CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 55

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By F&.TZ.

The annual meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club was held last Wednesday For some weeks past rumours had been current to the effect that the meeting would be a Lvely one, and it was thercforo not surprising to find an unusually large a>ttendance of members. Mr V. Harris, chairman oi the committee, presided. The motion for the adoption of tho report and balance sheet waa moved by the chairman. In doing so he said the club had had a very successful ypar, not only financially, but in regard to trotting and the affairs of the club generally, 'ihe match between Fritz and Kibbomvood had been a great succesa, and had left the club with a large ciedit balance over the Easter meeting. With regard to improvements, the committee had had under consideration for somo timo the question of erecting an outside stand, but it had been left over till after th? arnuil meeting The motion ior the adoption of the report and balance sheet was seconded by Mr G. H. M'Haffie. Before this was disposed of quite a number of questions were discussed. Fust of all exception was taken to the method m which the balance sheet was prepared, but this wps satisfactorily explained. Attention was then drawn to the fact that the Chnstchurch Racing Club did not contribute to the office expenses, though it used the office, as did tho Plumpton Park and New Brighton Trotting Clubs, both of which contributed to the expanses. Mr M'Haffie, who is n, steward of the Chnstohurch Racing Club, said thim that tlnb had never been acquainted with the position, and if application were made he was sure there would be no trouble in settling the matter. Next came a complaint ou the subject of tho stipendiary steward. Mr Morrison said he considered it wrong in principle tha- an official of the Trotting Association should occupy the position of stipendiary Bteward. Then followed some remarks on the subject of members' privileges. Mr Tonks referred to the rule which etated that subscuptious must be paid before

the first race me?tmg, and objected to the rule being broken, as bad been so commonly the case. The report and balance sheet having been adopted, object-on was taken by several members to the numbering of the ballot papers. This waa evidently a sore point with inanj-, the explanation probably being that a. good deal of feeling had been displcyed over the election. Bearing on the ballot papers waa also a protest by Mr" C. L. Russell to the manner in which "the retiring stewards and committee had been specially smiled ou f . This matter was finally "disposed of by the carrying of a resolution instructing ths scrutineers to destroy the papers immediately 'after declaring the Tesult of the election. Dr Thacker brought up the question of the tota.lisa.ior, and suggested the advisability of the club v.-orking the machine foi itself. This se-med to find favour, but it opened the road to a lot of talk regarding the conduct of the totalisator at the club's meeting". Some plain talk was indulged in, and the opinion was freely expressed that there was room for a lot of improvement. Eventually it vras resolved, as a rpcomm = iicla r !on to tlie committee, that all investments on the totalisator sfcoukl be made in front of the machine,, except commissions received by th» secretary by telegraph. Before leaving the totalisator question the meeting recommended ths committee to pay out odd sixpences m luture, instead of calculating dividends to shillings only. Mr M'Haffie gave notice of motion that in future the president of the c ub should be e'-ectcd by the members, in placs oi the present custom, by which the commitfee elects its own chair*tnan. Mr G. H. M'Hnfnc was elected delegate to the Troturg Conference. Mr L. WilsoT vras elected treasurer. More tha.n the usual interest was taken in the election of the committee and stewards, which resulted R3 follows- — Committee — Hon. C. Loui3=on, Messrs V. Hams, G. H. M'Haffie, G. Payling. G. AFClatchie, G. B. Ritchie, T. Marr, W. Touko. and T. C. Rallingshaw; stewards— Hon. C. Loui3son, Dr Thacke-)-, Messrs J. S. Ben-y, G. H. M'Hoffie, R O. Duncan, """. Hayward, G. Payling, J. S. S ade, W. Tonks, and V. Harris. The lastnamed tied with Mr G. TVt-leaven for the tenth seat, but Mr Trelea-ven afterwards retired. The other candidates for the committee were. Messrs J. S. Slade, C. L. Russell. E. Clarkson, R. O. Duncan, W. Hayward, and W. H. Dentcn. Mr Denton was the only candidate for steward m addition to those already mentioned.

