POVERTY BAY TURF CLUB.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 236, 16 September 1884, Page 2

POVERTY BAY TURF CLUB.

A special general meeting of the above club took place at the Masonic Hotel last night. Present: C. D. Pitt (President), J. W. Johnson (Vice-President), Dobbie, J. W. Sunderland, 8. Stevenson, A. Weston, D. Page, J. W. Nolan, J. H. Aislabie, J. G. Winter, J. R. Scott, E. W. Mills, T. Chrisp, W. Graham, C. D. Bennett, F. Dufaur, and the Secretary. Ground Committee. The report of the ground committee was read to the effect that the site offered by Mr. Weston was unfavorable for making a racecourse, and recommending that the offer be not accepted. The report was adopted. Huies. Major Pitt, one of the committee appointed to revise the rules, said the committee had been carefully through them, and had adopted the bulk of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club rules, which had lately been revised and compiled from English, Australian, and Canterbury, and only keeping such of their own as were considered necessary. It was proposed by Mr. J. W. Sunderland, and seconded by Mr. E. W. Mills, “ That the rules as revised and recommended by the committee, be adopted as from this date.” —Carried. Course. A letter was read from Mr. Espie offering his property (Newstead) to the club, containing 159 acres, at £37 10s per acre, £5,000 on mortgage for ten years at 7 per cent., balance cash. Mr. Mills proposed that the offer be not accepted, as the present course at Waerenga-a-hika was more advantageous to them than the one proposed would be. Mr. Nolan seconded.

The Secretary thought the offer should not be thrown over without sonsideration, and he would like to see a committee formed to inspect and report on the property. Mr. Winter agreed with the last speaker, and proposed as an amendment that a committee be appointed to report. Ultimately it would only cost the club from £5O to £6O per year, providing a suitable course could be obtained. Mr. J. R. Scott seconded.

Mr. C. D. Bennett said there were some members always requiring a change. For his part he could not see why they should not remain satisfied with their present course. He did not think the distance made any difference at all with regard to attendance.

The Secretary disagreed with that. Many people would attend the races if the expenses of getting to them were less.

Mr. Sunderland did not think having the course some five miles from town would make any difference, there being only a limited supply of conveyances, and they could not run two or three times, and even if they did who could go to a racecourse at 10 o’clock in the morning, and if they did how were they to get back at night. Mr. Dufaur did not think a committee should be appointed, such a course in his opinion would be tacitly admitting that the offer was not very far out of the way, while in his opinion the price was too much altogether. There was some further discussion when the proposition that the offer be not accepted was carried. Standing Committee. Mr. Aislabie proposed, seconded by Mr. Dufaur, “ That a standing committee consisting of Messrs. J. W. Sunderland, Pitt, Winter, Aislabie, and the Secretary be appointed for the purpose of obtaining offers of freehold properties suitable for a race-course, and to report to special meetings convened to consider them.—Carried. The meeting then adjourned.