WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 31

WELLINGTON NOTES.

By Onlooker.

Deremboi 0 If the Ashursi. Racing Club cannot command success for its approaching meeting it has done everything to deserve it, having gone to a lot of expense improving track, ground, and appointments, and it has received its preliminaiy reward by getting a goodly list of nomination 1 ), the entries being— Hurdle?, 8 ; Flying, 13 ; Mauawatu Gorge Handicap, 12; M.uden Plate, 13; Siberia Handicap, 16 ; Ladies' Bracelt-t, 4 ; PoUar&ina Handicap, 12 ; Scuny Stakes, 21.

The secretary of the Wanganui metropolitan club has informed the Manawatu llaciDg Club

that Dr Skerman, of Marton, has been elected to represent the county racing clubs at the conference. I see Captain Russell, president of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, is to move at the next meeting of the committee of lm club that the club's head- ! quarters be in future fixed at Hastings, and that the club's meetings also be held there. Ibis is the proper course in every sense. Utiku Marumaru has scratched Rangipuhi for all engagements at the Manawatu meetiDg. Stockboy, who has been s-o much in evidence of I late, has been sold by his late owner, Mr M. Lyons, to Mr H. Gillies. The Woodville District Jockey Club's Summer hack meeting, for which a liberal programme has just been issued, takes place on New Year's Day. The Rangitikei Racing Club officials are busy fixing things up for their coming meeting. The contract for alterations and repairs to offices and grounds is well nigh completion, and will make things much more comfortable and convenient for all concerned. The greatest amount of care has been bestowed upon the press, and the representatives of our " enlighteners " will have a " nice room all to themselves," and thus be enabled to ply the pencil unhindered by the oldtime rush of stewards and other officials. The secretary at last also gets an office to himself, whilst the old press room becomes a permanent telegraph office. The comfort of members in viewing races has also been considered, and the renovation of the old buildings will make the place look as good as new. It only wants fine weather for the meeting to make everybody happy. The West Coast Mail, a Maori- English biweekly at Otaki, contains in its latest issue an editorial screed against the Wellington metropolitan club apropos of its refusing to pass the programme of the Horowhenua Jockey Club on the alleged grounds that it could not allow two clubs to race on the same course. " The absurdity of the decision," says the article, "was only equalled by the ignorance of the members of the W R.C. who pronounced that decision. . . . Anyone who knows them are aware that there are two clubs in Otaki— one European and one Maorieach having its own separate course and separate buildings, and whose members are totally distinct That the two courses are close together is explained by the fact that it is the best available site, and is nearest to the township. But this was not inquired into by the Wellington Club. That (!) august body is chiefly composed, or rather its Management Committee is chiefly composed, of individuals the majority of whom would be puzzled to point out the difference between a horse's head and his tail, much less know anything of racing matters ; and these allow two or three of their body to lead them by the nose, and, in fact, arrogate the whole power of the club to themselves. The evil results are only too apparent. . . . What is still more objectionable is the total iiTCbpoubibility of the metropolitan club. There is no gainsaying its decree, no appeal from its decision, and it isresponsibletonomauorbody of men for that decision. In fact, it does as it ploi&es, and undtr the plea that it is part of its duty to stop excessive racing, it plays fast and loose wilh countiy clubs in this provincial district, at the same time not forgetting to go in for extra races itself. The Horowhenua Jockey Club is not alone in this respect. The metropolitan club has played the same game with other country clubs. . . . Some time ago an attempt was made to promote a hack racing association for the district, affiliating all the hack racing clubs in one body and working totally independent of the racing club, but the appeal only met with a poor response. "Whether the country clubs were afraid of flying in the face of the former club we do not know, but we are certain that the idea could be successfully carried out if it were properly promoted." The writer then fails to see the giving of such power to the metropolitan club. "It savours too much of Seddonism," says he, "to be palatable to the great bulk of the racing public," and hopes the matter will soon be amended The article concludes : "The present system practically ruins the club whose programme is refused, notwithstanding that the latter may have spent, as in the case of the Horowhenua Jockey Club, hundreds of pounds in laying out the course and erection of buildings, &c."

The well-known hurdler Unity, 6yrs, was put up to auction at Palmeraton North on Saturday and passed in at lOOgs.