THE NGARUAWAHIA RACECOURSE.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1413, 23 July 1881, Page 3

THE NGARUAWAHIA RACECOURSE.

TO THE*EDITOB. Sir,— Some short time ago your Ngaruawahia correspondent drew public attention to the racecourse.reserve in that locality, and referred to inadaptability for tbeholding of a United Waikato .Race Meeting. At ffrst sight perhaps the suggestion would appear to have • been dictated by selfish motives, and aa nearly all movements of the kind iri Waikato might without injustice, be said to spring from a similar source, nobody can be blamed for thinking thus of the present proposal. What I purpose doing is to show that your correspondent, whatever object waa more, immediately in view, has put forward a suggestion which deserves attention on other grounds. What I am going to adduce shall bo stated as briefly as possible, my aim being merely to open up a question upon which much diversity of opinion will of necessity exist. At present the Waikato sporting class is divided into two sections, one holding its meetinga at Cambridge, and the other midway between Hamilton and Ohaupo, each course having been neleoted after mature consideration ai being the best obtainable. In respect of all that goes to make up good racing, per se, I have no doubt that both are well adapted for the purpose, but they are both deficient in the means of accens to a very serious extent. Take the Cambridge course : It is three miles from the town of Cambridge, twelve from Hamilton, twenty-four from Ngaruawahia, and twenty from Te Awamufcu and Alexandra. The only means of communication is by road, long 1 distances having to be traversed either in vehicles or on horseback. The Hamilton-Ohaupo course is almost as badly off, being three miles from the nearest railway station by an execrably bad road. On the other hand, what is the position of the Ngaruawahia course.? Situate about a mile and a-half from the township, it has on one side the Waikato river, and on the other the great southroad, the Waipa river, and last the railway, thus affording better means of access than are obtainable in any other country district in the colony. The course itself is perfect, and I am informed that the Ngaruawahia Domain Board, in which body it is vested, are willing to lay off the course, erect the necessary fencing, and hand it over to a " Wiakato Turf Club" free of all charge. There are many contingent advantages to be obtained, but for the present I will leave the subject to be taken up by those who take deeper interest in turf matters than myself. — I am, &c. United Waikato.