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C S THOMAS

E C Powell writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 29May57

What manner of man is the president-elect of the NZ Trotting Conference, Mr Charles Stewart Thomas, retired barrister and solicitor of the headquarters of trotting, Christchurch? Is he sagacious? Is he juridical? Is he energetic? Does he know trotting? Has he contributed more than most men to the sport of trotting? Is he a hail-fellow-well-met? Has he the manner to foregather with the high and the lowly? Has he courage to face and deal with any issue? Has he ideas for the future conduct of trotting? Has he business capacity? Has he earned respect among his fellows?

To each and every question relating to C S Thomas, the answer can be faithfully and sincerely given in the affirmative.

The sport may consider itself fortunate that now that he has retired after 41 years of tremendous pressure in his legal capacity and on the rewards he fully earned, Charles Thomas has, after 18 months of retirement, accepted nomination for the presidency of the Conference. That he has not been opposed by a nomination from any club in the country is a ready-made and unsolicited testimonial to him.

If any person should know Mr Thomas, I should. It was a small boy, 9in shorter than I am now, and in short pants, that I became his message boy well nigh 40 years ago. What manner of man is he? After one week in his office, he called me in and said: "Powell, you appear to be an honest boy. Here are the keys. Open up the office, the strongroom and all the boxes in the morning." And when I went to a newspaper office, of which he was a director, to make a hestitating step into journalism, he gave me a recommendation when E C Huie, managing-editor of 'The Sun' telephoned him. We have been friends ever since.

"Now I'll be able to give my time to my outside interests, which I have wanted to do for so many years," he told me when he walked out of the office of one of the most prosperous legal businesses in NZ at Chrismas 1955. He had built up the business by sheer grinding work, plus uncommon ability. He was not only a great advocate - perhaps in his early days, second only to Alfred Charles Hanlon, KC of Dunedin - but a highly skilled practitioner in ever branch of law. As his practice grew, so did he grow. In both criminal and civil law cases, he was notably successful. Always a fighter, he advised his clients on many occasions to go to appeal. And he lost only two cases he took to the Court of Appeal - an institution where judges themselves argue with the brothers as well as with counsel to get views and law to solve the knottiest of legal problems. But before to much - and it be well said critically too little, because of space - is said about the career of Mr Thomas at the bar and in his office in Hereford Street - let us examine his record as a man, a sportsman.

What has he done for trotting?

Without doubt, the greatest thing he has done for trotting, also racing, and the general sporting public of NZ was to devise the TAB scheme now operating so successfully. When the Royal Commission on Gaming and Racing toured the country, he accompanied it as counsel for the Trotting Conference. The bookmakers - pardon, the Sportsmen's Association - made a strong case foe their licensing. He had the answer. He had prepared the off-course betting system now known as the TAB, and which has greatly benefitted the clubs and the sports of trotting and racing and has given considerable satisfaction to the public.

The Commission accepted the scheme. It operates today almost in the form in which it was planned by Mr Thomas. It is not a perfect scheme yet. The time lags between investments and races is far too long. 'This and the next' has not been introduced. Doubles on races on different days, such as the NZ Cup and the Trotting Cup, are not provided. The punter with funds from a winning bet cannot operate on those funds on a Saturday.

If one immediate good result will arise from his election to the presidency of the Trotting Conference, it is that he will be chairman of the Board of the TAB every alternate year by virtue of his office. And being a sporting man, I will now lay anybody the price of one flagon of beer that Mr Thomas, as a member of the TAB Board and every second year as chairman, will work with a will to expand the scheme, to the satisfaction of both clubs and sportsmen. His ideas did not run out when he propounded a workable off-course betting scheme.

And as its president for seven years the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club made notable advances when he was in office. Everything he did aimed to popularise trotting. Addington had its hey-days when he was president. Although a Scot, he has none of the nationalistic cautiousness. He believes that a day at the trots should be a gala event, with flags flying everywhere, bands playing, pipers blowing hard, the crowd having enjoyment and the best-class of horses racing.

He has raced two pacers, Scholarship and Oxford Scholar. His partner was Mr Allan Matson, a former president of the Conference, and they were a happy pair, whether Scholarship won or petered out after clearing to the front with a round to go. But it was not as an owner but as an administrator that Mr Thomas contributed so much to trotting. As in his profession of law, he had boundless energy. He also had the natural gift to grasp facts, to weigh them as a judge would, to give wise judgement, fair and honest. Although his bag was loaded with briefs for the defence of accused men or for claims amonting to thousands, he would be at Addington during the week any time he was called on to give his opinion or decision. He was a distinguished president of the Metropolitan club.

As a lawyer, he has appeared in many cases as counsel for the Trotting Conference (and the former Association) and his judicial capacity has been recognised by the Racing Conference appointing him as an appeal judge. Learned in the law, he is also learned in the ways of men. A case which created Dominion-wide interest in which he appeared was that in the Supreme Court at Dunedin to determine the ownership of that good galloper, Queen of Song, who won the Wellington Cup, and the Riverton Cup and the Great Autumn Handicap within four days, and races in Australia.

So when the Conference faces the revision of the rules it will be fortunate in having him as its president. And when it comes to the carrying out of those rules, or interpretation of the existing rules, he will doubtless bring to bear his profound knowledge, his anxiety for the protection of the accused and for the complete presentation of the case for and against, and, last and above all, that justice be done to all. To his high office, he will also bring his business acumen. He has also the distinction of being the only lawyer in NZ to be retained as sole counsel for insurance companies in any one centre to handle all cases for the 'insurance pool' which grew into a business of magnitude. Many compliments were paid by counsel for claimants on his conduct when cases reached the courts or were settled by negotiation. He was a director of several companies and when he was in law, running his own office was itself no small undertaking.

