CAMBRIDGE JOCKEY CLUB SPECIAL MEETING.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1513, 16 March 1882, Page 3

CAMBRIDGE JOCKEY CLUB SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the above club was held in Mr Kirkwoods new premises, Duke-street, Cambridge, at 3 o'clock on Tuesday evening last. There were present : Messrs E. Maclean, president (in the chair), R. H. D. Fergusson, Forrest, Raynes, Jno. Douglas, Rose, Kirkwood, Moore, .Taggs, Alhvill, Carter, and Dr. Waddington. The secretary, Mr Scott, explained the situation of the club, which was of a very unsatisfactory nature. So much so, indeed, that Mr Fantham had on the morning preceding the last race meeting threatened to close the gates if the club did not come to some definite and satisfactory terms about the purchase of the course. Through prompt action in dealing with the matter a few of the members of the club obviated this undesirable circumstance by arranging the matter to Mr Fanthams satisfaction. The business of the meeting then sitting was to settle permanently the dispute between Mr Fantham and the club, otheiwise it was impossible for them to proceed as at present, and they nil knew it was useless to hold meetings in the present condition of the club. Mr Raynes said he had heard that Messis R. Kirkwood and R. H. D. Fergusson had bought the property of Mr Fantham previous to his departure for the south. Mr Fergusson wanted to know what authority Mr Raynes had for his information. Mr Maclean thought that Mr Fantham was desiious of bieaking his lease with the club if he could find it at all possible. That, however, he could not do. Mr Fonest maintained that the club's lease with Mr Fantham was for 14 years, and ciA far as he could learn, was valid. Any how, if otherwise, it should be immediately tested, so that they might have nioic confidence in their position. Dr. Waddington, speaking with regard to the relative positions of the club and the owners of the grand stand, said the club were perfectly willing to pay rent as usual for the stand. The scheme determined on by the club at a special meeting some time ago, when the matter of dealing with Mr Fantham was considcrcd, was, that the club should buy the 123 acres of land for £20 an acre, one-fourth of the purchase money to be paid and lodged to the credit of the mortgagee at the bank. Mr Raynes would like Mr Forrest not to lay all the blame on Mr Fanthams shouldeis, as one or two of the stewards had gone to Mr Fantham and expressed the club's intention of breaking faith with that gentleman. Mr Feigusson did not think Mr Fantham was told so authoiitively fiom the club. Mr Maclean said he was present Avhen the rent was offered to Mr Fantham, and he was very indignant indeed at the offer of the rental. Consequently, that could not be the cause of his wishing to deviate from the terms of the lease. It had been found out that the mortgagee thought the lease invalid. Mr Fergusson would like to ask one of the stewards who were deputed at a previous meeting to deal with Mr Fantham about the purchase of the course, what the result of that meeting was. The resolution of the meeting empowering these gentlemen to deal with Mr Fantham he would also like to hear. Mr Scott explained that they were deputed by a previous meeting of the club. The following was the resolution :—Proposed by Mr Raynes and seconded by Mr Asher, ' ' That Messers Isaacs and Moore be deputed to ascertain from Mr Fantham what his terms are for the purchase of the race and steeplechase course paddocks, and to have an oiler from that gentleman in writing, to be submitted at the adjourned meeting, at 8 p.m. to-mouow (Wednesday) evening, at the Masonic Hotel." Mr Fergusson asked if the resolution had been complied with, ami if a bargain with Mr Fantham w r as made. Mr Scott said he knew nothing more about it. Mr Moore said that in company with Mr Isaacs he had waited upon Mr Fantham, and obtained an offer of the ground at €20 an acre. This was the subject of the agreement. Dr Waddington said he had been requested to see that the bargain with Mr Fantham was carried out. He went to the offices of Messis Whitaker and Sheehan, and drew out the heading of the agreement himself, and it was then to be put in legal form, and to be signed by Mr Fantham. It appeared that at about the same time some person had another document drawn out by some other lawyer. This latter document he believed had been signed. The proper document, therefore, had never been signed, to the knowledge of the committee, and the second document had been drawn out and signed, and no one excepting the parties themselves knew anything about it. Mr Fergusson wanted to know what had become of it. The resolution deputing Dr. Waddington to see the bargain carried out did not appear on the minutes. Mr Raynes said that Mr Fantham himself had told him about Messrs Fergusson and Kirkwood going to him prior to his departure for the South, re the purchase of the property. Mr Fergusson thought he could throw a little light on the matter. On Saturday, the 21st October, two gentlemen came to his house with the document, a proposal from Mr Fantham to be signed by the club, or some persons deputed by the club, he was not aware at the time who. He looked at the document, and certainly considered it was not sufficient to meet the case, as the mortgagee's name was not mentioned. He was then asked by the two gentlemen who brought the

