ch. xxxm HORSE RACING, HUNTING AND POLO 325 
the hunter and prospector from the back of beyond, 
shake out their exceedingly creased blue suits and 
still more unused dress clothes and meet once more 
their old friends. These weeks form the chance 
of a lifetime for the unmarried girl. The settler from 
the back blocks has very likely not met a white lady 
since his last race meeting and is ready to see beauty 
in the most meagre charms. She must be an un¬ 
attractive damsel indeed who cannot, if so desirous, 
bring at least one eligible bachelor to her feet during 
the time at her disposal. 
As I have said, the week is devoted as much to 
business as pleasure. Thus Brownsmith treks in, a 
three days’ journey, perhaps, from his farm ; he 
proposes for himself the following programme: Two 
days’ racing, at least one dance, a meeting called to 
discuss the labour problem, quarantine, or whatever 
may be the burning question of the hour, a meeting 
possibly at which the Governor will take the oppor¬ 
tunity of giving some statement of policy, a new oil 
engine to be bought, a wagon and three ploughs to be 
repaired, a game of polo, a cricket or golf match, 
some produce to be sold, advice, which probably he 
won’t follow, to be obtained from the Agricultural 
Department, stores and whiskey for the farm to be 
bought, and last, but by no means least, the inevitable 
interview with the Land Office. 
The town assumes an air of revelry during the week, 
and to the accompaniment of song and dance, with 
perchance a certain amount of horse-play, a very 
fair quantity of spirituous liquors is consumed. 
Boisterous spirits are certainly in evidence ; but those 
worthy citizens who write regularly to the papers to 
complain of the disturbance to their ordered lives 