His sporting activities have not been confined to trotting. He was a notable athlete in his younger days. He was for two years senior athletic champion of Christ's College, was in the college first fifteen in rugby and in the eights for shooting and gymnastics. He was a Canterbury champion for all distances from 100 yards to one mile and just before the outbreak of World War I he represented NZ at the British and Scottish athletic championships. For years he was a boxing judge and also a member of the Canterbury Swimming Centre. He was official starter at athletic meetings for many years.

Probably without comparison in NZ for the holding of an office is his presidency of the Canterbury Caledonian Society. He has been president for 42 years and his driving force was responsible for the building many years ago now, of the Caledonian Hall in Kilmore Street. He founded, and is still patron of, the NZ Pipe Bands' and Pipers' and Dancers' Associations. He introduced the pipes to Addington, and a meeting without the skirling would sound strangely quiet and commercial.

Already established as a pleader, Mr Thomas was counsel for Whitta, a Christchurch tobacconist, who about 1919 or 1920, was charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker. The case had national interest, because a number of men who had wagered with Whitta, and they included a bank clerk and others in all walks of life, were also placed on trial. The senior counsel was the late Mr Saul Soloman, KC of Dunedin. Whitta was found guilty and imprisoned and spent his last days in Sydney. The Whitta case appears for all time in the law journalsas the law on bookmaking.

The Whitta case went to trial some years after Mr Thomas had taken his first case in the Supreme Court. His client was an Australian pickpocket, named Walker - pickpockets and confidence men were frequently before the Courts in those days - who arrived in NZ with a few shillings in his pocket and had £4000 in the bank on the day at the Riccarton races, when a punter, feeling a hand in his hip pocket, seized the intruding wrist. The wrist was Walker's. The fee for the defence was agreed on and Walker sportingly offered to double it if Mr Thomas secured his acquittal. The jury had no hesitation in finding Walker guilty, but the pickpocket was so happy with the case put up for him - "You are better than I thought you would be," he told his counsel - that he paid the double fee before he went to Lyttelton gaol.

Of the numerous persons on murder charges for whom Mr Thomas appeared, only one was convicted on the major charge. And then Mr Thomas, by assiduous work, saved him from the gallows. He was Matthews, who shot a constable at Timaru. Because of Matthews's well-known connections in Invercargill, Matthews's total disregard for human life and the insanity plea advanced by Mr Thomas, the trial created tremendous interest throughout NZ. It goes down in crime annals, Mr Thomas was convinced that Matthews was insane. When Matthews was found guilty, his counsel immediately appealed to the Executive Council, which decides whether the death penalty shall be carried out, a commission was set up and the finding was that Matthews was insane. Matthews was mad. He twice escaped from Seacliffe Mental Hospital and even 35 years ago his mental condition had deteriorated gravely. I believe he is still in the hospital, guarded 24 hours of the day.

Then there was the famous case of a murder charge against a man named Boakes, a taxi-driver of Christchurch, the alleged victim being a girl. She was found dead at Burwood. Mr Thomas secured his acquittal. He was also successful some years later in his defence of a man named Mayo, charged with murdering a man with poisoned chocolates. Perhaps the greatest criminal case in which he appeared was that of a charge of murder against a man named Mouatt. The allegation was that Mouatt had dismembered his wife at their St Martins home and destroyed the bones in the grate. Mouatt was found guilty of manslaughter and sentanced to a long term of imprisonment. On his release, he called at Mr Thomas's office to collect several wooden statues which he had left with his lawyer but did not call on his counsel. Mr Thomas has not seen Mr Mouatt or heard of him to this day. Mr Thomas maintains that the bones produced at the trial were not those of Mrs Mouatt and that Mouatt could not have destroyed the bones in a grate.

All these cases entailed laborious research and days of study. Mr Thomas has given to all his other activities the same diligence and thoroughness. After nearly 60 days of evidence, he worked day and night preparing his case for the insurance companies in the celebrated Ballantyne fire inquiry - 41 perished - of nine years ago. It took him three days to present his submissions. His work was a feature of the inquiry. He worried about the fee he should charge. He had no need to. He had earned every penny.

This is the man, who in August, will become the head of the trotting sport in NZ. To clubs, officials, trainers, drivers, owners and the public, I must say, in the words of Tommy Trinder, "You lucky people."

-o0o-

Harness Racing lost a figurehead with the death in Christchurch last week of Mr Charles Stewart Thomas. One of the great administrators of his time, Mr Thomas was 99. He was a notable criminal lawyer, an excellent athlete who represented NZ, and a devoted supporter of harness racing.

He was elected to the committee of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Cup in 1938, and became vice-president from 1940 to 1945. He was president of the club from 1945 to 1952. From 1952 to 1970, Mr Thomas served as treasurer of the club. In 1957, as president of the NZ Trotting Conference, he proposed a plan for off-course betting before the Royal Commission on Gambling and Racing. This was later adopted by the Commission as the concept for today's Totalisator Agency Board.

One of those who knew Mr Thomas well was Mr Des Parker, Secretary of the Metropolitan club from 1951 to 1979. "He contributed a lot to trotting; he was deeply involved," said Mr Parker. "He was a fine man. You just couldn't fault him. He was a very strong member of the team for a long time," he said. Mr Thomas was elected a life member of the Metropolitan club in 1952 on his retirement from presidency. He was the 32nd life member of the club; the first being Mr H Mace in 1901.

As an owner, Mr Thomas raced the good pacer Scholarship in partnership with Mr Allan Matson. A son of Grattan Loyal and Oxford Queen, Scholarship won seven races in the late 1940's, firstly from Dick Humphrey's stables, then while trained by E Rinaldi and W J Coates and driven by Wes Butt. His last win was in the Hornby Handicap on Show Day at Addington in 1948 when he defeated Lady Averil and Commander Scott. Highland Fling, Chamfer, Captain Sandy and Gay Piper were other winners that day.

-o0o-

Under the heading of “Athletics” in the NZ REFEREE of 19th August 1914 it was reported that

“C S Thomas, the Dominion half-mile champion, ran third in his heat in the A A A Championships at Stamford Bridge when, by breaking the standard time, he won a bronze medal.”

NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

Credit: HRWeekly 13Apr88

John Rowley, a highly respected administrator for some 32 years, passed away last week at the age of 83.

After initially being employed at the then NZ Trotting Conference as the Accountant, Rowley was appointed Secretary in 1960 and later the Chief Executive Officer before retiring in 1985. During his tenure he was instrumental in bringing many changes to the NZ racing industry. In the early 60s he was part of a group that formed the TAB as we know it today, while identification of horses by way of freeze branding, artificial insemination, judicial procedures, public relations and computerisation were other innovations he oversaw.

Rowley represented NZ at World Trotting Conference and is the only person to have held the office of Secretary General twice, continuing in this role after his retirement. During his 32 years, Rowley made many great friends, including Gordon Blaxall who was the Conference Treasurer. Many a problem was solved by the two of them over a gin or two in the boardroom at the end of the day.

He commenced his career as an office boy with the Christchurch importing and wholesale firm of Fairbairn Wright during WWII. After the war he joined the Registrar's Office of the Canterbury University, from where he went to a small firm making ties and later managed the factory. He then joined the Canterbury Manufacturers Association where he managed an 'Industries Fair' and from where he learned of a vacancy in 'trotting'. After seven years of club administration, Rowley was offered the job of the Trotting Conference Accountant.

In honour of his retirement, a testimonial dinner was held and attended by racing dignitaries from all three racing codes and members of parliament. Retirement wasn't to last long however. A new organisation was set up in the early 1980s to administer age group racing, and Rowley had been instrumental in the approval of Sires' Stakes racing. In August 1988, he was asked to join the NZ Sires' Stakes Board and in 1993 he was elected Chairman, a position he held till he resigned in 1997.

-o0o-

NZ Trotting Calendar 13Aug85

Thirty-two years of harness racing administration came to an end when John Rowley retired as Chief Executive Officer of the NZ Trotting Conference on July 31.

Fittingly, leading racing administrators - harness, thoroughbred and greyhound - joined with distinguished guests in farewelling John at a Testimonial Dinner in Christchurch on the very evening of his retirement. It was during that "Farewell Speech" at that dinner, and at a later interview, that John Rowley revealed some of his thoughts on the Industry - "I must call it that now" - which he has served so diligently.

John Rowley did not come into harness racing administration dedicated to the cause at an early age - it was a circuitous route which saw him occupy the most powerful chair in professional administration in NZ trotting. He commenced his career as an office boy with the Christchurch importing and wholesale firm of Fairbairn Wright during the Second World War, leaving briefly to complete three months basic army training. Though he returned to Fairbairn Wright after basic training, he did not last long there, volunteering for the Royal NZ Navy and going off to fight the war as an Ordinary Seaman. John did most of his sea training aboard the British cruiser HMS Dauntless, which was based in Scotland, but he was not to remain an Ordinary Seaman for long. He ended his 18 months' service as a Sub-Lieutenant aboard the minesweeper, or Bird class Corvette as they were known, HMNZS Tui, based in Auckland.

Returning to Fairbairn Wrights after the war, John filled the post of costing clerk. But greener pastures beckoned and he joined the Registrars Office of the Canterbury University. A "change of hierarchy" saw John leaving the University and going to work for a young firm called Corinthian Ties "Where I learned to make ties and manage a factory". Unfortunately, the factory fell on hard times - "There was a depression at the time" - and John joined the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, where he managed an Industries Fair.

It was through meeting some members of the Manufacturers' Association who were involved in trotting - "In particular Ces Peate" - that he heard of the vacancy which became available in trotting administration with the death of Harold Goggin - who was then secretary of the three Christchurch trotting clubs. "I applied for the job and got it, and I've been in trotting ever since," John said.

John was understudy to Des Parker, who was promoted to take the late Harold Goggin's job, and stayed for seven years. The break with club administration came after seven years when he was seconded to run a three night meeting at Hutt Park when the Wellington Trortting Club was suddenly left without a secretary. "I went in there cold, right from scratch and had to run a three night meeting. At the end of that meeting, I was offered the job as secretary of the Wellington Trotting Club. At the same time, the job of Conference accountant became vacant and as my wife Shirley had no desire to go to Wellington, I applied for the job with the Conference and got it. "So I moved upstairs," John said, referring to the fact that in those days, the Conference and the three Christchurch trotting clubs shared the same office building in Oxford Terrace.

Rather unusually, John was born, raised, educated (Christchurch West High School and Christ's College) and completed his entire working life in Christchurch. He married soon after the war and fathered three children, two girls, Belinda and Melanie who both followed nursing careers, and a son, Simon, who now manages Dalgety Crown in Rakaia.

John was with the Conference just over twelve months before the then secretary, W H (Bill) Larcombe, retired, and John was appointed to his position in 1961. Encumbent president then was Charles Thomas, a leading Christchurch criminal lawyer, a former prsident of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club and a prominent figure in the Scottish Society. Stories of Charlie Thomas abound in trotting - "Many of them true" - according to John. "He was a man dedicated to the job. There wasn't a day when he didn't come into the office." Charles Thomas was the first of seven presidents John was to serve under, Bill Roche succeeded him, then being followed by Dick Rolfe, Arthur Nicoll, George Cruickshank, Sir James Barnes and the present encumbent, Dewar Robertshaw.

Twenty four years as the top professional administrator in the country sees a lot of change, and John Rowley has played a major part in that change. "I would have to say the major changes have been in the area of horse identification - freeze branding - the creation of the International Trotting Association, artificial insemination, the changes in judicial procedures, and the vital area of public relations," John said. "You know, people seem loath to give gredit where it is due, but we actually led the world in the introduction of freeze branding and only now are the Racing Conference looking at doing it."

