Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1169, 23 December 1879, Page 2

Correspondence.

(Our correspondence columns are impar~ tidily open, to all, but we do not in any toa/l identify ourselves loith opinions Expressed therein). V^ Sib,—Adverting to Mr K. Hill's letter in to-day's issue of Waikato Times stating the reasons for the alteration of the time of holding the "Waikato Turf Club's Summer Meeting and the consequent action of the Cambridge Jockey Club, allow me to state that when I called on Mr Hill and asked him if the Cambridge Jockey CJub held its meeting on the 7th of January instead of the 15th would, the Waikato Turf Club still adhere to its advertised date, I did so on my own responsibility to enable me to answer the question if it should crop up <at the committee meeting of the Cambridge Club which was held on Saturday last, the 13th inst. to consider the desirability of altering the date of the Cambridge Meeting, the .newspaper reports of which Mr Hill states might lead the public astray. He has himself solely to blame if this is the case, for about the time the Cambridge Jockey Club was formed, Mr Hill met Captain Walmsley in the Auckland train and then stated his great antipathy to the Cambridge Club and threatened that whenever the Cambridge Jockey Club issued a programme, the Waikato Turf Club would have one out and hold a meeting before it and give more money to be run for. He certainly has carried out his assertion to hold a meeting before Cambridge, but as to the stakes I do not see that he has when it is taken into consideration. Cambridge Meeting is only one day and Ohaupo two. After this threat, the Cambridge Jockey Club very naturally came to the conclusion the alteration was made to injure it, hence the motion proposed by Mr John A. Douglas and seconded by Mr H. W. Tinne and carried 'unanimously at the committee meeting previously referred to, and which has been so fully reported in the Auckland and Waikato papers. I have spoken to several members of the Waikato Turf Club on this subject, and they all say that no alteration from the customary time of holding the meeting should have been made without a general meeting of the Club being held to approve of such alteration. —I am, &c., Robert Kibkwood. Cambridge, 18th December, 1879. P.S. —When you insert the above reply to Mr K. Hill, will you be so good at the same time, also, to give the enclosed copy of letter, written by Captain Walmsley, in January last, to the Secretary of Waikato Turf Qlub, and which will explain the nature of the conversation referred to between Captain Walmsley and Mr Hill.—lLK. | The following is the letter of Captain Walmsley referred to : ;'• Broad Meadows, January 9fch, 1879. The Honary Secretary Waikato Trf Club. Dear Sir, —When returning from Auckland races on Thursday last, 2nd January, you mentioned to ms that it was the intention of the Waikato Turf Club to oppose to the "hilfc of the knife" any endeavor made by the Cambridge Jockey Club to get up a race meeting, and that it had been determined by your committee to advertise and hold races on the Ohaupo course upon the same and every day that races were run at Cambridge, and that the added money promised by the Cambridge Club, would be doubled by the Waikato Turf Club to races run at Ohaupo; moreover, that you had spoken to most of the leading men iu Auckland, Piako,Te \wamutu,and that they one and all promised you support in carrying out your determination. As you hold the honorary office of secretary to the Waikato Turf Club, and this conversation took place in the presence of twenty or more people, I conclude that your remarks wore strictly in accordance with the intentions of yotir committee. I cannot but express my sincere regret that your < lub should have come to such a determination, as the desire of the Cambridgo Jockey Club, has. been to work harmoniously with the. metropolitan Chib (W.T.C.). As I pro*' pose calling a general meeting of our Club at an early date to discuss this question, I snould take it as a favor if you would communicate with mo as soon as possible the cause of such determined hostility on the part of your Club, for it must be remembered, that the members of the C. J.C. are, with very few exceptions, also mombers of your Club, and are one and all desirous of seeing Waikato lace, meetings a perfect success. Hoping that some satisfactory arrangement may be arrived at, to dispel the present unpleasant prospects, Believe me faithfully yours, (Sd.) James Waxmslky.