The Waikato Times. SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1879.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1028, 25 January 1879, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 1879.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatever stake or persuasion, religious or political. * * * * * Here shall the Press tho People's right maintain, Uuawed by influonco and tmbribed by gain.

The approaching Waikato Turf Club Spring raeoting seems fco ua to afford an opportunity for recurring to a subject which has been the text of many wholesome sermons in these columns. We allude to the necessity of union on the part of the various settlements of Waikato, to promote one really good meeting for the whole district. If each part of the country could be prevailed upon to sink any little existing difference, and cordially join forces, we should have race meetings second to none in the provincial district. In real intrinsic prosperity and, therefore, subscribing power, the " Four Counties " are second to no portion of the North Island. The only real objection which has ever been urged to the possibility of such a coalition is, that no racecourse cau be found sufficiently central to give equal facilities to all. The OhaupoRoad course appears to answer this requirement, as far as tbe townships

to the westward of the Waikato river nro concerned, and this view has been confirmed by the large m«„3ure of support which every . mejeting held tliere has received from thb Counties of Reglau ani Waipa. Waikato County, however, ' has been at a disadvantage to some extend as the only practicable routes to fche course have lain either through Cambridge and Ohaupo or Hamilton, either of which entails a journey in many insfcauces of nearly j 20 miles. Now, however, the complo- ' tio:i of the bridge at the " Narrows" j has altogether changed the position ' of the whole matter. Ifc has brought the inhabitants of part of the WrtikatoCounfcy into almost absolute contact yvith the Ohaupo Flat course, and has reduced the distance from Cambridge, the most important centre of the county, to seven or eight miles. The distances of the respective centres of Waikato, from what we believe will certainly ultimately be the head quartors of Waikato racing — the Ohiupo Flat - are as follows : Newcastle, 17 miles; Whatawhata, 12 to 15 miles; Hamilton, 7 miles; Cambridge, 8 miles ; Ohaupo, 5 miles ; Alexandra, 15 miles ; Te Awamutu, 13 miles ; Raglan, 35 miles ; Piako, 30 miles. These figures, which certainly approximate to the real distances, show conclusively that the position selected by the Turf ulub is the most central that can be obtained. It must not be forgotten also thafc the railway runs within three-quarters of a mile of the course, and that when the road which has been laid off from the course to the line has been completed, it will be easy for Auckland sportsmen to have a run up for a day and contribute to the sue cess of the meetings, without the necessity of spending even one night away from home. The fact that this flat is adjacent to no particular township should tend to allay those feelings of rivalry, which invariably influences rising settlements struggling for pre-eminence. The question, therefore, of site having been practically settled by the construction of the Narrows bridge. We would urge all sporting men, and the public generally, to make a grand effort for the firm establishment of a good central club, which will command respect in all quarters. We must not be mistaken to mean that local races are to be discouraged — far from it, No grand general meeting can be a success unless fed by the smaller trial grounds afc the different settlements. Persons do not caie to risk the heavy entrance money demanded where large stakes are given, until they have proved that their horse can, at all events, go well enough to give them a good run for their money, and for this purpose small meetings are invaluable. But what we mean to urge, is that no local knot of sportsmen should elevate their local meeting to fche dignity of a " Jockey Club " meeting, and that Waikato is not wide enough for two separate and distinct organizations of this desciiption. Let us by all means have Te Awamutu and Cambridge and Whatawhata and Ngaruawahia and Hamilton races, but do not let us have a Jockey Club at each of these places with permanent belongings and surroundings. This cannot fail to ultimately prejudice Waikato racing to an eoocmous degree. Union and consolidation are the policy, genius, and and the strength of the age. Do not let Waikato, of all places, be behind their generation.