IN A NUTSHELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 4 March 1908, Page 54

IN A NUTSHELL.

i, I — Nominations for the Ashburtori Trotting Club's meeting are due on Matrch 21. — Nominations for the Southland Bacing Club's aiutumn meeting are due on the 20th inst. — The weights for the C. J.O Great Easter and Great Autumn Handicaps are due on the 27th List. — Owners are reminded that nominations fox the South. Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting axe due on March 10. — A complimentary ticket for the Clutha. Hack Boeing Club's meeting is to hand, and acknowledged with thanks. — "Two trotting races, with 50eovs each in prize-money, axe on the Ashburton Bacing Club's autumn programme. , — For betting in the streets at Broken Hill a bookmaker was recently sentenced to six months' imprisonment. — During the seven seasons that Persimmon's stock have been on the turf they have won 146 races, worth £124,699. — The V.B.C. autumn meeting was commenced on Saturday last, and will be continued on March 3, 5, and 7. — GtLpon, by M-en&chikoS, was recently sold in Melbourne for 11 guineas. Apparently Ms career ■as- a racer is at an end. ' —It is expected that over 300 yearlings will go under the hammer at the Sydney bloodstock sales, to ba held in the autumn. — Complimentary tickets for the- South Canterbury Jockey Club's autumn meeting are to hand, and acknowledged with thanks. — Handicaps for the Waimate meeting axe due on March. 12, ar*l owners should note the fact that acceptances are due on the I4th — Word comes to hand that the wellknown light harness horse Bingman (Bell Boy. —Maggie L.) died a few d«ys ago, shortly after being physicked with, a bottle of oil. — During the past nine seasons Wallaae has winners to She extent of £62,000, and the results^ of the v.B.C. autumn meeting will give a fTsrthex boost to hie winning total. — Tae value of stakes (not including second and third money) won in Great Britain and Ireland during 1907 amounted to — England, £467.908 19s -Ireland, £37,192 17s; Scotland, £14,716. —Mr John Wren has commenced a series , of trotting meetings which extend over nine : actual racing days. It commenced on ! February 13, and will be- concluded on | March 31. — There are 93 registered racing clubs in West Australia. The jockeys- licensed by the W.A.T.C. total 89, trainer* 42, bookmakers 88 (41 for the paddock and 47 for the flat), and clerks 71. ' —It is reported that another effort will be made shortly, and some well-informed people think with every chance of success, to have a Totalisator iaill passed through the Victorian Parliament. ' — The Ashburton Cup, one mile and 1 a- . quajrtex is to be worth 155b0v9 this year, j «md on the second day of the meeting the principal event will be the Autumn Handi- ( cap of lOOsovs, one mile. ' I —Woodland Whispers was the good goods for the Telegraph Handicap at the Tahuna Park trots, but whilst hie pace was there his condition to see it out was lack- : ing, and he failed badly after going a mile and a-h<alf. " — Scotland, the winner of the Newmarket Handicap, is a, son of .Wallace and the Pad1 lock — Governess mare Key. -Governess, the second dam of Scotland, " also threw Jane Eyre, wjb© was a good pexformex here, but . hsus produced nothing of note at the stud.. i -rThe well-known American breeder Mr i J. B. Haggin would be an extremely u&lifcky ! man if he did not raise a few crack thoroughbred*. He has nominated 306 brood mares in the Futurity Stakes, and 1 has also made a similar entry in the Brighton Produce Stakes. \ — The cabled! report of the Newmarket Han- 4

dicap does not throw a great deal of light on the running of the race, but it states that a sharp shower Jell as the field went out to the post. This would distinctly tell against any hojrses in the field which ran without plates. — The first of the American slallion Abbey Bells's stock to race was successful the first time out. She is a two-year-eld filly called Twinkle Bells, a-nd showed a 2m in 44e€c gait. Her dam, Twinkle, is a daughter of Rothschild ar.d the Blackwood Abdallah nmr-e F. 8., and went 2min 25£ sec as a three-year-old. — Master Delaval ar.d Cambrian, the two horses with important autumn engagements ahead, are both progressing satisfactorily in their preparation at Ellerslie. All continuing well with Master Delaval he can, I undiers'tand, says "Phaeton" be safely included amongst the acceptances for the W«ngaiiui Cup. — Little 'Un, the winner of the Pony Handicap on the second day at Tahuna Park, won comfortably in 4min 6 4-ssec. The vWinning "horse" in thenext event occupied 4nrin 139ec. Others in the latter field were badly ridden, or something like 4min would have been required to make a winner keep, clear of his opponents. — According to the Johannesburg Sunday Times, there are about 500 racehorses (includicg ponies) in training on- the Band, which means a keep and training bill for owners collectively of at least £60,000 per annum, added to which at the lowest estimate another .