“THE ORACLE.”

Kumara Times, Issue 1389, 15 March 1881, Page 2

“THE ORACLE.”

[to tbEb editor.] Dear Sir —-My attention has been drawn to a paragraph in your paper in which “ The Oracle ” is spoken of very disparagingly. ' . : In the interests of fair play I am sure you will grant mo space to explain matters a little. It is rather unfair to quote an instance of the receipt of one of the very smallest prizes, and at the same ;time say nothing whatever of the larger ones. Now, as a matter of fact, the New Zealand shareholders as a body have no cause to complain of their luck in the Great Monster Novel Oracle Company. On last Melbourne Cup meeting I sent over drafts and cheques to the amount of nearly £IOOO. The first prize, for Grand Flaneur for the Cup, was paid to a party in Kanieri [near] Hokitika,. and several sums for starters and nonstarters to shareholders all over the islands. I would wish to point out that only 10,000 shares were .subscribed for, and this, of course, reduced the prizes to one-half the amount originally stated in prospectus; Moreover, the number of non-starters in such races as the Derby, Maribyrnong Plate, Oaks, and Mares Produce Stakes greatly exceeded my anticipations ,when. drawing up prospectus, and I was very dissatisfied when I found the npnstarters’ money had to be divided amongst so many. This : is an error T have carefully guarded against In' allotting prizes in prospectus now issued on Melbourne Cup meeting, 1881. I IK‘ In the particular instance mentioned in the paragraph I refer to, in which it is stated that a holder of a non-starter in Derby received 15s Bd, the. amount should have been 16s Bd, and I thiisP deny the “ deduction of Is for postage and trouble;”’ 16s 8d is entered in my book as having been sent, and he should have received full. Of course there might have bfetl an error in counting the stamps, but if only 15s 8d was sent, the shareholder is entitled to Is more, and he can h'avd • same on application, * In my £SOOO sweep mi Champion.' meeting, Chatterer, ■ winner Three-year-old Handicap, was a company in Westport, N;Z., afod'first prize (£200) was remitted to’thcin ; and in my sweep on Autumn Meeting Grand Flaneur, for the Ledger, H 'ha4 been drawn by a gentleman church. jw I think, therefore, L may safely affirm that the New Zealand shareholders; 1 brf the whole, manage tb pick lip'many-of the best prizes (not to mention the smaller ones) in the sweeps got up by—Yours truly, ;> The Oracle, Victoria Hotel, Melbourne, 25th February, 1881.