The annual meeting of the New Brighton Trotting Club was held on Friday night, Mr W. Smithson presiding. The report stated that the receipts were in advance of the previous season, and there was a profit of £6 on the year's working, which was considered very sat'S"factory in view of the fact that the stakes had been increased by about £100. The receipts amounted to £1961 18s 6d and tho. expenditure (including stakes, £1345) totalled^lß3s 17s sd, leaving a credit balance of £66 133,' as compared with a balance of £50 Is lid the previous year. The assets were £226 13s, and there were no liabilities. During the past season the limits had been shortened in the principal races, and the result obtained justified the action, as the best horses were thus induced to compete, and ths racing was of a high class. Arrangements had been made by which considerable improvements would be made to the course and grounds. A new saddling paddock would be made, the enclosures wouid be fenced with an iron fence, aud other alterat:ons would be made for the comfort of patrons of the club. The leport and balance sheet were adopted. Three new members were elected. The following office-bearers were elected -—Committee — Messrs E. A. Archer, W. H. Denton, E. Fox, J. Hirons, W. Longten, P. Mulholland, G. A. Montgomery, H. M'llwraith, and F. T. Pa-n-nell; stewards— Mes3rs E. A. Archer, W. H. Denton, J. Hirons-, W. Longton, G. A. Montgomery, H. M'llwraith, D. M'Lean, F. T. Panneil, and W. Walker; treasurer, Mr W. Smithson. The working of the totahsatoi was discussed at some length. It was resolved, as a commendation to the committee, that all money invested on the totalisator should bo put on at the public counters, except commissions received by the secretary by letter or telegram. Mr T. H. Davey, M.H.R., was appointed the club's delegate to the, Trotting Conference. The New Zealand Trotting Association met last Wednesday, present— Messrs C. S. Howell (vice-president, in the chair). D. M'Lean, C. E. Calcutt, E. Clarksou, W. G. Garrard, A. 1,. Myers, and the Hon. H. F. Gourley. Mr P. Selig, president of the association, sent an apology for absence. A letter was read from tho Auckland Trotting Cub, dealing with charges which had been made aganißt the club by R. Spratt The stewards denied the charges. Mr Ciilcutt moved— "That Mr C. S. Howell (vicepresident), Mr Ciarrard and Mr Rollitt (secretary of the association) should be empowered to visit Auckland, and hold an inquiry into the genera! constitution and conduct of the Auckland Trotting Club " The motion was seconded by the Hon. H F Gcurley, and carried, the secretary to writ? to. the club informing it of the date on which the inquiry would bo held, and also to R. Spratt asking him to attend, with evdence, to snbs-tantiate his charges. M. Muhar wrote asking for information as to the course he ought to t>»ke to recover certain dividends and slakes alleged to have dccti withheld from him by the Wellington Trotting Club. It uafi decided to reply that, as the club referred to was not affiliated, the association could do nothing in the matter. A letter was alao read from the Co'omal Secretary's office stating that no totalisator license h-vd been issued to the Wellington Trotting Clnb. Mr R. C. Hnngerford, secretary to the Now South Wales Trotting Club, wrote snvmg information that R Doze (ownci), S. Nixon (driver), and the horse Star Harold had been disqualified for 12 months for suspicious practices at the New South Wales Trotting Club races on June 15, 1903, and asking 'for cndorneiT.ent, which was granted. The following programmes were approved — Wanou, Greymouth, and the New Zealand Metropolitan. Licenses ?s recommended by the sub-committee were granted. Mr G. W." SmaTt attended, and asked that a disqualification laid upon him by the Wellington Clnb in 1900 should ht> removed. The disqualification had been for five years, but the Wellington Club a year after imposing the disqualification removed it, and he now asked the association to endorse the removal. The disqualification had been removed, not as an act of ler.ienev, but of justice, the club having been satisfied of the injustice of the disqualification and of hip mnocence of the charges. After the matter had been discussed at length, the request to remove the disqualification was refused on the casting vo'.e of the chairman. Canterbury s,table3 will bo well represented at the Wellington steep!echa.=c mooting rext vcek. J. Lewis will take Khaki and Lee-E'-field. The latter is the two-year-old by Musketry— Mdusina,, that won a» Ashburton, and his mission will be the Tr-?1 Shike« Both these horses are groin* on wrll. W P.no has Sultana 'coking in fine health, nra ls he J3 doing «?ood work on the track he la looked on as ft likely winner at the racciing. W. J. Taggart will make the trip with Slow iom. and E. Cutts will probably go up with YVindwhistle and Goldenmere Benzoin and Social Pest though cn+errcl. are doubtful starWs A few days a«n I i-'-iid a cliort visit to W. J. T*g"<u-fs stable, wifre Al the boxes, <=ix m rainiLcr. weie rjcctipicl Ail *he member; of ihe string me in food hcjlth. Palis'-, the champion of the sUb'e. r.cvor looW better than lie does at present. He it in regu'ar work, ajid will b» racsrl ?t Thecarton in Au-oust.'-nhen he bhould bi fit to give a good