£60,000 must be put down for entries, forfeits, and expenses. — They are somewhat easier on their baby racers in the Old Country than they are here. In England la at year the seven best yearlings aeen out started in the following number of races: — Prospector end VamOse, four each ; Spinning Solly, seven ; and Lesbia, White Eagle, Little Flutter, and Sir Archibald, five each. — The writer has been • informed that Ouidaform, the brother to Beneform, who was shipped to Australia several weeks back, has since been sold at 450gs. Ouidaform, as a well-bred son of Multiform, should have been valuable as a sire, as, apart from a badly-soarred back, he was a good-looking sort of plenty size and quality. — Weight is of paramount importance in fiat-racing, but some trotting men think nothing of sending a horse out with two or three stone overweight. What is a stopper to the runners is also a stopper to the trotter, but some people are particularly alow in waking up to that fact. _At Tahuna Park it is not an uncommon signt to see a rider up who o»er-fills a 28fb saddle. —In siring Scotland (winner of the Newm&rketk Mountain King, (winner of the St. Leger)^ and Mather Goose (winner of Sires Produce Stakes), who form<ad a trio .of successful runners on the first day of the V.B.C. autumn meeting, the well-known horse "^Wallace continues to- prove himself a worthy sou of a- worthy sire, and further boost himself in the estimation of breeders and sportsmen. —We have had few trotters in the colonies like the' Champion Fritz, and it is a matter of regret that he was not left a stallion. His brother Franz has shown himself, by getting Francesca, a sire of speed, but as far as public work goes, lacks the merit as a racer of his famous relative. FraiSz, however, evidently promises to keep the family name, alive, i arad on that account desires a "pat on the back." — Cocoanut went the 4min 54.2-ssec she put iip in the Telephone Handicap in good style, and appeared' to' be waiting oni'rsncesoa, who acted as hex pacemaker fox the first 12 furlongs. The Prince Imperial maire^ also showed a good gait when she followed Durbar horns on the first day -when in receipt of six seconds from a, 4min 47 8-seec winner. Duxbitx, with, a small bit of good luck, and driven with that object in view, would not have had much difficulty in making a track record. — New Zealand was well represented on the opening day of the V.B.C. meeting. Scotland, the winner of the Newmarket, was got by Wallace (eon of Carbine) ; Grenadier, who finished second in the same race, was bred in Auckland; and Akim Foo, who gained the third situation,, was got by Bobadil, a son of She, a sister of Stepniak. Mountain King, the winner of the St. Leger, and Mother Goose, the winner^ of the Sires Produce Stakes, were also got by Carbine's famous eon, and Apologue, wB» won the Essendon, is another AuckLander. — The committee of the A*hburton Gounty Racing Club met last week, Mr T. E. Upton being in the chair.. Tie New Zealand Trotting- Association and the Canterbury Jockey Club wrote stating that they had peased the programme for the club's autumn meeting. The chairman reported that the stakes totalled £800. It was resolved to apply to the Bailwiay Department for the running of special trains at excursion ratesfor the autumn meeting. The secretary was instructed to apply to the Canterbury Jockey Club for a, grant for Ambulance purposes. — Eight Bkfeenhead yearlings purchased by Mi Cox, of Brisbane, from the Hon. J. D Ormond, passed through, to Melbourne, by this week's boa*. They are out of Oamelot (Sir Launcelot— Trentalto) ; Industry (Nautilus (imp.) — Bliw*«*l» Viffieiß); Diy«i (St J^mbi— Wood Nymph); Miss Never (Dunlop— Straight Shot); Miro (Dreadnought — Spinaway); Spot (Albany— Zelica) ; Aphrodite (Apremont— Watersprite) ; and Agony (Dreadnought— Martyr). In addition to the yearlings — which are all colts — there is also a four-year-old gelding by Birkenhead— Sabre in the shipment. „.,,, -„ , — After she had won the Middle Park (England) Plate, Bright Steel's three-quarter sister, Lesbia, was turned out -in a paddock. This is an interesting (an unusual Eng.ieh) experiment on the part of the Australian sportsman, Sir Daniel Cooper. I have come across one or two people who doubt the wisdom of the policy (says an English, writer), but for my own part I think there is moxe to be *aid for it than against it. There is nothing like giving Nature a chance, and it will not surprise me in the least if L«sbia benefits in many ways from the openair treatment. If it