WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2160, 18 July 1895, Page 36

WELLINGTON NOTES.

By Onlooker.

July 13. Surely that was a most remarkable interview which took place in Me'biurne on Wednesday between the Rev. Dr Bevan (the head of tha Congregational persuasion in Victoria) and owners and trainers of Victorian racehorses. There is hope, indeed, for the unregenerate— for we'll now find these sports going to church gatherings and asking the quid pro quo for doing so, or perhaps go a Btep further by writing to the Ministers' Associations to thia effect : "If you and your congregations will attend our race meetings, we and all our fellows will attend to your churches " 1 There's a fair offer. I don't know anything about the "Council of the Churches," never haviDg been there, but I do know that Dr Bevan is one of the most popular of the Dissenting clergy in the southern seas — but for the brain of me 1 can't see what they wanted to go to him or any religious representative up in such a matter as supporting the tote. Was it for a wager ? Was it a lez -pulling joke ? We wait ! I am able once more to cull an item for this column from the proceedings of the House of Talkee-talkee. One evening this week Mr La wry moved_ tbe second reading of the Gaining and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, to legalise consultations. He said he was no friend of gambling, and if any member introduced a measure to stop gambling altogether he would support it, but that being impracticable, it was the duty of the House to regulate gambling as far as possible. Mr Earnshaw moved that the bijl be read a second time that day six months. The amendment was cairied on the voicei without debate. Though it is now once more disposed of, it may be interesting to note that the aim of Mr Lawry'a bill was to prevent the drain of money to the Australian consultations, and it proposed that for a

license fee of £2o a, person may, with the authority of the Colonial Secretary, hold consultations in New Zealand. A stamp duty of Id was to be imposed for every 5s ticket. All lic«nse fees and stamp duty were to be applied to purposes of charity or utility, to be fixed upon by the Gover-uor-in-Counpil. Commenting on the local betting market, "Austral," of tho Post, says :—" Since the deckration of weights for the New Zealand Cup several of tho candidates have received substantial support in this city fiom the 'right quarters.' Skirmisher, North Atlantic, Rip Van Winkle, and Irish Twist have been backed to win about £2000 each, Magazine for £1500, and Lottie and l'e?.»sus for several hundreds. The prices taken about the above-mentioned horse 3 ranged from 103 to 9 to ICO to 4. | Some varliamentary information tells us that 207 tot jlisator permits were issued up to March 31 last. These covered 268' days. The revenue derived was £10,446. Thursday's Post says " A magnificent spscimen of horseflesh in the shape of a Welsh pony stallion, purclnsed in Hobart recently for Mr Douglas M'Lean, of Ilawke's Bay, was brought to Wellington yesterday by the Waihora in the charge of Mr G. Heaps, who Was sent to Tasmania for the purpose. The pony is a»t irdy -looking dark bay, six years old, and I4hds high, and has arrived in the pink of condition. It cost 30Pg3." The Manawatu Racine 1 Club proposes to hold a two days' meeting at A. and P. Show time. A section of the club also want the club to take under its own mansgament the working of the totalisator. • Wo club or association of any kind could wish for a better day than has been to-day granted to the United Hunt Club for its Steeplechase meeting. In spite of the great, inducement of one of. the most exciting football matches of the season—the result of which will largely decide this year's championship— there was a good attendanco at the Hutt, and as Wellington and its neighbourhood has Iwen exceptionally fortunate in its weather, it being almost 1 ke spring compareJ with southern winterdom, the racecourse and ita surroundings presented a sight to gladden sore eyes. Government House sant out a party to the meeting— Lady Augu-ta Boylo, who so recently has had good reason to atear clear of horseflesh, being one of the group ; and it may interest readtrs to note right here that Lady Augusta, gives every promise of coming out of her Auckland accident oil right. -Several membera of Lord Glasgow's staff are members of tho United Hunt Club, and frequently follow the hounds. Tlie day's raciog was fully up to expectations, and perhaps a little better. The fust event " fair broke the hearts" of some of the fellows. It happened this way, as the yarn-spinner puts it : For the Maiden St eplechase Handicap seven stirted, Swingback bsing scratched. To a good start the lucky number responded to a bad end. Tippler got a toppler that shut him up; Siwdu&t bit the dust hard enough to cry enough ; Toprail found his namesake of the slicks too tall for him ; and Scldon — well, you know what the Premier's oppouents say will happen him, po hin namesake had an experience of it to-day. This break-up of the quartet lift Silent F.iend, Gladstone, and Wiiugaiinoana to fight it out, aud the other politically named racer managed to get an unusual point on the others, for although tho 'Moana got iv first, Gladstone chasing him and the SileDt ope meek and lowly, the son of The Admiral failed to draw the weight (his backers were alivady cheering over their lO^ov div. !) 11 7, so Mr Pro33er's Gladiator— Wallflower geldin i 11. 0 got the verdict, and caused his barkers joy with a return of £5 3s. The time for the two miles was 6miu 24sec. The United Hunt Club Steeplechase Handicap was, of course, the big event, of a value of 7550v5, although the Open Steeple w*s valued at 100-ovs ; but members c ntrdd their attention ou the foimer, whilst ontsiders put their money into tho latter eveut. la the UH C S.H. Mian was scratched. It was not only the two fences he struck, but " hard mozcl," that prevented Mr ■ Portland's black g«lding fiom pulling it off when the race seemed hh all but the cheering. Wangaimoana chased the others in. The dividend was £5 10s, and the time for the three and a-half miles Bm iu 39sec. |