"The International Conferences are considered in some quarters to be just jaunts, but people don't realise that is was because of the creation of the International Trotting Association, and the contacts and personal trust built up by these meetings, that we got the NZ standardbred accepted overseas. You know, we had a terrific battle with the Americans to get our mares accepted into their Stud Book as standardbreds. What that would have meant, of course, if we had not been successful, is that the progeny of mares like Robin Dundee would not have been recognised as standardbred by the Americans, and she of course left world record holder Genghis Khan. I also like to think NZ can contribute to these International Conferences. It has been said we get very little out of them, but I prefer to think that we are not only looking to get something out - which we do - but we can put something back as well," he said.

John may have finished as CEO of the NZ Trotting Conference, but he is still busy as Secretary General of the International Trotting Association which holds it's next biennial conference in Brisbane in October, which will coincide with the World Driver's Championship. NZ Trotting Conference president Dewar Robertshaw will succeed USTA president Joe McLoone as chairman of the ITA in Brisbane. John admits the current system of having a floating secretariat for the ITA is not the ideal one, and feels a permanent secretariat based in one country would achieve a great deal more. "Let's face it, everone at the Conference is busy when they return home, and there is the danger that the follow up, which is so important, gets put to one side. With a permanent secretary that would not happen, and the International Trotting Association could be of so much more value to everyone."

Concern for human rights and natural justice have led to changes in the judicial system in recent years, particularly in cases involving investigations by the racecourse inspectors. "One of the biggest changes relates to the work done by the racecourse inspectors, which used to be, in the old days, referred to the full executive with recommendations. In due course, the executive would adjudicate on the case. Today, the only person to see the reports is the CEO of the Conderence, and it is he, normally after taking legal advice, who decides whether or not charges will be preferred. All the executive now know about the situation is that they have to set up a panel to hear the charges, and they don't know anything about the matter until they sit down to hear the case. That is natural justice, and, in my view, is the correct procedure," John said.

Hand in hand with judicial control, in John's view, goes the integrity of harness racing. "Over the past three decades, we have become a force to be reckoned with, and during that time what we have tried to show is the integrity of harness racing. "I'm a firm believer that you can spend all the money in the world in advertising and promotion, and provide the best facilities in the world, but if your patrons, particularly the new ones, have any suspicion of dishonesty, then you have lost them for ever."

Closer co-operation between the Racing and Trotting Conferences and Greyhound administrators is a pleasing development, but John reports it was not always the case. "In the good old days, a small sub-committee of the Trotting Conference would appear before the Racing Conference executive in what used to be called a Combined Committee Meeting, where the odds were about 14 to 4. We would be summoned into the room like small boys going before the headmaster and we would be asked what our problems were. These would be discussed, we would be given a drink, then sent on our way after about an hour. Today of course we have got equal representation at Combined Conference level, where we discuss all matters pertaining to racing, and together make representations to the Racing Authority, the Minister and I think the system works very well. I think it is indicative of the progress we have made and the mark we have made in the industry. There is no doubt we have all had our problems, many of the inter-code, and will continue to do so. However, I believe we should all genuinely acknowledge that we are all members one of another, and whoever deliberately attempts, for whatever reason, to sabotage the efforts or reputation of it's co-partners in reality damages his own code, and weakens, if you like, the strength of the whole chain of racing's continued progress. I would also add that the same applies within harness racing. Destructive criticism of sabotage within the industry only harms us all."

Credit: HRWeekly 19Sep07

ERNEST ALBERT LEE

Mr Ernest Albert Lee, a retired magistrate and one of two men who played a major part in getting the Totalisator Agency Board established in New Zealand, died in Christchurch last week at the age of 84.

Mr Lee acted as junior counsel to Mr Charles Thomas during the 1948 Royal Commission into horse racing, and it was these two who put forward proposals to introduce TAB betting in this country.

A former chairman and life member of the New Brighton Trotting Club, Mr Lee acted in an advisory capacity to the NZ Trotting Conference on his retirement as a magistrate, and few rule changes were framed without him giving his advice.

Appointed a senior magistrate in Christchurch in 1962 and a senior magistrate of NZ in 1967, the year he retired, Mr Lee was admitted as a solicitor in 1927 and a barrister in 1932. Born in Seafield, Mid-Canterbury, he practised with the Christchurch firm of Cifford Jones and Lee for 21 years until appointed a magistrate in 1948, serving in Timaru until 1958 when he was transferred to Christchurch. He was president of the Canterbury District Law Society in the 1940s, chaired the War Pensions Commission, and took a keen interest in youth rehabilitation throughout his lifetime.

Tennis and bowls were his other sporting interests, and he represented Canterbury in lower grade tennis and was a Canterbury and South Canterbury bowls representative. As a tennis administrator, he served as chairman of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association Management Committee, as Canterbury selector and as a delegate to the NZ Lawn Tennis Association.

Mr Lee is survived by a daughter and a son.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 11Sep84

Doris Nyhan receives the Cup from Charles Thomas

1966 NZ TROTTING CUP

Lordship loitered with the NZ Cup field in a convivial sort of way for the best part of the last three furlongs. The manner in which he eventually won merely confirmed that he is a world class champion fit to rank with the Cardigan Bay-Bret Hanover-Adios Butler circle. He actually passed the post in little above second gear, certainly with a lot up his sleeve.

"I had to go to the front sooner than I meant to," said D (for Denis) Nyhan after driving Lordship to his second NZ Cup victory. "Lordship began to pull up of his own accord when well clear," continued Nyhan; and this compensated for a middling run in the early stages for the champion.

My own impression of the Cup race, run on a 'sticky wicket' was that Lordship was in a class of his own. He was not required to get into top gear until Tobias loomed up as a momentary danger at the straight entrance and, finally, Robin Dundee got to within two lengths of him only because he was actually easing down in the last 50 metres or so.