does nothing, else it should harden her. Secretaries of racing clubs should note the dates of the British football team matches, as it would, be advisable for them to steer clear of these fixtures. The following are the dates of the principal matches: Masterton, May 23; Wellington, May 27; Dunedin, May 30; Invercargill, June 3; South Island (played at Dunedin), June 6; Timaru, June 10; Chriatchurch, June 13; Greymouth, June 17; Nelson, June 30; New Zealand (played 1 at Wellington), June 27; Napier, July 1; Gisborne, July 4; Palmerston -North, July 8; Wang«nui r July 11; New Plymouth, July 15; Auckland, Jxuy 18; North Island (played at Auckland), July 25. With the conclusion of the Dunedin Cup meeting and the Tahuna. trotting meeting comes a lull in local racing. The Clutha hack meeting, however, takes place on Friday next, and no doubt will attract a few sports from Dunedin. The Wanganui Cup meeting is set down, fox Thursday «nd- Saturday of this week, but no meeting of much consequence takes place until March 19, whan. tl» Waimate Bacing Club's gathering, which promises to b* anusually attractive this year, is to be held. The Sonrth Canterbury meeting tabes pkc* on' March 2& and

26, and on April 8 and: 9 the Southland meeting -will be the only gathering of loca" interest to separate us- from the C.J.C autuxnn meeting. —By the American mail to hand comes news of the death of Angus Pointer, the champion pacer of 19017. Angus Pointer was by Sidney Pointer, 2.7|, «nd during th» past stason. was invincible on the Grand Circuit, after the meeting at Detroit, where he waa defeated by Baron Gratban, ihia baing hi* only dafeat of the season. He wa« the winner of the fastest three-heat race by^-' a, gelding in 2.3|, 2.2|, 2.4f. Held a matinee waggon record of 2.3 J. The world's pacing record to waggon of 2.45, and .he fastest three-heat race to waggon, 2.6^, 2.4§, and 2.65. In the opinion of the race-going public, Angus Pointer was as game and consistent a racehorse as ever looked through, a bridle. i. 71 In . r^ ll^ t° *he first race meeting held at Middleham Moor, England, in 1762, Bailys Magazine publishes a clause of the articles drawn up, and which belonged to Mx Thomas Topham. It revds: 'Every horse, mare, or gelding entered for the Town Plate to run. three heats, and to staxt for the first heat at 3 o'clock, at a post on the south aidfe* of the Gross Bank, and to run down th»- south side of th» moor, and so cross to the half-mile post, and so up the moor to Naylor's, and so cross to Gordon course* by the posts set up for that purpose, and* down, the same and up Cross Bank, and to end at the ssn» place where fch« horses run for the Whin Plate are to end. In running to leave all his posts on the left hand." — According to an Australian exchange, the Richmond -trotting track has recently been greatly improved, ana at a meeting - some good racing, was witnessed. The first of the progeny of imported Abbey Bells to race is Twinkle Bells, a two-year-old filly. She easily -won the 2.50 ox , better trot. , Fairboy (late Fairplay), by Honesty 11, who was bred at Mr A. E. Tyson's station, New South Wales, won the 2.55 or better trot from nine opponents. He 1 was an outsider. Berlinwood, by Ribbon-wood, won the 2.90 or better trot. ' He is only a three-year-old, and was bred in Tasmania. He- trotted the mile in 2tnin 26 2-Ssec. Daisy, by Osterley, accounted for the 2.45. or better class, and Alfred D. just beat Mauritius by a head in the 2.4 or better cl«ss,_ — The death occurred in Ireland last month of the once well-known Irish crosscountry jockey, "Terry" Kavanagh, who Was • one of the foremost steeplechase riders of the day. He served his apprenticeship to the late Mr H«rry tiinde, at Eyrefield Lodge, Curregb, and was waeoeiated with that famous establishment in the heyday -of its prosperity. Kavanagh steered innumerable winners for the stable all over the TJnrfcid Kingdom, as well as in France, and subsequently rode with conspicuous success for ,Mr Harry Dyas, for whom he won. the Grand National of 1897 on Manifesto, this being the deceased jockey's only success in .he big Aintree event. There was scarcely a race of importance in Ireland of which, Kavanagk had not ridden the winner. — I am informed,, says an English sporting water, that a- bill will probably be introduced in the House of Commons- early in the session by a private member, piopoaing «he> transference of the business of licensing racecourses to the various county councils. I - undlerstsnd that the' measure limits each course to six days' -fiat racing in. the year, Nwraiarket being exempted. It is proposed also to establish a close season, absolutely prohibiting any kind of racing during December and January. I bean: that all racecourses over which steeplechases' and