the old hat would, from King Gama’s point of view, have been a piece of snobbery and cant. Holiness should not be flaunted before the eyes of the members of his congregation by a minister of religion possessed of a proper sense of humility- Charity, like a hat, oft covers a multitude of sins.

The, mile foot-race between 8. Goodman and cam© off in the Domain on Saturday last at 2.30 p.m. Wilson conceded Goodmana start of 30 yards, and the stakes were £2O a side. ,Both men seemed in the pink of condition. Immediately after the start Goodman put on the pace, and at the conclusion of the first lap had increased his lead to some 60 or 70 yards. In the following two laps Wilson began slowly to reduce the lead, and in the last lap, coming with a good rush, almost caught Goodman on the post, the latter winning by three or four yards after a close and exciting finish, both men all out. The time is stated to have been 4min. 48£setr, which is not a very startling performance. Critics think that Wilson should not have allowed his opponent to get away so far in the early part of the race.

While the football tournament was proceeding at Potter’s Paddock the drag hunt afforded an interesting interlude—some 40 or 50 horsemen taking a stone wall in. a paddock adjoining Wattie’s Hotel. Some carping critics, accustomed to hunting in the old country, commented in very scathing terms on the spectacle before their eyes. They wanted to know if the men were hunting or riding a steeplechase ? It was funny to see huntsman and hounds half a field behind a posse of men riding like so many demons, and hustling one another while jumping a gap in the stone-wall. Apparently the etiquette of hunting is either unknown to or entirely disregarded by not a few members of the Pakuranga Hunt Club.

Possibly there is yet another cause celebre in store for Us. The purchaser of a pen of fowls in the Market, on sending for the birds, missed

the rooster. He was told that his chanticleer had cleared out of the coop and invaded a neighbouring crockery stall, smashing various articles, the proprietor of which held the bird in pawn for the damage. The purchaser was advised, “ Perhaps if you address the holder so politely, so politely I ” but received a blank refusal for his pains, and thereupon consulted his solicitor. We have heard of a bull in a china shop, but surely this must be a Kochin China roosterl