Oakhampton, Cuddle Doon and Doctor Barry broke at the start and Tobias was slow to muster speed. This left Full Sovereign to lead out from Waitaki Hanover, Disband, Lochgair, Master Alan and Robin Dundee. Lordship had made a splendid beginning and was already close up. Lochgair was the leader with half a mile covered and he was still there with a round to go, where Cuddle Doon (the pacemaker in the middle stages) had given way, and Oakhampton was lying third. It was at this stage that there was some jostling for positions, and the worst sufferers in the chain reactions that followed were Robin Dundee and Tobias, who finished up in the rear leaving the front straight for the last time. With half a mile to go Disband was half a length in front of the swift-moving Lordship, who went effortlessly to the front in another half-furlong and stayed there. The only time he looked in any sort of danger for the remainder of the race was when Tobias swept round the outer from the three furlongs and almost got on terms with Lordship at the furlong post. However, Tobias blew out almost as soon as he caught Lordship, who obviously won with plenty in reserve by two lengths from Robin Dundee.

Another valiant defeat was the lot of Robin Dundee. She was standing up Lordship fully half a dozen lengths with half a mile to go and battled on very gamely to beat Waitaki Hanover as decisively as she was beaten. Tobias was a creditable fourth, a bare head away, with three lengths to the fifth horse, Disband. Cuddle Doon was two lengths behind Disband, with a gap of four lengths to Master Alan, six lengths to Oakhampton, and then came Full Sovereign, Lochgair and Doctor Barry - last.

The first quarter was run in 35 secs., half-mile 67.8, six furlongs 1:41.8, mile 2:15.2, mile and a quarter 2:49.2, mile and a half3:20, mile and three quarters 3:52, and the full journey (gross) in 4:22.6. Lordship's net time was 4:19, an excellent return under the conditions. Lordship, whose racing career to date has been confined to New Zealand, has now won £48,170 in stakes and trophies. His first NZ Cup, in 1962, was also run on a wet track. Like many an out-and-out champion before him, he can handle all sorts of tracks, dirt or grass, wet or dry, with equal confidence.

Lordship is by Johnny Globe, the 1954 Cup winner. Lordship's dam, Ladyship, a U Scott mare, traces back to the Australian mare Lightnin' who reached good company on NZ tracks and was also ancestress of Emulous, a champion pacer of the 1940's who won the Inter-Dominion Championship at Auckland in 1948. Lordship was bred by his owner, Mrs D G Nyhan, wife of the trainer, D G (for Don) Nyhan, who has now trained three NZ Cup winners - Johnny Globe and Lordship (twice). D D Nyhan has driven Lordship in both his Cup wins.

The presentation of the Gold Cup on Tuesday was made to Mrs Nyhan by Mr C S Thomas, a past-president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and the NZ Trotting Conference, and at present treasurer of the Metropolitan. In his introduction to the Cup presentation, Mr Saunders paid a tribute to Mr Thomas's outstanding work as one of the principal architects of the Totalisator Agency Board.

Robin Dundee ran her third second in the race: she was runner-up to Cardigan Bay in 1963 and to Garry Dillon last year. Her stake-winnings in New Zealand have reached £37,340 and she has also won £10,000 in Australia. Lack of experience and racing in seasoned company could have told against Tobias, who is obviously a talented young pacer and a potential champion. He should show to advantage on dry tracks later at the carnival.

The on-course betting on the Cup, £26,395, was slightly down on last year's figures of £27,358; but the off-course total of £37,958 10s was commensurately up on last year's turnover of £36,842. After showery weather for some days beforehand, and up till a late hour on Cup day, the attandance of 18,250 was well up on expectations. Last year's attendance was 17,483.

The on-course totalisator receipts, £248,932, were a new record for a trotting meeting, and also a South Island record for trotting and racing. Last year's Cup-day total, £230,015, was the previous record. Tuesday's off-course total was £238,706, also a new record for a trotting meeting. The previous record was last year's total of £211,674 15s.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

Mr Allan L Matson

MR A L MATSON

A former president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference, and one of the best-known stock auctioneers in the country, Mr Allan L Matson died in Christchurch last Sunday. He was 54 years of age.

Mr Matson who was a son of Mr Leicester Matson, was born in Christchurch, and was educated at Christ's College from 1916 to 1919, playing for the college first fifteen in his last year. He then joined the stock and station agency firm of H Matson and Company, and from 1930, after the death of his father, conducted the business with his brothers, Messrs Jack T Matson and L W Matson. In March of that year the business was merged with the New Zealand National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., but the identity of the Matson firm was not lost, clients continuing to deal with the firm under the old name, and Mr Matson remained in the business. The firm of H Matson and Company was built on the personality of the founder and his family successors, and Mr Allan Matson carried on the tradition. A cheerful man he had friends in all walks of life.

Probably every farmer in North Canterbury in the last 38 years knew Mr Matson, and he was a familiar figure at Christchurch wool sales for 25 years. He was no less well known on the trotting courses. For 28 years he was connected with trotting, first as an enthusiast and then as the youngest member to be elected to the committee of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club - that was 20 years ago, after being a steward for eight years - and from then on rising to the club's presidency and the presidency of the New Zealand Trotting Conference. He was also an owner, the last horses he raced being Scholarship (in partnership with C S Thomas, now president of the Trotting Conference) and Midday (in partnership with Mr Allan Holmes).

In 1940, Mr Matson became president of the Metropolitan Trotting Club and was appointed the club's delegate to the Trotting Conference. He was club president for six years, and on relinquishing this position he was appointed treasurer, a position he held for seven years. In July, 1947, Mr Matson, who had been treasurer, was elected president of the Trotting Conference in succession to Mr H F Nicoll, who had held office for 25 years. During his eight years as president many innovations were made for which Mr Matson was wholly or in part responsible.

Always a keen student of bloodstock, Mr Matson introduced the national sales of trotting and pacing bred yearlings in 1944, and throughout his association with the sport he was a keen advocate of more races and better stakes for straight-out trotters. He had a remarkable memory for trotting pedigrees, and was also an excellent judge of all classes of livestock. He was a past-president of the Canterbury Owners' and Breeders' Association. Mr Matson's reputation in the sport extended to Australia, for at one time he was president of the Inter-Dominion Trotting Conference and made many trips to Australia.