hurd*s races' are decided will be limited to four days' sport in the year. There axe ©tier provisions, but ifeeee merely arise out el the important proposals already indicated, oar they - are connected with them. How such a bill is bkely to be viewed by the Government it i» impossible at the moment to prognosticate. — Discoursing on past and 1 present jockeys, a writer in the Winning Post aays: "Any comparison of the past and present _ would not be complete without some notice of jockeys, and it must at once be confessed that the present comes out~ badly. No vete- ". ran would think twice if asked to declare upon the point, and^ we .'sadly need such, jockeys a* were * riding even 15 year* ago. Going back much farther, before even the days of Archer, it is not difficult to mention /the names of a dozen jockeys, who would have ni-sde rings round ! the majority oi those now riding. The deterioration has been, chiefly noticeable since the introduction of the "monkey Beat" by Sims,, and later by Sloan. So successful was the latter that imitation at onco set in, and the result is failure. Whatever his faults may have been, Sloan was an artist in the saddle; his imitators are quite the reverse. I — A Melbourne exchange states that the ever-a!ert reporter did not allow Sir John Maddens New Zealand visit to pass by without making the C.J. contribute his share of < "copy." The gambling evil in Victoria- was I the topic he was asked to difote on, and ' ' after explaining at length the efforts made to suppress gaming in- the State, -Sir John thus showed his preference for the bookmaker as seainst the tote: "The totalisatojf is not used on the courses in Victoria, and, personally, I do not think tnVt its use would' be an advantage. The chief objection to the totalisator is its tendency to make betting look respectable. I»adieß and young • people of all grades wiH bet with th* machine when they will not bat with the i bookmakers. 'Of course, some women will deal with the bookmakers, but the majority will not. My idea- is that of the two evil* the bookmaker is the leseer." — Not only as a racehorse owner, but as a breeder, the French, sportsman, M. Edmond Blanc, has experienced a run of bad luck during the past couple of years. The year before last no leas than 22 of his ma-res were barren, among the number being Choice, dam of Caius; Orgueilleuse, dam of Prestige; Airs and Graces, dam of Jardy; and America, dam. of French Fox. Amie, dam. of Ajaar and Adam, tost her oolt foal by William, the Third. However, on the whole. M. Blanc has fared so well thait lie should be prepared to submit to a few lean year's with good grace. Although- he gave * big price for Flying: Fox; he has % already made a lot of , money out of that hoxaa, who, v he is now only a twelve-year-old^ should be a valuable asset for several jwusa. In addition to Flying Fox, M. Blanc's other stallions are Chaleureux (Goodfellow— L'Bte), Saxon oFha I Band — Shrine), and Ajax (Flying Fox — Amie). Hia brood m&rea total over 70, and those are distributed over four stud farms. | — The English Jockey" Club is not disposed! to allow the American jockey, Lester ReiiF, j to return to grace. Reiff w*s warned off some years ago, and subsequently the order was withdrawn, but that did not altogether mean: that Beiff would have his jockey's license restored upon application. As * matter of fact, it has not been given back, and B-eifJ is still out in the cold so far as being a jockey is concerned. When ike warning-off notice was withdrawn Beiff vent to France and applied for s license to ride therje, but he was told that he must first get a license to ride in England, as it wa» there that it hadV*been taken, away. He returned tcEngland accordingly, and .asked for a license to qualify Mm for obtaining- one in. France: but th* then steward* of the J-ockey CIuF I

fcefoaed it, and Reiff went back to America. * The English. Jeckey Club's stewards, unlike i&ost others, do not tinker with important tpzestions affecting ttbe welfare of the turf. — A. conspicuous feature of the Tfthuno. Park meeting was the capable starting of ilx L. C. Hazlett, who ranks, in the writer's estimation, as the most capable starter of the light harness horse seen at work in this country. Mr Hazlett is also a capable m«n' wi&vthe runners. On the second d«y at Tahuna Park Mr Haslett sent away the trio of starters in. the Recovery Handicap at a moving start. Silver Black, who was out itu front on the handicap, came up well for the word, and got away with about a quarter of m etride the best of his bell. This left WiHrie and Francesca to be despatched. The ietbbex watt on the outside, and as they came - up for the word had absut half a neck advantage over Wilkie. This, however, although a point of infinitesimal