WELLINGTON NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 31

WELLINGTON NOTES.

By Onlooker. September 20. The topic of tha week in local circles has been in the sonowful or minor key, touched by tho passing hence of one of the most popular officials of our racing club. Mr Andrew Youug, has been scratched whilst apparently golDg strong in life's race, for to the ordinary eye he was a man it was pleasant to look upon, and with a physique set up to withstand easily the allotted three score and ten, and many would have given odds that ho would have gone another 10 ; but man proposes and Another disposes. Mr Young's «pan of life stretched from '33 to '95, so that he was getting well up, aud yet to see him taking his daily walk about town, with big hut on head and perpetual fat cigar in mouth, you wouldn't have taken him for all those years ; aud in his H4th year his father survives him, so that over in County Tyrone an old man will mourn the departure of "his boy" for the better land, and here in this hind a widow mourns her mate aud five sons and three daughters grieve for a most affectionate father. Ab, cancer, thou full incurable, what grief dost thou cauEe ! In a most interesting account of Mr Young's life the Times says :—": — " For many years the deceased gentleman was a vestryman of St. Peter's Parish, nor did his interest in.local matters end with hia duties as a leading citizen and a churchman, for he was a keen, sportsman,, 'and for many years he was a steward of the W-Uington Racing Club, and also enjoyed the ronfi l-jnce of the public and the racing world in Ins c^picity of starter for that club."

It may perlups he outside the province of this letter, but I cinnot refrain from the observation that the death of Mr Young recalls the memory of hia deeds with rein and whip in what we- now are wont to call the goo<i old early day 3, when the crack of Cobb and Cj.'s whip was a glad sound hoard throughout the land wh'ch owned no iron raila nor Puffing Billies. On the road to Ballarat John Young had often been, and later the way to the Dunstan became juat as familiar, as well a3 the Christchurch-Hokitika road, and later on the North Island roads, and did he not

in the first daya of coaching up this way perforat the foat of going right through from Wellington to Wanganm in one day ! Years ago he laid aside the wiiip ; now he has handed in tho flag anq ente r ed upon his long rest. His funeral ye4erday was a large one. Wreath* yfere sent by the Wellington Racing Club (whosi ofticers atteuded)j tho Central < lub, the Guard?, the La'liea' Working Guild of St. Peter's Parislv the vicar, veatry, ami churchwardens of S£ Peter's, the staff of the Telephone Etcbiiiiga, th<( directors of the Wellington Opera Uouse Com< p.iny, and numerous private citizens. fn answer to a deputation from the North lelnud Trotting Associatiou, the Colonial Secre* tary says the tot-ilisator permit for the colony would hc.iivided equnlly between fhu two islands. The association wanted a majority to ro to tha North Iclnnd on account of several of tho South Iblaiui cluhs being proptietary club. The Stratford Jockey Club is still negotiating for a coursp. Just now a properly which liea within a mile of Stratford town, belonging to Mr Sbarrnck, is under connideration. The club la much like a pretty girl -it does not lack oilers, 'Ihe Stratford Jockey Club will distribute 385-.OVB upon its next piogramme. One of our papers fell in lathor deep the other eveuing in a telegram from your city in re the presentation to tiainer Stewart Warfdull. They announced the &>ft to the credit of tho Re*. Waddfll ! That's what comes of having tw<» celebrities of the same family in the game town. The Wellington Tro ting Club is ouic with aprc« gramme of eight events for a 9th-Octobur meet ing on Miramar Paik. The utakcM total 200fovs, the chi< f event, the Mirainur Handicap, being all .tt-d 45 of them and the W.T.O. Handicap 40. Mr J. A. Council, Into of Chrietchurch, fa now s*cro*ary of the club. A special meeting of the Wellington Trottißg A«eocia< ion "was held on Wednesday evening, thd. president, Mr H. W. Crawford, in the chair. There was plenty of interesting topics discussed, and thti evening* work may ba summed up In saying that the kt> sociation resolved to oltor tho rule, in reference to rc-handicappiug so that the sevens' condd limit hitherto in vogue should bo abolishod, leaving the re-hanHicap penalty entirely at tho option of tho handicapper. Thtt association also decided to ond'.rse the tu^ponsioa of the A ucklirid Trotting Club by the Canterbury Metropolitan Trottiug Association, and to have no connection whatever with the proporod North Island Trotting Association aa nt ptojent consti* tutcd.