For the establishment of the Totalisator Agency Board, Mr Matson worked strenuously. He was appointed to the first Board, and sat on it continuously until the time of his death, being alternating chairman while president of the Trotting Conference.

He had many ideas on what he considered necessary for the progress of the sport, and with his drive and ability he succeeded in having them carried out. His work for trotting was recognised in his election to life-membership of the Metropolitan, Canterbury Park, New Brighton and Methven Trotting Clubs. He was also a member of the Canterbury and Midland Clubs.

Men like Mr Matson are hard to come by and his loss to trotting in no small one.

Mr Matson is survived by his wife, a son, Mr Donald Matson, and a daughter, Mrs Martyn Wellwood, of Christchurch.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 20Dec57

Harry Hicoll

H F NICOLL

Mr H F Nicoll, who died in Christchurch on Monday, retired from the presidency of the NZ Trotting Conference in 1947 after holding the office for an uninterrupted period of 25 years. He enjoyed the confidence of his Executive and the clubs and was responsible for many of the reforms that raised the administration of the sport to a high level. Mr Nicoll was in his 90th year.

An Englishman by birth, Mr Nicoll was for five years on the staff of the Bank of England before coming to NZ, where he joined the staff of the Bank of NZ in Christchurch. He was there until the early 80s, when he was promoted to the position of accountant in the Ashburton office. He was afterwards acting-manager for a term, and resigned to commence business as a frozen meat exporter, taking his two brothers Messrs E F and L A Nicoll into partnership, with headquarters in Ashburton.

During World War I Mr Nicoll was chairman of the Ashburton County Efficiency Board and Belgian Relief Fund. He was also chairman of the Ashburton County Wheatgrower's Board, chairman of the United Wheatgrowers' Association, a director of the Wheat Marketing Agency, and a member of the Wheat Committee. He was also a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and chairman of their Finance Committee.

Mr Nicoll's interst and active participation in sport covered a wide range. He played on the wing for the Pilgrim's Association Football Club while employed in England, and was a member of the Bank of England Company of the Civil Service Volunteers. In the early days he was secretary of the Christchurch Regatta Club, and also captained the Canterbury Rowing Club until his departure from Christchurch. He rowed No.3 in the Canterbury Senior Four, which won the Christchurch Regatta in 1887 and 1888, and in Wellington in 1889. This team also won the four-oared championship at Wanganui in 1889. Mr Nicoll rowed No.3 in the first NZ four to visit Australia, which finished second to Victoria, with New South Wales third and Tasmania fourth.

For nearly 50 years Mr Nicoll was president of the Ashburton Trotting Club. He was for many years a member of the NZ Trotting Association, and for a term was vice-president. Mr Nicoll was the originator of the motion to secure more days' racing for trotting, which was taken up by the Massey Government, and passed by the House. He was also instrumental in carrying the rule through the NZ Trotting Conference which made the standing start compulsory in all races, and was mainly responsible for the institution of the present handicapping system, which was one of the greatest progressive moves in the history of the sport. Recently he was primarily responsible for the introduction of the control of trotting meetings by stipendiary stewards. His work in the classic field will always rank as one of his outstanding achievements. The Ashburton Club, which sponsored three of NZ's leading classic races, the NZ Sapling Stakes, NZ Champion Stakes and NZ Futurity Stakes besides the All-Aged Stakes and other feature events, has been an acknowledged leader in this sphere of racing.

Mr Nicoll was president of the Ashburton County Racing Club from 1926 to 1950. Mr Nicoll raced both gallopers and trotters. In later years he confined his attention to the light-harness horse, and from Durbar Lodge came some great pacers and trotters, among them classic winners in Childe Pointer, Latona, Nantwich, Wrackler, Arethusa, Lady Swithin, Manhattan and Ciro. At Durbar Lodge also were bred the champion Indianapolis, winner of three NZ Cups, and another classic winner in Tempest. Mr Nicoll's outstanding successes in a lengthy list were with Durbar in the NZ Cup of 1908 and with Wrackler in the same race in 1930. Mr Nicoll imported Wrack, who was leading sire of NZ for several seasons.

Mr Nicoll raced some fine gallopers, among them Cross Battery, who won many races, including a Great Easter Handicap and Ashburton Cup; Sea King, winner of some 20 races; Ascalaphus, a winner of the Invercargill and Gore Cups; and Idasa, winner of the Geraldine Cup and other races. Mr Nicoll took Cross Battery and Sea King to Australia in 1907. Sea King ran second in a highweight handicap at Randwick, and Cross Battery ran third in the Sydney Cup.

On his completion of 21 years service as president of the Conference, Mr Nicoll was the guest of the trotting clubs of NZ at a complimentary dinner in Christchurch on August 6, 1943. Among the glowing tributes paid to the guest was that of Mr A G Henderson, then editor of the 'Star-Sun' who wrote: "Mr Nicoll has been a wise, tactful and courageous leader. Perhaps during the evening some speaker will recall that amongst the men who laid so securely the foundations of the modern sport, there was one striking group of big men. All standing well over six feet - Prime Canterbury - who showed enterprise, faith and determination and who backed their belief that trotting could and should be as popular a sport as galloping. Canterbury owes it's leadership in trotting in no small measure to these men, Mr Nicoll himself, Mr Jim Williams, Mr Frank Graham, Mr C M Ollivier and Mr J C Clarkson. They and those associated with them, held that good prize money would bring good horses and that a rigid code of conduct and good management of race meetings would win the support of the public. I have watched the progress of the sport with a critical eye since 1896 and know how thoroughly Mr Nicoll has deserved the thanks and praise of all good and true lovers of trotting."