account of himself. Regarding his New Zeflc land Cup prospects there is more room far dciibt. Hl3 trainer declines to believe yet that he will not si;iy, but, having m mind his eagerness at the start of a race, he admits the difficulty that would be experienced with him in. a two-mile race. Though he will be given a. fair chance, I do not think that any risks will be taken of knocking 'him out with, a severe Cup preparation. Lavaletie has made a lot ol imprcnement of late, ha-ving filled oui a lot. He is not quite so forward as Pallas, auili may not be wanted quit© so early. He is engaged in the New Zealand Cup, but this may prove a trifle beyond him at present. He should, however, run well next season, and; may win a good race before- long. De la Rey, the rising three-year-old of the stable, is in fino health. Ha has grown very little sinca he raced last. He will never be a big on«, but he has already given proof that he can gallop fast. Ho will be prepared for early spring races, will probably make his first appearance for the season at the South Canterbury meeting. Sow Tom, w'io :s Tnggart's otvn property, is doing well, and is a certain starter at Wellington. Though net a goo'l stayer, thia hcrse is very smart over hurdles and should easily pick up a race before the season closes. There .ue two rising two-year-olds in regular york, both of vhich pa}- their way. Th°yare two very fine eoltev. Prince Loris is a tuna on tho- leg, but Mostsr Aiuc is one of the low, thick-set kind. They are well forward, , with a view to spring racing-. There are two others of the same age in the Simmer — Toi Toi filly and the- Musketry— Nellie fitly. Up to the < present they hare not been bustled, and no effort will ba made to get them ready for a ftrw months vet.

Romance, the aged ?on of Dreadnought, ig now being- trained at Ricoarton by P. Holmes. '

Murray-Aynsley is pushing Huku along in view of the National meeting. He fans had such a long spell, however, that he may scarcely be ready in time.

Treadmill is suffering from an attack of fever in the feet, and has been moving very Eore-Iy of lnte. He has now been given some physic. Except for this trouble, he looks very well. To-morrc.T7, Brava Heart, and Quarryman, three of Sir George Clifford's candidates for three-ycar-o!d honours, are going on well at present.

F. Holmes is busy with Rowlock, Zither, Catherine Gordon, and Nell Gwynne, whidi will comprise his team at the National meeting. Rowlock is a promising cross-country horso, and should pick uo a roce before tho jumping season closes. Scylla, Kelburn, and Thunderer, in Holmes's stable, nra having ail easy time at ■present. They will no 1 be raced till the spring.

Mason was down at Ricciirton last week with, his team. Cruciform, Orloff, Royal Plumes, aud Grand R<ipids are looking well, and have put in some erviceab'e work. Ihe rising two-year-oMs Malakoff, Silkworm, Lauy Lyoness, and Nightfall have been sprinted. They are a. handsome quartette, and should keep Mr Stead's colours prominent next season.