The Feilding Races

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 134, 28 April 1885, Page 2

The Feilding Races

The Manawatu Eacing Club has issued a heavy programme for races on the Queen's Birthday, and as the only opposition will be the hack race meeting at Sandon on the same day, we hope the attendance will be good and the club recuperated for the losses made at their Easter Monday Baces. We observe with regret that our contemporary the Manawatu Times persists in its statement that the Feilding Easter Baces were in opposition to those of Palmerston. We now repeat what has been accepted by every sporting writer in the prass on this coast, that the Manawatu Racing dub deliberately issued a programme for Easter Monday with the perfect knowledge that the Feilding Eacing Club had also arranged a programme for that day. This was most illiberal as well as unsportsmanlike, and, as was expected, the cause of loss to both elubsT That there will be a deficiency with the Feilding Eacing Club is not denied, and it is useless for our contemporary to attempt to gloss over the losses of the Manawatu Club by a bare denial. Our contemporary forgets his usual good taste when he says — " If our information from Feilding is correct it will be some time before that club tries to hold another race meeting on the same, day as the Manawatu Club." This is a, bullying tone; which might be used by a. ▼algar " sport," but not by a journalist. The. Standard takes much higher ground and states the Manawatu Eacing Club has over-reached itself, and' now suffers humiliation in consequence. It is a pity that better counsels did not prevail, or that the Committee who took upon tfeem-

selves to arrange for the Easter Monday meeting in opposition to Feilding acted so precipitately. However, the financial loss on Easter Monday, it is anticipated, will be recouped by the meeting announced to be held on Queen's Birthday, and it is to be hoped these anticipations will be realized. But we trust that the attempt to interfere with Feilding will not be repeated next year, as it has been amply proved that the "public of the district do not sympathise with or endorse any action of the kind. Every one who is desirous of giving fair play must acknowledge that Feilding has a good claim to Easter Monday for its race meeting, after three years indisputed occupation.