On his retirement in 1947 Mr Nicoll was again honoured by trotting clubs at a dinner in Christchurch. The chairman of the evening, Mr A L Matson, who succeeded Mr Nicoll as president of the Conference, said: "Mr Nicoll is one of the Dominion's outstanding personalities. As a chairman and president he always exhibited that spark of genius. I have often accepted his judgement even though I thought he was wrong; but he never erred. His control of meetings has shown him to be a master. He has a quick brain, and his control has been an inspiration." Mr Matson said 1947 was jubilee year of the Trotting Conference and for half of the time of the Conference's existence Mr Nicoll had been president. There had been five presidents before him. The energy, tact and manner in which he carried out his duties as president were an inspiration to all chairmen throughout the Dominion.

Reference to Mr Nicoll as the "Caesar of trotting in NZ" was made by Mr J B Thompson, president of the old NZ Trotting Association, who said that whenever Mr Nicoll had any ideas that would be of benefit to trotting, he always carried them through to their consummation.

Because of his unique position in trotting, some people thought that Mr Nicoll had invented the sport, said Mr C S Thomas, then president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club. This was not so. Trotting was in progress 2000 years ago, and there was an account of a trotting race in Homer's Iliad.

Mr E A Lee, president of the New Brighton Trotting Club, and a member of the board of the NZ Trotting Association, said that too often we reserved all the nice things we had to say about people until they were not there to enjoy them. "We should not regret Mr Nicoll's retirement," he said. "Rather we should regard it as promotion. His work will stand as a monument for generations. His dominating thought has always been the welfare of trotting."

"Trotting has occupied a considerable portion of my life," said Mr Nicoll in reply. "This parting will leave a gap it will be impossible to fill. I have enjoyed many valued friendships, and I feel proud of the good feeling that exists in every part of the Dominion where trotting fourishes. It was in 1905 that I was first persuaded to become an administrator of trotting. I was elected president of the Ashburton Trotting Club at a time when the club was £80 in debt, when it had no assets, and just after its secretary had departed suddenly. I could see what great possibilities there were in trotting, and I am grateful to say my confidence in the sport has been bourne out with great abundance." Mr Nicoll referred to the trainers of his horses in past years, the late A Pringle and D Warren, and concluded by expressing his love for trotting and the pride he felt in its advancement.

Mr Nicoll was married in 1889 to Anna Julianna Case, the daughter of Julien Case, the American consul in Japan. They had two sons, Messrs A J Nicoll and G H Nicoll, both of Ashburton, and two daughters, Mrs D V Donaldson and Mrs Le Clerc Latter, both of Christchurch. His wife died in 1935. In 1937 he married Helen J T Riddiford, the widow of Mr F E Riddiford, of Masterton. He is survived by his wife and his two sons and two daughters.

-o0o-

'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Apr55

Some years ago, in an interview with the Calendar, the late Mr H F Nicoll recalled how he had first become acquainted with Andy Pringle, who was later to become Mr Nicoll's private trainer and remain so for many years. Pringle according to old-timers who saw his many feats of horsemanship, will always rank as one of the finest reinsmen, particularly on a saddle trotter, ever seen in this country. Pringle was leading horseman of the Dominion in the 1914-5,1916-7 and 1917-8 seasons.

"When first I became interested in the trotting sport, about 1902, Pringle was training at Gore and I heard of his reputation as a very skilled horseman," said Mr Nicoll. "In 1904 my mare Dora was engaged at Geraldine and I asked Andy to ride her. She did not win but Andy's riding so impressed me that I made him an offer to train for me privately. When he accepted I laid out a track on my Mitcham Road farm at Ashburton and he came to live there.

"Andy at once made his value apparent, and never did I at any time have cause to other than value his services. The first meeting attended after his engagement by me was in 1905, when the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's August meeting was held on the Riccarton racecourse. He won three races: with Victor Huon over two miles in 5.19, with Verity over a mile and a half in 3.47, and with Durbar over two miles in 4.55.

"Pringle was probably the best all-round horseman of his day; it was rarely that he took my horses to a meeting without winning one or more races. His integrity was an intrinsic part of his nature. I remember one occasion at Addington in 1906. He was riding Dora and I said to him: 'What will win?' He replied 'Alliance, will you put a fiver on for me?' I said: 'Very well, but remember, I'm backing Dora.' In the straight Alliance and Dora came away from the field and in a ding-dong finish Pringle, by a brillant piece of riding, just managed to win with Dora, who paid £10 4s. Alliance paid 10s for second.

"Pringle was always in great demand by other owners to ride and drive their horses, and for many years there was rarely a race run, when he was present, in which he was not engaged. The sport lost an admirable exponent when he retired. I have nothing but happy memories of my association with him," concluded Mr Nicoll.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Apr55

1950 CUP DAY TOTAL A RECORD

The return of NZ Trotting Cup day to the traditional Tuesday of Carnival Week proved an unqualified success. All the forebodings of the timorous that mid-week racing would decimate the totalisator returns proved groundless, the total of the day, £211,977, being a new record for a days racing in the South Island and also a record for a trotting meeting. Of this sum, £15,278 was invested on the double.

Addington, recognised as the NZ headquarters of trotting, looked better on Tuesday than it has ever looked before. The scene was gayer than ever. Many thousands of people continue to make Cup day at Addington their 'day of the year.' The previous record attendance at any fixture, apart from international rugby tests at Lancaster Park, was recorded on Cup Day last year, October 29, a Saturday. The crowd was 34,000, and the then record total of £211,293 was established, £40,717/10/-being invested on the Cup alone. The year's Cup total was £40,203/10/-, a result far exceeding the expectations of even the most optimistic.

Many workers took the day, or part of it off, and in a number of factories employees requested time off and promised to make it up by working extended hours at ordinary rates. Before 1942, when the Cup was always run on a Tuesday, thousands journeyed to Addington for a two-hour lunch break to see the Cup and one other race, but this year the Cup was not run until 2:17pm. When the 1941 Cup attendance of 19,000 is compared with crowds of more than 30,000 this year and last year, the great strides in the popularity of trotting in Christchurch are measured. The trainers and drivers in trotting are public personalities, and the horses, their breeding, their performances, their best times, and their characteristics are as the A B C to all followers. With races being held on a six-furlong track, the horses are in view without the use of binoculars - except for those not endowed with height jammed in the crowd - and the intimacy of trotting at Addington is one of the causes of the phenomenal increase in popularity with the public.

