AWAPUNI RACECOURSE

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2004, 21 December 1921, Page 6

AWAPUNI RACECOURSE

extensive improvements. EXCELLENT T< iTALISATOU HOUSE. The Manawatu placing Clul) lisvfc jusl completed extensive improvements ai Awapuni, wiiie Jl have been in progress for Hie past six mouths. The lawns have been extended and improved, more hind being taken in. A new totalisator Jiou.se has been erected on the inside lawn —built in brick and a wooden building on the outside lawn. A. large raised lawn iias been made in front of where the new outside stand will be erected, giving a very line view o£ the tracks and birdcage. The birdcage lias been extend, d, and a new iron fence erected between Hie inside and outside enclosures. Large and extensive sanitary accommodation lias been provided; aiso a modern ambulance room.

'i ue new motor lawn I'or parking ears covers an area of a little over two acres. 'Cue entrance gales base been altered to provide better of ingress and egress. The new totalisator house un the inside' lawn is a very line building, 157 feet long by 30 feet broad, wiili a projecting machine room in front i>'< icet long by 1 a feet broad and l'J feet liigli from the ground. In the front tor the entire length are 40 selling' windows and 4 change windows. The building is of brick, with concrete facings, concrete ilooring, red tiled root —steel girders carrying thc roof. The machine room is aiso of concrete and brick, with tiie lace of the totalisator of reinforced concrete. At 7 feet intervals along the front are brick pillars, live feet nigh, to carry the upper wall, and.betweeii these are wooden frames with g r lass fronts, each

section being - divided into two windows. The selling; windows are 2 feet il inches broad'and is inches high, with a crimped iron frame in front, the upper portion 01. the frame being glass. These are constructed in tins way so tnat should alterations be necessary at any future time they can easiiy be done without interfering with tin- brick wall, and it permits of two people being attended to at each window, thus saving delay. At the rear of the building are 27 pay-out windows, but only -0 will be used. Tnese windows are 3 feet 0 inches high by 2 feet broad, with crimped iron framing in front. At the western end in a space of lti feet by 14 feet is an investment room, with divided desks, table and a counter —glass laced —with a slide to the operator behind the counter. Investors are thus quite away from the general public. At the eastern end is the supeiw isors' oilice, to admit the publie to make complaints and enquiries, and beyond tins at the same end is provided a long counter wth cupboards, also a sink with hot and cold water. In a small room off this is provided a modern water iieater to give a constant supply of boiling water for tea tor the staif, which will be constantly supplied all day with sandwiches, cakes, etc., so that there is no need tor the staff to leave the building at any time. At both ends of the uuilding above this area are two cloak rooms, one for ladies and one for gentlemen, ft affords up-to-date accommodation, and access is gained by stairs from the ground lloor. The sellers are divided oft (two to each issuing machine), with wooden and a glass partition on a platform raised i inches from the ground floor. At the seeing windows the sellers are 11 inches higher than the people buying tickets, so as to give them a full view of the purchasers. The pay-outs each have an enclosed space, 4 feet U inches by 5 feet, with crimped copper wire divisions on each side and at the back. The bank is in the centre of the-build-ing, and is' 2U feet by If feet, enclosed all round with wood up to the counter, and all round above the counter with crimped copper wire. The object of this is that all the sellers, pay-outs and bank hands will be quite visible one to the other, and to the supervising ollieers. No one is enclosed except the ollicer in the investment room. A large strongroom of reinforced concrete, 10 feet by 9 feet by 7 feet, is alongside the investment room. Across the centre of the building is a platform 8 feet high and 7 feet wide, with stairs from the ground lloor, which provide the entrance into the machine room, and from the centre of this platform runs down the centre of the building to the gentlemen's cloak room —G-i feet — a small platform- o feet wide hung from tiie girders, and another platform of the same dimensions runs 42 feet to near the other end. These platforms are for inspection purposes, so that a 'supervisor may view the staff all along the line. In the front a 7 foot verandah runs on each side of the'machine room to the ends of the building. Under this and the machine room are the leads to the windows, made of 2 feet galvanised iron piping bent and sunk into a concrete Hooting, running the entire length of the front of the totaiisator house, and from the western end a double door leads into the investment room. The entire inside is painted and the partitions stained and sized. The machine room is 57 feet long, 12 feet C inches broad, 12 feet 10 inches high, with windows for a 24 horse machine, and two plate-glass windows, one at each side 5 feet by 3 feet, for notices. The grand total numbers are as low down as possible to the horse numbers, and there is a large oilicial clock above in the centre. This loom is specially lighted, and the main building is exceedingly well lighted at the back by a long line of steel frame windows and obscure glass and dormer windows and skylights. Nothing has been left undone" to make the building as complete and perfect as possible in every detail. The electric machine, which has been on hand for many months, but had to wait a supply of cement and labour, is being installed. The machine is expected to be ready and in order for the Clnistmas meeting. It can be safely stated that this is the best and most complete totaiisator house in the Dominion. The club carried out the work by day labol/r (excepting the brick and tile work), with Mr T. LSrownlee in charge. Messrs Trevor Uros. did the brick and tile work, which speaks for itself, in a most satisfactory way, and to the entire satisfaction of the club. The tiles were manufactured in Palmerston North by Trevor Bros., and the bricks by -Mr YV. Mouldey. Tin- designing and planning of the building is the work of tin- club's secretary, Mr J. M. Johnston, who instructed .Mr West,

architect, as to the preparation of the detailed plans. The whole work was carried out under the supervision of the Building Committee of the club.

i of concerts being given in New' Zealand, and Messrs J. and \. 'l'ait anI nounce that one will be given in Palmerston North at the Opera House on I.Monday, 2nd January, and the box plan will be opened on Friday, 30th December, at Oates', and intending patrons arc requested to note that not i more than twelve seats may be bookled by one person, ami applications for scats from country patrons will be allocated in order received.