importance, did not* suit a .Canterbury trotting man, who acoaued tastily for the horse to be, brought back. It was piactieally m> perfect start, but perfect starts do not suit some sports, who evidently are desirous of seeing their fancy get everything in their favour. ' >— "It has not taken San Francisco long to fu»a -ids way into the Australian wmntag circs, and his stock have done well in New Zealand," writes an Australian contemporary. "He claims ' Elevation, the best New Zealand three-year-old, and Demolition looks like earning him . distinction in Australia. Demolition is a weiHrrown, beautdfnilymoulded- colt, by San Francisco fzora the A.J.C. Derby winner Picture, who unexpectedly finked' Lee Mtetfard and Cooos at ,Rand*rick in 1898. StiH she was a good mare, -and in Picturesque she has produced a smart sprinter. Demolition went into the sale Ting at Rsndwick lac* April with the Mungie Bundie yearlings, and he rea.KssJ 900gs, and so far «t that price he has proved cheap. He is by the St. Simon horse San Francisco (brother to St. Frjusquin) from Picture, by Rrtssley (son of Doncaster) from Queen's Head, by Yattendon from Gaselle, - by MagtM from Atlanta, by Reprieve (imp.) from Langax ijueen, by Langar, amd -goes back to Lady Emily, by Manfred, who founded a good Austaali*n winning family." An English writer discourses thus on the benefits of Ireland as a breeding place for thoroughbreds: "The Msfeeesful Country has had many enemies, but few tame lovers who aie at once wi&3 and discreet. It gives me aH the more pleasure to be able to write ■what I believe v be the whole truth, that the portion of Ireland I saw-r-say, from Dublin to Lirneriek— is better adapted for th/cacughbrsd breeding than any part of England I knowl, The case may be put. in other words thus: If I leawJWjUy -were a breeder instead of » student I should not try to find an ideal Bpot ior a rfcud in England, but should certainly cross the -water to^fche Sister Isle in order to seek for one. HNweeding in Ireland has many advantages, ' it has ■unmistakable and easily seen drawbacks. The difficulty arising front the single fact that horses have to make a long- journey, including an over-sea voyage, tq be trained or to raoe in England lis palpable to anyone who knows how smiling St. George's Channel can be in gracious moments, and how terrible under «he influence of a lashmg gale. No trtoe sportsman, ff he had ever seen or understands what such a sickening sight is. like, would ever permit -his valuable stock to pass through such an ordeal." — When we 'read' that an Australian jockey has been engaged by a nobleman abroad, and that the retaining fee is £1000 for the season^ it almost makes one believe that we nraet have some good) horsemen in the Australian State/ (remarks "Martiudale," of the Sydney Town and Cbtmtry Journal). Tho rider who has been retained at the fee stated by Baron Rothschild js C. Pratt, who, until a season or two back, was mostly engaged at the country meetings in this State. He is certainly a very capable horseman, perhaps quite up t» the best of tihe present day. Looking at the racing day after day one has to confess that the best riders of the piesent axe not ' as capable as those that were reckoned first-class men in the past. If out present-day men can get retainers of £1000, what would a rider possessing the --ability of the late Tom Hales have bean worth? i Donald Nicholson would have been worth hi* weight in gold, while John Higgerson and Wm. Anderson conld have got whatever they thought fit to ask. Clever as some of our present-day jockeys think themselves, -these men would have outridden them every time. C. Puafct'u engagement is with an Austrian racing man, and B. Carskke is also engaged in that country, where they evidently pay the leading jockeys "very well. —in relating some experiences in connection with ihe Newmarket Handicap, "Mirroy/' of the Sydney Mail, says: "The year William Tell won a most thoroughbred-looking colt from Tasmania started second favourite, ami he came home second to the flying son on Kettledrum;. He was named 1 Silvermine, and doubtless Alec Robertson, who rode the co2t, and stood to win a tremendous stake, little imagined what thevfuture would oring forth, or that the association begun that day was the first of a long list of dkatsiezs.' Robertson was a heavy bettor (jockeys wexe allowed to bet in those days). Fox tfaree- cup races— one Oaulfield Oup and two Melbourne Cubs — Si2v«ramne was the medium of a big plunge, but on each oooaaion he ran secend, -aaiik financially broke Robertson to the world. Sydney was then taken, on for a recovery, and Tattersall's Cup seleotea us the light race to bet on. Robertson was not well off financially, but a friend came to the rescue and backed Silvermine