document if he would go with Mr Kirkwood to Mr Fanthams house and see him on the matter. He consented, and went in company with Mr Kirkwoocl to nee Mr Fantham at his house, and there he believed they said that a meeting had decided that the course was to be purchased at £20 an acre, that they were willing to purchase it at that price, the terms to be arranged by their respective lawyers. Mr Fantham then decidedly tola them he would have nothing to do with the document written by Messrs Whitaker and Sheehan. Dr. Waddiugton : That was a surreptitious one and not the proper one. Mr Fergusson : I cannot tell you who drew it out. Messrs Scott and Kirk wood brought it out to me, and I am perfectly certain the mortgagee's name was not mentioned in it. Dr. Waddington : That document was written without any authority whatever. Mr Raynes wanted to know if any document at all was signed by Mr Fantham. Mr Raynes said he had heard that Mr ■ Fergusson had written a letter to Mr Fantham, cautioning him that Mr Kirkwood had purchased on behalf of the promoters. Mr Fergusson thought the best thing for them all to do now, was to find out what had been done. Dr. Waddington said the whole affair rested with the owners of the grand stand and the owners of the lease. The club, he was well aware, was perfectly prepared to try and buy the ground and the stand as well, and unless something like this was clone, the club would never possibly be united. Mr Raynes thought that a considerable portion of the bother arose through an interview between himself and Mr Kirkwood. Mr Kirkwoocl felt annoyed when he heard that he (Mr Raynes) with others had purchased the ground and had come to him and said, "I suppose it is your idea to rob the owners of the grand stand by buying the ground," and he answered him that it was. He could, liowover, assure Mr Kirkwood that it was not the idea of the five gentlemen who bought the ground to rob the owners of the stand. Mr Scott, who was one of the gentlemen, had said that rather than let himself be a party to such an action, he would forfeit his entire interest in the ground. It had only been Mr Kirkwoocl that had raised the cry. Mr Maclean could not see why they should not all pull together and have good races. Mr Raynes thoughtthatif thelease held good, the best tiling they could do was to put the whole thing up by auction, and let the promo teis buy out. If there was nothing done all that remained for them to do was, to go on paying the owners of the giand stand for the use of the property. Mr Allwill thought that now as the thing had gone so far, £20 an acre was too much for the land. Land had lately gone down considerably in value. Dr Waddington maintained that Mr Fantham had not the power to sell the land as there had been no deed of re-con-veyance registered to him, and before it was possible for Mr Fantham to sell, the land, nm&t be le-conveyed to him, and he was sure that there was no deed of that kind registered yet. Mr Forrest said that the secretary, Mr Scott, wab expecting daily to be served with a wi it, and he wondered what for. He had heard that there was a clause in the lease of the property which stated that the public should have ingiess and egress to and from the racecourse without any chaige of any description. He believed that it was in accordance with this clause that the writ against Mr Scott was going to be issued. The secretary was to be sued for the whole of the money that had been received by way of entrance money at the gates. He had heard that this was the line of action about to be taken by the other side. Mr Fergusson thought that the clause referred to by Mr Forrest was that they, the people who leased the ground and whose names were affixed to the lease, should have free ingress and egress to and from the cousre, and not the club or the general public. Mr Maclean thought they should be able to make better arrangements among themselves than at present existed. The ownersjof the stand had an agreement with a number of other gentlemen representing the general interest of the club to pay the interest, and he believed if the stand went in with the land, the 'owners would not want interest for their money. He for one would give his share of the intciest to the club if the other gentlemen would do likewise. The owners of the, stand were ready to lose £50 each, and that was to go as their share of the purchase money. This, he thought, was a very reasonable way to pay it. He thought the land, together with grand stand and all, should be bought for £20 an acre. Their position now Wcis that they held the racecourse under lease from Mr Fantham. Mr Fergusson suggested that a compromise should be made with Mr Fantham, and that some person be employed to treat with him. In replying to a question as to the validity of the lease, Mr Fergusson said it was perfectly so, two legal firms in Auckland having declared it valid. Mr Fantham could not get behind his own signature in any way, and they had no one to deal with but that gentleman. He thought if they could compromise with Mr ]?antliam in some way it would. be very desirable, as it was not fair for them to u&e and lock up such a valuable piece of property for one shilling. Mr Maclean recommended that the club should purchase the land at a fair price. Mr Fantham would have to sell subject to the lease, and they should try and effect a compromise with him through a lawyer. He could write to Mr Fantham and tell him what the club was prepared to do, and ask him what he would suggest. It was ultimately agreed on the motion of Mr Raynes that the meeting should stand adjourned for some time over a month, to see what could be done in the interim. The meeting before breaking up bound itself, that, in case any proceedings should be taken against the secretary, they should relieve him from all responsibility. The meeting then dispersed.

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