SPORTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 July 1941, Page 3

SPORTING

WELLINGTON MEETING

DECISION TO ABANDON IT.

GRANDSTAND USED AS HOSPITAL

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

The Wellington Racing Club’s win-, ter meeting, which was to have been held on July 8, 10, and 12. has been abandoned because the main grandstand is at present in use as a military hospital. Announcing the club's decision yesterday, the president. Mr E. Riddiford, expressed extreme regret. “Since the outbreak of war, - ’ he said, “the Trentham racecourse buildings have from time to time been used as an emergency military hospital, and, as a result of a recent outbreak of measles and mumps in Trentham Camp, there were yesterday 57 cases in isolation on the course. The stewards feel that in justice both to the soldier patients and the public generally they could not take the risk of a race meeting being even remotely the possible cause of spreading infection. - ’ This is not the first time that a Wellington winter meeting has been abandoned. Similar circumstances occurred in 1915, when, with sickness in Trentham CamjS, and the military occupation of the course, the winter meeting that year was first of all postponed. The annual winter sale of thoroughbred stock set down for next Wednesday at Trentham will not now be held.