Sporting Review AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, August 22, 1895 THE OFFICIAL CALENDAR.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 265, 22 August 1895, Page 4

Sporting Review AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, August 22, 1895 THE OFFICIAL CALENDAR.

At a meeting of the Auckland Racing Club Committee held last Friday, the question of the Club’s Official Calendar was considered. Two applications were received, one from the Weekly News, which has been acting as the official organ of the club during the past ten months, and the other from the Sporting Review. The Committee decided to re-appoint this journal the Official Calendar. Secretaries of racing clubs holding meetings under the jurisdiction of the A.R.C. are reminded of Rule 17, which reads as follows:— “ The programme of each meeting in which the added money is £l5O or upwards must be advertised in full once at least in the Official Calendar. The advertisement shall show that the programme has been approved by the Jockey Club—shall state the days on which" the meeting is to begin and end, and the names of the Stewards, Judge, Starter, Clerk of the Scales, and Handicapper. Programmes of race meetings need only be published in full once, but any subsequent publication of a programme in a condensed form shall contain the words, 1 For complete programme see the Official Calendar of .’ ”

The annual meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club was a very uneventful gathering. Members certainly did not turn up in force, the attendance roll showing a dozen names at the outside The absence of an election in the matter of committeemen would account for the apparent lack of interest taken in the proceedings, and perhaps the idea obtaining amongst members that the balancesheet would not present a very healthy appearance had its effect upon club-men In this, however, they were mistaken for if one takes everything into consideration the balance brought down in the club’s sheet is surprising, principally on account of the very small loss shown. According to the balance-sheet, which is reproduced in another column, the year’s racing has resulted in a loss of £l5 2s Id, but as the previous season showed a net loss of £286 17s lid, members have little reason to find fault with the result of season 1894-95. The previous season the Club launched out with stakes amounting to £2,560 5s Id, and taking a lesson from the loss resulting from the big stake venture they very wisely reduced their prize money for last year to £1,710. There is to be no further reduction during the ensuing season, and as the reduction of one-third in the number of meetings takes effect from date owners who support trotting could ill afford to have their returns further cut down. - The little difference of opinion which arose between the Club and the Canterbury Metropolitan Trotting Association is referred to in the report, and a hope is therein expressed that the Southern body “ may see the advisability of revoking the extreme step which they have taken,” as the A.T C. committee feel quite assured that it is against the best interests of trotting for any disagreement to exist. The temperate nature of the reference argues that the breach between the two clubs is not past healing, and that in all probability an amicable adjustment of the difficulty will be arrived at. Some advancement in this direction may result from . the special meeting of stewards to be held to-morrow, when the statements made by M. Edwards to the Canterbury authorities, and which it is feared formed a prominent factor in the disagreement, will be inquired into. AVe are pleased to find a reference in the report to the proposed Conference of North New Zealand clubs, the holding of which cannot fail to help the sport by securing a greater and very necessary uniformity in 1

the conduct of; trotting meetings. For some time past an agitation has been on foot "to have a meeting of delegates from the various North Island clubs to consider the matter, and we understand the Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston Nortji, Hawke’s Bay, and Wanganui trotting authorities are ready to combine to aid this must important development. This is a question that should not be lost sight of by the men interested in trotting, for with uniform rules for the guidance of. the Northern clubs and a supreme head to which all disputed questions could be referred, the sport would gain immeasurably in popularity, and take its proper place in the estimation of the public.