Sporting.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 285, 14 July 1877, Page 20

Sporting.

Mr. Herbert Roberts (brother of the champion billiardist) gave two exhibitions of his skill as a billiard player at Sydney lately. Mr. Roberts played against Mr. Dean, who is perhaps the best amateur billiard player in the colony, giving him 200 points out of 600 up. On this occasion the amateur proved too strong for the professional, winning the match by 184 points, the score at the conclusion being Dean 600, Roberts 416. The Sydney Mornzng Herald says :—" Mr. Roberts is a splendid allround player, though he has not the skill of his brother in playing the spot stroke, nor has he the knack of nursing the balls for cannons in which the champion so conspicuously shone. Mr. Dean is a particularly cool and steady player, and he missed no opportunity of scoring. The largest breaks of the evening were 42 and 32 respectively made by Mr. Roberts, and 32 made by Mr. Dean. Mr. Roberts made his first hundred when his opponent stood at 308, including, of course, the handicap. When Mr. Roberts reached 200, the other player had only scored 367; and he made 300 when Dean only reckoned 399. At this time it seemed as if Mr. Roberts would have an easy victory, but from this point his luck deserted him ; the balls broke badly, and he missed some apparently easy strokes, while his antagonist got a succession of brilliant breaks, including some really splendid cannons, and won as mentioned above. Mr. Roberts afterwards showed some wonderful feats with the ball, making pockets and cannons in the most marvellous manner without a cue; he also cannoned off the table on to a ball on the floor ; and cannoned from a ball on the table to one in a pile of four hats placed One above the other. His last feat was spinning a ball on a common dinner plate. The ball continued spinning for nearly seven minutes."

WELLINGTON JOCKEY CLUB. The annual meeting of the Wellington Jockey Club was held on Monday niebt at the Empire Hotel. The following members were present -.—Messrs. Brown, Wallace, Sawyer, Gilligan, J. Paul, Jobberns, George Crawford, J. Reid, J. R. George, Wiiliam Bromley, A Braithwaite, and Kerby (secretary) In the absence of the Vice-President (Mr. G. Hunter, M.H.R.), Mr. G. Crawford was voted to the chair. The Chairman stated that the business before the meeting was the election of officebearers for the ensuing year, and to receive the annual report and balance sheet. He then read the circular convening the meeting, and called upon the Secretary to read the annual report and balance sheet. The Secretary then read the following report : . "In again presenting their annual report, the stewards beg. to call the attention of members to the very satisfactory position of the club All liabilities have been paid, leaving a surplus of about £ll in hand. They would also direct special attention to the balancesheet, as showing the marked success of the club for the past year, the total receipts for the two days racing amounting to £I7OO (which would have been much larger if the weather had been more favorable), as against £1570 for the previous year, when three days racing were held The amount of prize money paid at the last meeting was £IO9O, the entries and acceptances for the various events (with one exception) being highly satisfactory. " Improvements of a substantial nature have been made during the recess from the last general meeting to the grand stand and saddling paddock, principally a six-stall stable adjoining the paddock, for the benefit and convenience of owners and their horses engaged at the race meetings.

"The advantages accruing from the construction of a line of railway to the racecourse being fully recognised by the present stewards, a committee specially appointed has interviewed the Minister for Public Works on the matter, and reasonable hopes are entertained that such may yet be an established fact, the convenience of which must be patent to visitors to the course, especially when compared with the present means of transit. " A branch line of telegraph has also been laid to the course by the Government, the total cost being £92, for which the club have guaranteed 10 per cent, per annum, or £9 4s. for five years, on the outlay, (exclusive of any

income derived by the Telegraph Department for the transmission of messages).

" A meeting of delegates from the various jockey clubs of New Zealand was held at Christchurch in November, 1576, for the purpose of adopting a universal set of rules and scale of weights for New Zealand generally. Two delegates were appointed by this club, and on their recommendation the stewards decided to support the motions as passed at the above-named meeting, further consideration, however, being for the time postponed, as racing matters generally are at present under revision in England and Australia. " The stewards recommend that a liberal programme be published as soon as possible, and would again ask members to assist the club by the introduction of new members. " The stewards now retire from office, but all are eligible for re-election." The balance-sheet, made up to May 30, 1877, showed the receipts to have amounted to £1699 13s. 7c1., and the expenditure to be a like sum, less the balance in hand of £ll 4s. 6d. The Chairman observed that although the amount in hand was not so large yet the result was on the whole highly satisfactory. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted. The following officers were then elected for the ensusing year : Vice-President, G. Hunter, M.H.R.; Judge, E. Pearce ; Starter, A. Young ; Hon. Treasurer, J. S. Reid (Mr. J. R. George was proposed, but declined the honor) ; Clerk of the Scales, W. Bromley ; Clerk of the Course, W. Brown. The Chairman said the next business was the election of stewards. Mr. George, Mr. Paul, and Mr. Braithwaite said they should decline the honor of being reelected.

Mr. George then suggested that the meeting should be adjourned for a fortnight, for the election of the stewards. As several of the old stewards declined to accept office if re-elected, he thought it advisable that the fact should be advertised, and that an adjournment should take place, so that new members might have the opportunity of coming forward. Mr. Gilligan said he should regret to ,see the old stewards retiring. They were men who could be ill spared this year, and he hoped they would reconsider their determination to resign. Messrs. George, Paul, and Braithwaite said they were determined to resign their office of stewards.

The Secretary then read a letter from Mr. J. McDowell declining the honor of re-election. After some discussion, Mr. George and Mr. Braithwaite withdrew their resignations.

Mr. Gilligan then proposed the following names:—G. Crawford, A. Braithwaite, Diver, J. Morton, J. Thomson, George, and Jobberns. Mr. Gilligan and Mr. Buchanan were also proposed. A ballot was then taken, with the following result: —Messrs. G. Crawford,Thomson, George, Jobberns, Braithwaite, Martin, Diver, and Buchanan.

Mr. Kerry was then re-elected secretary, and a vote of thanks was passed for his services.