to win the jockey £5000. The money looked won at the turn, «4*ere Alec, with a good hold of the horse, a thoroughly reliable stayer, wits waiting on the leaders; but as he made his run below the distance the leaders closed - in, Silvermine was brought down, and both horse and jockey were killed." In commenting on a decision recently* given by a body of stewards, an English writer says: "It is an incident like this whioh raises anew the question as to whether honorary stewardship is ample, or whether the duties could be more 'ef&cientiy discharged by a salaried official. We have recently heard from Lord Stanley that so far as racing on the - flat is concerned the Jockey Club stewards have their faces absolutely set against the idea of * stipendiary. Lord Stanley, in his Giincrack speech, could 'not »cc whTvbecaaise a man was paid he aaould do his duty any better than the gentlemen who- undertook the dirties at the present time.' Ah! If every honorary ■ steward was only as zealous over the work as his lordship! But events have provedotherwise. A recent experience is still j another case in point, and there is no guarantee againat recurrences- It is not right, as Lewd Stanley has said, for gentlemen thus to undertake .duties unless they are willing really to perform them. ' The difficulty is to get such zealots. The average honorary official would rather enjoy his racing untrammelled. The paid man would 1 be on. the spot witii a specific object, and could not excuse himself on the scorevthai he had a distance to travel, and must catch his train." — Bright Steel, who won the Oakleigh Plate. -Mi not race in England. He was bred by Sir Daniel Cooper, and (says an fit-iißiyai jgtucTj.»«-n T Bitslaai^ last

year by Mr J. E. Stanley. He came out to Australia in August last in company with Aurum. On that trip the Meddc brought out a -valuable lot of horses purchased by Mr Stanley. Bright Steel is a half-brother to Flak, the best two-year-old of her year, and winner of the One Thousand Guineas, and to Lesbia, who was unbeaten in England last year, although Vamose ran a dead heat wiih her. His dam, Glare, must now be one of the most valuable brood mares in England, and, like Bright Steel, ahe was bred by Sir Daniel Cooper. Bright Steel is out of an Ayrshire mare, and Ayrshire mares are gradually coming to the front as dams of winners. Last season the progeny of mares by Ayrshire accounted for 31 races. Bright Steel is by St Simon (son of Galopin) from Glare, by Ayrshire (son of Hampton) from Footlight. by Cremorne from Paraffin, by Blair Athol (son of Stockwell) from Paradigm, by Paragone from Ellen Horn, by Red Shank. There is a double cross of Galopin m the pedigree, as St. .Simon is by Galopin and Ayrshire is out of a Galopin more. Bragnt Steel .belongs to one of the best branches of the No 1 family, which has given the turf Bend Or, Ladas, Cicero, Lesbia, Flair, and a host of other good winners. — The Western Mail (Perth) has the following reference to Mr A. Geary, the •wellknown! handicapper : "During one stage of his official connection with the turf in this bta-te, Mr GeaTy was in receipt of an income from racing clubs whion very probably eclipsed that ever drawn by any other racing official in the history of the turf in Australia. At the time he was handicapper to the W.A.T.C, to th»' Kalgoorlie Race Club, and to several country associationa and: clubs; he was also one of the stipendiary stewards emgloyed by the Metropolitan Racing Association. 'These various offices brongfat him in olose upon £1400 per annum. Like his predecessor, the late Mr W. W. Dalrin, he found that the dual position of weight-adjuster to the W.A.T.C. and the leading club on the goldfields- was untenable, ana in order to avoid friction he resigned the- goldfields office, to tihe expressed regret of the committee of the KalgoorHe Ckib. As a stipendiary steward, however, Mr Geary did his greatest work for the local turf. With Mr P. J. Fox as a colleague, he showed that the paid steward system was nnquestkmaibly better than the honorary steward system. But in demonstrating this he had" to perform many unpleasant duties, and act . fearlessly in the face of much opposition. It was because of his patting a stop to the machinations of many ' whose tactics had hitherto been allowed to go unchecked that bitter attaoks were made upon hint. Never once were these attacks successful. Even the fact that, exercising his keen judgment, Mr Geary won a smallfortune by backing Poseidon caused heartburnings and chagrin to many. However, Mr Geary leaves ns wrfch the knowledge that he baa done mnich to purify the turf, and that his work in this direction is appreciated by a large majority of pure-minded sportsmen. He infouds to eventually make a holiday tour of the world."