TROTTING CLUB.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 28 October 1882, Page 2

TROTTING CLUB.

i A meetipg of the 'committee of . the Trotting Club was held litst evening at : '-' the' Butland Hotel. Preserit-^Messrs F. M. Belts, Richards, Kirkwood, Woolley, A. Higgle; CTH. Chavannes, J. H. Pollock, and F. W. Evans, (hon sco). , ' ■ The minutes of the previous' meeting were read and confirmed. „ =,- The chairman announced that .theft principal business of the evening was to consider a protest (a similar objection on the came subject having been made by Mr Xiiugard and withdrawn) by Mr Thomas Woolley against the horse Bambler starting in the Trial Stakes, the same horse having won a stake or match. — Mr Woolley called no evidenoe, ~ * but read a statement to the, effect „ that the horse .had won money in. a •_' match run upon the roadside; If the' club held- that the rule did not apply to ; , private matches, there was an end ofthe protest, but he "(Mr Woolley) was - perfectly disinterested in the matter and merely wished to see the club put on a proper footing in the eyes of the public —Mr Kirkwood called attention, to section 1 of the 43rd rule of the club, by which any contest for' purse, premium, stake, or wager, on any course must be in the presence of a judge or judges, and that alone shall constitute a public race. —Mr Woolley said that Bambler had won a ' stake at a roadside contest, but unless he (Mr Woolley), "could go 40 miles off, the evidence' in the -matter would not be..-forth-coming. — r Mr jKirkwood moved,; That Mr Woolley's- protest be dismissed. —Mr B.ettfl; seconded the motion. — Mr A. Higgia moved as an amendment, That the protest against Bambler be not entertained, on the ground that a private match on toe public highway is not a public race, and that the protest, fee of £1 Is . be returned; — Mr- Pollock, in seconding the resolution, contended that a race on.a. public highway: was- not a "> " couree " within the meaning of the rules of the club. — Mr Woolley pointed out that at Mauaiaand elsewhere it was the custom to trot matches on the public road, and their horses would be entered here for the Maiden. — Mr A. Higgle contended that,, in. the interest of the cliib, private matches on the road should ' , not be allowed to count.— Mr Kirkwood ■{ withdrew his . resolution, and therefore > Mr Higgie's amendment became the re- ,; • ' solution. —Mr Evans . regretted' the i necessity of having to cpeak upon such a-' ■' subject, but contended that' it, was A necessary to give notice . of motion, : < ■■ as ; it involved an alteration of. a rule.'' J He did not for one moment belU-ve . : that the the expression "course", was ■ ■ intended to apply to a spin en the . -> road. The protest should be dismissed, . > and ho would move a resolution accordingly. — Mr Pollock argued that the club could not take notice of any contest on the road, because the 44th' rule required that a race should take place in the presence of a judge or judges, who, of course, must be' duly appointed for the purpose. — After some further discussion (in the course of which Mr Betts pointed out that any resolution involving an alteration of the rules was, in default of notice, simply invalid) Mr. Higgie's motion was carried.-^-On the motion of. Mr Woolley, Mr Lingard's protest fee ■ on the Maiden Bace was returned. Mr Pollock drew the attention of the ' I committee to certain serious charges which had been made in the Press against Mr S. Powell and the club in } connection with the running of the horse - Wakatu, and stated that Mr Powell I wes in attendance and desired to make I any explanation which might be required. — Mr Evans said that, in his capacity as hon. sec, he had received no official complaint upon the matter, — Mr Pollock moved, That Mr Powell be called in to give an explanation as to the running of his mare Wakatu in the Maiden Plate. — Mr Woolley seconded the motion. — Mr A. Higgie said that while the committee was discussing such matters it would be well to consider an

allegation that the rider of Solicitor in j the' Maide- -was paid £5 to pull it. — Mr Si' Powell, then entered the room, and; gave the following explanation of the running of Wakatu : — "When, I, started: with the mare J found Bhe'j.vis ,not going as. well, as she ought to go-pad, 'I :didn!t persevere with her, no&knpwing the rules as to the distance flag.. . I' never looked- through the club's roles, and down Booth I have trotted many, time's hat I never saw a distance flag. "We never have heats down south, and the snare had never performed on the 1 t^rf. before, she. ran here. I never ran horse's in heats and did hotuhdersta&a; the : distance flag." Mr Pollock aaked' Mr' P6 well whether his stable, was nofrbaeking a .rival horse in the race. Mr.Powell replied that he himself 'did not put a", single shilling on any other hoijse :than Wakatu, and only a ponnd on'; that.,: : Mr Pollook thought Mr Powell should be glad of an opportunity to -contradioc statementa which had appeared •. in, i the Press.'. Could Mr Powell truthfully say, that he did ■ not care-whether his horse "was distanoed in the> first -heat ?— Mr Powell denied that' he- had rfea'd the'rules on the subjeot.— Mr'Higgiesaid that' it was evident that an^ I'question1 'question of fraud 1 on Mr Powell's psrt was put 'of the questibn.-T-Mr Evans alsp thought the explanation satisfactory, thfi'righ he had certainly been under the impression that owing to ignorance of the rules the horse, had not been run out fairiv;.-^Mr Paul was in attendance to fiye information on this disputed matter, afcf.the .'chairman informed him, 'on behalf of the committee, that everything ■ had Obeeh satisfactorily cleared' up; 1 ■ On- i the 'motion of Mr'Wooliey.'the resignation of Messrs Joseph' Chadwick,'. jutf./rindJ^ll; Pollbek, as'handicappers, 1 ' WBS'.a^ceptedj'witih thanks. , ' ,■■■■..-. sPhe ! Hofl; ; secretary. was. empowered to paj^ov^tjiiiafies according to the rules. — Mf; Evans reported that £165 would have to he paid away in stakes, and that there would; unfortunately be a deficit of about £3i}, r ,but it was the beginning of a new yearj and subscriptions.. would come in, so that everything would "he* duly met. The stakes would be paid forthwith on application to^th'e'hon. secretary. j"6sep_h' ! Henry, ! Tider of Solicitor in the •'•Trial 1 " Stakes,- ■' was called "in at the oli request'.of \Mx Alex: Higgle 1 , the^lattej; makiiig 'the allegation' that Henry "ia'd' stated "that' : Mr. Keith : had offered'.'.iiim,''.£s, to , lose : the' : match.— Hqnry. no jjr. denied that, he^.had been, offered that sum, or that he - had stated suijh'a' thing'td.anyone else.; .He did his best;, to ..win, arid : no one , made any dishonest proposals to him [on the. subject. $he .witness then retired. ,: ; ; : :. . The date of the annual general meeting was left to be fixed by the' hon. sec. A cordial vote of thanks to the chairman,' of Tvhose ; services' to the club several 'gentlemen spoke' in high terms, concluded the proceedings.