METROPOLITAN TROTTING GROUNDS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18141, 2 August 1924, Page 11

METROPOLITAN TROTTING GROUNDS.

♦- A RICCARTON ACQUISITION. In connexion with the recommendation of the Commission recently an-, nounccd to add tho Metropolitan Trotting Club's new ground at Riccarton to tlio Riocarton Borough, tlio Mayor of Ricc&rton (Mr A. D. Ford), ■fvl:en interviowod yesterday by a representative of "Tlio Press, - ' stated that tlhe inclusion of tli© club's ground

in the borough area was what his Council desired. The total area, of tho . Mock was 92 acres ti roods I.G perdies, and it was entirely owned by the Tro-t-Un R Club and Mr H. Hayne, vho had about half an acre of the total- area Both air Mayno and the club had pet--tlonfed the Governor for tho land to ix added to tho borough, aud tho liwcarton Council anpoorted the request. Mr Ford said that tho JIK.-ci.rton Council desired to carry cvut substantia improvements in this locality, and to put in order certain of the roads. Vho borough boundary was along tho whole eastern aide—right along tac. north ! side and half-way down the westw'u side and most of tho roadways and paths were thrown into tho borough originally with a boundary lino along the club's fence instead of the centre or tho road as usual. This threw into tho borough the roads, and Iwtli paths, or most" of them, and prevented tho borough from getting the benefit cr the rates from, the Wock. Asked as to how the district would be affected by the opening of the land as a trotting trad:, Mr lord said toat the first desires of a Council were always the cutting up of large blocksinto building sites tuid for sue?: sites, to be built on. In tho present casa this, of course, would not come about, and' therefore the establishment of a. trotting v-ack was as good as tho next "best thing. If the area had: boon cut. up it would have produced about /& oxres net for rating purposes*-where, ! as nwv, tho whole i>2i acres would M rateable. A> ilie lliccarton rates on unimproved value it would fca seen that the difference between rates I oti 78 acres and 92J- acres would be a | ia-ir sum. . . . I Mr. Ford sU-ied thai o>ub s ; ground was first-class, good, heavy land | out. of which a very lino ground ctmld , be made. Tlicro was aJirolo road provision oo the east adit to lay tho wv#fsaiy train tracks as well c.a several cross sJa*'©efcs rrfcnniiig eastward whi'-i'-rrtmld pcorifc nniueroiw anileL? ior ; nxiv amount ot traffic, and Uius prevent j congest! rat after the rates were over j I each ua-v. Access ibo had iro»n : forr aderf for botii vehicles and pedes■•riaw. which should greatly a .<*»•: I handling large cxwd... Mr Ford said lie hopeo luu.r or; t>> approach the trotting <Ju'>. with a iv- ! vo iillow ihe rtaritre oi.<=u >ik:'C \ smi-is '.iir track") to b-.*. u-wl !>>• tlio > jrcolic for nxjreatio!i. li this could ~t>e j tioi:€ {tR-ix In? pioridrd ■ a, very Sne ground vhv.-b ' answer ;he purposes ot a wrL.