The Opunake Times TUEDSAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1895. RACE COURSE.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 126, 17 September 1895, Page 2

The Opunake Times TUEDSAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1895. RACE COURSE.

According to the ruling of the Conference of Racing Club delegates, which was held at Christchurch in November last, it was decided, owing to the decrease in the number of totalisator licenses fixed by Act of Parliament, that some of the racing clubs in the Taranaki district should be abolished. The clubs left in were the Taranaki Metropolitan, Bell Block, Stratford, Egmont, Patea, and Opunake. As a choice was made in order to suit tbe convenience of population, it was also decided that clubs which were granted licenses should be compelled to provide proper racing appliances and conveniences for horse owners and the public. In order to comply with these conditions it is essentially necessary that clubs should have a secure tenure of the land occupied by them as race courses. In the case of Opunakeagrave difficulty arose. Unless a permanent course were obtained, and at the least £2OO spent on it within a short period, there would be every probability that a license would be refused, and one of the defunct clubs reinstated in its stead. A committee was appointed to make enquiries with a view to seouriug a course, and Mr Breach was approached. He, however, could not see his way to leasing any part of his farm.excepting a section of 80 acres adjoining the town and the Namu River, but Mr J. R. Stewart reported unfavorably on the suitability of this. A majority of the club members then decided on.retaining the course at Opua, in preference to accepting an offer from Mr W. Pearce for a course on the Opunake side of Pihama which was tbe nearest other one available, and another Course Committee was appointed to confer with Mr O'Connor, occupier of the Opua course, with whom very satisfactory terms were arranged. The difficulty, however, cropped up that as his course was on a Native Reserve it would be necessary to have the Public Trustee's assent to tbe sublease so as to protect the club's improvements, which, under the new regu'ations they would be compelled to make. The Public Trustee was written to under instructions from the Course Committee, and he replied statiug his regret that he could not comply with the request to weight the land with, and make any incoming tenant responsible for, improvements such as those indicated. A further letter was sent to the Public Trustee by Mr Bushe Bailey acting under instructions from some one, to which we understand a reply was received that the Public Trustee had no objection to Mr O'Connor entering into a covenant with the Racing Club to sub-lease the place for a course, and his entering into a personal guarantee to compensate the club for their improvements should he fail to secure a renewal of his lease. We should have been very much surprised if the Public Trustee had objected to such a proposal, as the beneficiaries whom he represents would have everything to gain and nothing to lose, it would, however, be a most outrageous thing for the club trustees to expend public-funds on the bald and uncertain security of a personal guarantee. Mr O'Connor, on the other hand, must be an enthusiastic sport to make such an offer, that is if he calculated the probable ccst to him. The club would erect a grandstand and other conveniences to the extent of £2OO within the next couple of years. The course would then have to be remado and fenced, and in the course of a few yeai 8 the improvements would represe it between four and five hundred pouuds. As security for these he is prepared to offer his personal guarantee, and in return ho would receive £2O per annum for 20 years, or a total of £-100. Should Mr O'Connor die, or sell out his interest in the lease, or become incapacitated so that he could not carry out his part of the bond, then the club would have to whistle for their improvements, and the successor to the lease could impose any conditions he thought fit on the club for the use of their own property. Much as wo should like to see a course close to the town, we must confess we cannot see any probability of obtaining one, and there appears to be nothing for it but to accept Mr Pearce's offer or disband the club.