WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1927, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS

RACING FINANCE. WELLINGTON CLUB HOLDS GROUND. (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. The, Wellington Racing Club to-day, with the entire approval of the Wellington people, is priding itself upon the success of its summer meeting, which was brought to a. conclusion at Trenthain yesterday with a record of line weather ,enjoyable racing and satisfactory financial results. Visitors from Australia, as well as passing travellers from America and England, are bearing testimony to the admirable manner in which the sport was conducted and the public was accommodated. Tangible evidence of the popularity of the meeting was afforded by the fact that the “totalisator slump” which has gravely affected the finances of practically all the other big clubs this season, was not noticeable at Trentham. The totalisator investments at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Metropolitan Meeting in November declined by £10,905 at the Auckland Club’s Summer Meeting by £66,355, and at nearly all the other considerable meetings during the current season by corresponding amounts; but the Aletropolitun Club figures for the three days racing just concluded came down by only £762. from £180.(19 to £185.357. Even, business men who are disposed to look a little askance at horse racing us a national sport accept the popularity of Treiilham as an indication of the prosperity of the city and recognise the excellence of the management of the local Cluh. PASSING OF THE ’ TIMES.” An ungrateful community is shedding few tears over the “passing” ol the “New Zealand Times.” In its expiring issue the paper announced that it had not been extinguished; lnit merely assimilated. “Its achievements, its experience. its traditions remain.” if said, “and in association with the achievements the experience and the associations of its morning contemporary, it will give to the public it has served in the past a service it could not have rendered under the old conditions.” 'The “Dominion” nuts the position even more concisely. “The ‘limes’ ” it says, “does not miss entirely out of existence. but it :is to be merged with the ‘Dominion,’ the two papers in fact being issued as one.” The surviving morning paper, however, is anxious to reassure its readers in regard to its policy. “We should like,” it says, "to remove any doubts which may exist as to the policy of the ‘Dominion.’ The policy of the paper will remain unchanged.” It has been left to the “Post” as the complacent spectator to express astonishment at what has happened. Tt can find no parallel in New Zealand for flic passing of a metropolitan paper. A provincial paper, it seems, might have been permitted such an indulgence, but a great city organ, never. Yet it lias come to pass. THE AMERICAN AVA Y.

A young Now Zealander, who took part of the engineering course at Canterbury College, and part of the training course at the Addington Workshops writes from New York, where he is drawing a salary of 10,000 dollars a year, to an elderly friend in Wellington, drawing attention to the pusli of America and what he deems the lethargy of New Zealand. ‘'Canterbury ■College wa< all right as far as it went.” ho savs. “bur, Addington for the- most part mis a waste of lime ami temper and effort. But let that pass Things are very different here America is a real man’s country and opens the door wide to him everywhere. Don’t write to :nc about denim ra y. Democracy as I knew it in the Now Zealand jailway workshops was a thing that enabled every dirty iittle trump that got the ear of the boss to become a feudal autocrat. I got out, and I expect T am down on the official list as a bad lot. So I was. But the war made a man of me. 11l the bowels of a fighting ship, day after day and year after year. I learnt what life meant and here T am on the right side of forty a boss among bosses and worlds still to conquer. What lias become of the youngsters of my own age I left in. the Addington Workshops?” There is no need to make odious comparisons here. ROY Al, ENTERTAINMENT tangle.

A message from Christchurch to-day makes it plain that the Hon R. F. Bollard, the Minister of Internal Affairs, was not to blame for the Royal Entertainment tangle that has arisen in Christchurch. “Ah- George Gould, the president of the Canterbury Jockey Club* stated on bis return from Wellington,” tlie message runs, “that be had the assurance of the Minister of Internal Affairs that a totalisator permit would he issued for the Club’s proposed meeting on Murcli loth., the date to which the February meeting was to be transferred. Air Gould said that the Reception Committee could not very well go back oil its agreement with the Club. However, the New Brighton Trotting Club is proceeding with its arrangements for a meeting at Addington on March loth, for which it has been granted a license.” The question to ho decided now is whether there shall be two race meetings in Christchurch on March loth. or whether the Trotting Club or the Jockey Club shall retire. Air Bollard seen this afternoon said the matter was one for the Clubs to settle between tuemselves. His jurisdiction did not extend to the length of making a decision for them, but he thought it inconceivable that they would prolong their dispute till the arrival of the Royal party.