CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 September 1890, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH.

(from our own correspondent.) [This letter reached us last week too late for publication. —Ed. S.R.] Strike and strike! nothing but strike; the whole place is in a perfect ferment, but one would have thought that sport and sportsmen could hardly have been drawn into the vortex. Such, however, is the case, the latest edict from the “ Union ” Committee being that owing to the attitude taken by prominent members of the Canterbury Jockey Club in giving countenance to free labour, the Club should be boycotted. The Club, I daresay, will survive, even should the directions have any effect on Unionists, which is open to doubt. To leave generalities and come to particulars, nearly the whole of the employees at Yaldhurst have for the nonce turned free labourers at Lyttleton, and I am informed the training of Mr. Stead’s powerful team has been practically suspended, hands only being left sufficient to attend to the feeding of the horses. Many racing men and erstwhile jockeys, etc., may be seen among the gangs employed on the wharves at port. From this you will see that the “ strike ” has an influence even oyer sport. Mr. W. H. Wanklyn, of Hawera, was this week appointed secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club. You will know as well or better than your correspondent as to his fitness for the office, and I may say that the appointment has given rise to some bitter heart-burning, it being thought that several Christchurch gentlemen’s claims should not have been overlooked. There were, I know, more than one highly

eligible candidate in the field, so that the appointment of the Egmont Racing Club’s secretary is complimentary to that gentleman, who, I hear, owes his getting the office to his contributions in regard to the formation of the New Zealand Metropolitan Racing Club. The Geraldine Racing Club’s meeting—the opening race meeting of the season—takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday. The former glory of the gathering has departed, but still some interesting racing may be expected next week. It is thought that most of the prizes will come to Riccarton. Messrs. Hobbs and Goodwin, the Canterbury totalisator people, are at present in Australia, their visit being not unconnected with an endeavour to get a footing in Victoria with the betting machine. The Dunedin firm of Mason and Roberts, than whom none are more favourably known to the sporting world, are also casting eyes in the same direction. From this it would appear the machine men look to the legalising of the totalisator in Victoria as next to an accomplished fact. The New Zealand Trotting Association have for a long time past been agitating for an amendment in the Gaming and Lotteries’ Act. They object to the hard and fast rule which makes it incumbent on clubs—that is, trotting clubs —in having to provide certain sums for stakes before being granted the use of the totalisator. It is argued, with reason, that it is a poor man’s sport, and that the rule in regard to permits for the machine should not be so stringent as in the case of ordinary racing clubs. So far the efforts of the Association have not met with much success, the Colonial Secretary turning a deaf ear to all that has been said. Mr. W. B. Percival and other Canterbury members have taken the matter in hand, and there is now some likelihood of the reforms desired being given effect to. The New Brighton Trotting Club hold a meeting on the 25 inst., at which ;£i6o is to be given away in stakes. The standard trotting stallions Kentucky and Boston are announced as being at the service of breeders. Both these horses are excellent representatives of their breed, and the first named, a really beautiful mover, holds the two mile harness record for the Colony. Another irotting item: —It will be noticed that Anncaux d’Or, who was surreptitiously shipped from this colony about a month ago, is entered for some events in New South Wales. The mare is one of the best trotters New Zealand has yet produced, but she has never been in the best of hands. , The Southland Stud Company have purchased Lorraine, and the son of,Apremont goes South next week. The Company were anxious to secure Chain Shot, but Mr. Rutherford would not part with his horse. It is a long time since the Canterbury Trotting Club had such a large attendance at any of their meetings as was the case at their spring meeting held this afternoon at Addington. The new track was in good order, and in increasing the size of this circle a wise course has been followed. This in a great measure accounted for the excellent time made. There were several very fair performers at the meeting, and Calista, a mare who has borne a great private reputation in this Island since she ran second at the Dunedin Exhibition Meeting to Princess, came out of her shell, and after running away in the first two rounds from a field of seven in the Maiden Plate and thereafter having the track to herself, winning liter-, ally in a walk in 6m. 6sec., she was put back to within 6secs. of the scratch horse Joe in the two mile Saddle Handicap, but she got away early and overtook her nine other opponents, some of which were in receipt of 36 seconds, before one mile and a quarter had been trotted, and she romped home fully two hundred yards ahead of Waikari to whom she was conceding 14 seconds, and Waikari finished a long way in front of the remainder of the field. Calista’s time was returned as sm. 22secs. If correct Calista must be a wonder, because she won j with such apparent ease. My Dream, who has been trotting a long time unsuccessfully, won' the two mile harness trot, her victory being . due to good driving on the part of Munro.> Elsie Gay won the four mile harness trot in 1 izmin. 7secs. from Flora and Waikari. Sambo appropiated the Pony Saddle Trot of two miles, and Northern Maid the Pony Harness Trot of . the same distance. Two splendid finishes re- c •

stilted in the mile and Consolation handicaps, Maid of Rockleigh just beat Dream in the first event, her time being 2min. sysecs., and The Dream had a great battle with Waikari all up to the straight in the last event, just beating her on the post by a head.. The official time was not announced, but the dividend was, and the one solitary investor on the winner received, Waikari was favourite. The dividend on Maid of Rockleigh was 4s. The meeting was a great success, but the last event was decided in the dark.