MR. A. I. RATTRAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 41, 16 August 1941, Page 11

MR. A. I. RATTRAY

{ Mr. A. I. Rattray, one of the best- } known sportsmen in New Zealand because of his association for more than 50 years with trotting, died at his i home, 58 Mahsfield Avenue, Christ- - church, last evening, states today's . Christchurch "Press." As first secre- j tary of the New Zealand Trotting Association, he was among those who , gained Government recognition for trotting. Among his efforts to stabilise the sport and bring it under proper control was his proposal to restrict pei*mits for each club to four meetings a , season. After being secretary of the Lower Heathcote Racing Club in 1887, Mr. i Rattray became secretary of the New ' Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, ' and the New Brighton Trotting Club at Christchurch. He held these offices up to the time of his death, and was on duty last week, in spite of failing health. As an owner. Mr. Rattray won races ( with Cleveland and Bloxwich. and he also acted as a handicapper and ( starter. Born in Scotland, he came to New Zealand as a boy and first represented Matheson's Agency, a firm of merchants and woolbrokers. For ten years he was on the staff of the Bank of New Zealand. He was a keen bowler, and a life member of the St. Albans Bowling Club. He was also the anonymous donor of many large sums of money to patriotic and charitable ' causes. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Rattray.