WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 528, 6 September 1900, Page 12

WELLINGTON.

PIPI - TRAINING AT TAHERENIKAU — THE SOUTH WAIRARAPA TROTTING CLUB -THE MINIMUM WEIGHT. Wellington, September 3. Mr P. E. Baldwin, who purchased Pipi, by Natator—Cockles, a short time ago. sold him at Christchurch after the National Meeting, Mr Godfrey being the purchaser at 45 guineas. A "Wellington sport holds £lOOO about Lancaster’s chance in the Melbourne Cup.

Some of the horses in training at Tauheremkau are rather backward, and work had to be stopped last week owing to the wet and slippery condition of the training track. Nominations for all events to be decided at the Masterton Racing Club’s Meeting, except the Maiden Hack Race and Final Hack Scurry, fall due on September 5. Mr J. Rea presided at the Annual Meeting or the South Wairarapa Charitable Trotting Club, on Thursday, when the balance-sheet, which showed a credit, was adopted. The following officers were elected President, Dr Bey; vicepresidents, Messrs J. T. M. Hornsby, M.H.R., J. D. Heagerty, J. Bea, H. T. Mahupuku, T. Kempton, and 0. Rogers; judge, Mr H. Morison; clerk of scales, Mr W. Brunton; timekeeper, Mr T. Wright; clerk of course, Mr C. Wiggins; starter, Mr F. W. Udy; auditor, Mr J. R. Nicol; hon treasurer, Mr J. D. Heagerty handicapper, Mr W. Armstrorg. The stewards elected were :—Messrs J. Fuller, R. Bright, H. Parata, G. Wiggins, M. Lyons, H. Humphries, and 0. Morison. Mr G. Bennett was re-elected secretary. The matter of the appointment of an assistant secretary was left to the Committee. It was decided to hold the next Trotting Meeting on March 18 next. The Opaki course has undergone considerable improvement lately. Mr Macara, who takes a great interest in Turf matters, has had the road from the highway to the course planted with trees on each side, and has erected a handsome entrance at his own expense. There are at present about fifty horses in training at Tauheremkau The sum of £2 10s was collected at the annual meeting of the South Wairarapa Trotting Club in aid of Mr J. Wallace, and it was decided, on the resolution of the Chairman (Mr Rea) to make a grant of £l5 to that gentleman out of the net proceeds of the next gathering. It was also resolved to write to the secretary of the Hospital trustees asking when the £165 voted by the Club would be expended on the erection of an operating ward. The next Race Meeting of the Wairarapa Racing Club will ba held on Monday, December 31, and Tuesday January 1. The Wairarapa Racing Club has decided to reduce the minimum weight from 7st to 6at 71b. In moving this reduction at the annual meeting, Mr Bidwell remarked that he thought it advisable that the minimum should be lowered. The Tauherenikau course was a fast one, and horses carrying fairly high weights and winning races in quick time might suffer by reason of being handicapped on these particular performances. The Club had shown a good example in making the minimum 7st, but it had not been followed by others, and he thought it better to fall into the same line as the rest in making the minimum weight 6st 71b. The motion was seconded by Mr J. Cress and carried.