TAURANGA RACE MEETING.

The meeting held at the- Tauranga Hotel on Saturday evening for the purpose of making arrangements to hold a race meeting during the summer was not so largely attended as might have been expected, and there was a noticeable absence of country settlers. The intention of the meeting was notwithstanding satisfactorily carried out.

Mr William Kelly ably presided in the chair.

In opening the proceedings the Chairman spoke as to the advisability of keeping up horse racing in the district, and referred to there being 1 no races last year. He felt sure that with the amount to credit in the Bank there would be, or should be, no difficulty in collecting the sum required to ensure the success of the races. There was a Bplendid course in the district,, and if. settl^ra came forward as they should do, something might be done to get it in thorough order. He would like to see the course improved and vested in. the local governing body, or eventually in members of the Jockey Club, when a valuable rental might be derived from it. The Chairman then requested the meeting to proceed with the business.

Mr J. C. Young was elected Secretary to tlie meeting.. The question having been mooted if there was a Tauranga Jockey Club in existence,

Mr Edgcunibe informed the meeting that a Jockey Club was formed, and officers elected in 1873, he believed, when it was decided that an annual subscription of £2 2s should be- paid by the members. The account at the Bank was opened in the name of the Jockey Club, and if the Club was not still in existence, it had merely lapsed because, members had ceased to pay their subscriptions. He believed that subscriptions had been paid up to within a year ago.. In reply to Mr T. D> Wrigley,. the Chairman stated that the Tauranga Jockey Club had decided to adopt the rules of the Auckland Jockey Club, and had acted on them.

Mr T. D. Wrigley pointed out that the first question, for the meeting to was whether races should be held.or not. If it was decided to have a race meeting the ways and nieans could then be discussed. For his part lie strongly advised that races should be held, and assigned as one of his principal reasons that there was no sertfiijotty as to the nature of the tenure

■of the race-course reserve, and he thought it not improbable that if two or three years lapsed without any races being held that Government might confiscate the- land and give it away for some- other purpose.

Mr Edgcumbo said that lie had lately ridden over the race-course, and found it in very fair condition, and that a small outlay would make it a really good course. A resolution was then carried 1 unanimously, " That races should be held this season."

A short discussion followed as to the date on which it would be advisable to hold the meeting so as.-to fall in with the Opotiki and Ohineniutu meetings. Mr Bhodes' proposition, seconded by Mr J. A. Chad wick, "That the races should be held on Monday, the 29th January, the Anniversary of the Colony," was carried unanimously. It was decided that there should be seven stewards, and Messrs TV. Kelly and Joseph Ellis, Capt. W. A. Clarke, Capt. Turner, Capt. Morris, M.H.K., and Messrs Joseph Yercoe and Hamiora Tu 1 were elected.

Messrs E. M. Edgcumbe, J. A. Chadwick, C. N. Roberts, T. D. Wrigley, and I). Connor were requested to stand for election, but declined.

The election of the other officers was left with the stewards.

A hearty vote of thanks having been given to the Chairman, the meeting terminated.