Additional betting facilities were available on Tuesday, additional turnstiles have greatly reduced the length of queues, and a large marquee erected on the lawn enclosure behind the main stand has improved the catering appreciably. A scheme of tree-planting and attractive gardening displays give the whole scene a pleasant 'new look' and this part of the club's plan is only in its infancy.

To give all patrons a clearer hearing of the commentaries on the races by Mr D B Clarkson (now established as a notable contributor to the enjoyment of a day at Addington) all the loud speakers have been brought across the tracks to the outer fence and a new loud-speaker has been placed on a pole on the lawn inside the track to provide for the thousands who watch the races from there on Cup days. Men to open the gates and rake the track from the outside enclosure are always on duty at meetings at Addington, but the general public do not seem to realise that the inside of the course is always available to them. The inside enclosure is now one huge lawn, the section at the top end having been levelled and grassed.

The grey drabness of the concrete of the stands had largely disappeared under a spray of plastic paint. All the stands would have been painted by now had the supplies of the paint been available.

Another work of priority which could not be carried out before the Cup meeting was the building of semi-permanent seating on the mound in front of the tea kiosk, wittily called by patrons 'Coopers Knob,' after the course superintendent and the prominent landmark on the Port Hills. The open stand will seat about 2000.

"The people would see on Cup day the progress we are making to give them the best facilities." said the president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, Mr C S Thomas. "We are only beginning a long-term programme to make Addington the finest possible trotting course." As the administrative head of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, Mr H E Goggin is responsible for every detail. The totalisator manager (Mr Arthur Toon) had a staff of 423 on Tuesday, and the other workers on gates, stairs and cloakrooms number 180. In addition, 450 were working on catering.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 8Nov50

1950 DOMINION HANDICAP

Dictation's winning run in the Dominion Handicap was momentous in every way. He not only spreadeagled the field in the Australasian winning record time for a trotter of 4:16 2-5, but also put up the phenomenal figures of 3:09 2-5 for the last mile and a half, time which compares with the performances of some of the greatest pacers that have raced in this country. The only time that Dictation's figures have been bettered by a trotter in this country was when Fantom was placed in 4:16 on the same track last year.

There were only three horses in the race at the finish, Dictation, Ripcord and Single Task, and Dictation was more than equal to the challenges of the other two from the home turn. On this occasion Dictation trotted solidly throughout, and his outstanding effort was not lost on the public, who gave him a warm ovation.

"The time may not be far distant," said Mr C S Thomas during his speech to the presentation of a trophy to the owner-trainer-driver of the winner, J Wilson, "when our best trotters are once again racing against our best pacers in the NZ Cup. There is no thrill," he declared, "like a race amongst the best trotters," and went on to pay tribute to the excellence of the performances of Highland Kilt and Dictation that day. He referred to the brilliance of Dictation's two records at the meeting, his mile and a quarter in 2:38 3-5 on the first day and his new winning record of 4:16 2-5 on Show Day. "This Club has pursued a policy of catering for the trotter and will continue to do so," said Mr Thomas, who then called upon Mrs Thomas to present the trophy to the owner.

Wilson bought Dictation as a yearling for £100. He picked him out of several in a paddock. Wilson remarked during his reply to the presentation of the trophy that for years "other people have been getting the cream" of his training of trotters. Wilson has certainly been one of our most successful trainers of trotters over a long period and richly deserves his fortune with Dictation, who was, in his own words, "a handful from the day I broke him in." He had never knocked the horse about, otherwise he could not have gone far. No horse which is doing its best deserves to be whipped," said Wilson.

Other good trotters Wilson raced were Quincey Thorpe and King Oscar back in the twenties, and later Ordinance and Calumella. He educated and first raced Acclaimation, and laid the foundation of her eventual champion's calibre.

Dictation is by Josedale Dictator (imp), from Seal Globe, by the Australian pacer New Derby from Thelma Axworthy, who traces back to Thelma.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 15Nov50

PROUD RECORD OF METROPOLITAN CLUB IN ITS JUBILEE YEAR

The NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, which celebrates its jubilee on Saturday next, like most sporting institutions, developed from small beginnings. Strangely enough, it was started by a body of cricketers who were endeavouring to finance their new ground, Lancaster Park, and needed more 'grist for the mill.'

On May 29, 1886, the first meeting of the Lancaster Park Trotting Club was held. The meeting had been fixed for May 15, but was adjourned owing to the heavy floods in Christchurch City. The usually peaceful Avon had risen four feet and at several points had overflowed its banks. Three feet of water prevailed at the Railway Station, and Ferry Road, near Lancaster Park, was one sheet of water.

The officers of the club for the first meeting were: Mr Justice Johnston (Judge), C A Culvert (Starter), A M Ollivier (Clerk of Course), C J Penfold (Secretary), and the stewards comprised Dr H H Prins, F Cotton, A E G Rhodes, A C Wilson, F Jones and C Hood-Williams.

There were 1100 persons present, £38 was taken at the gates, and £1512 was invested on the totalisator run by Hobbs and Goodwin. Prize money totalled £125 for five races, the principal event being the Lancaster Park Time Trot of three miles in saddle. The first prize was £40 and the result was as follows:-

FIDGET, B Edwards's, 50secs (ridden by owner) 1

ERIN, D O'Brien's, 45secs (ridden by owner) 2

MALVENA, P Howard's, 50secs (ridden by A J Keith) 3
Time: 9 min Dividend: £12/3/-

The other races were the Maiden Trot of three miles, Time Handicap, Time Handicap Pony Trot and Handicap Time Trot, each of two miles. The course was a third of a mile in length, and consequently the horses were in view of the public all the way.

The Lancaster Park Trotting Club had rather a varied history. Started by members of the Cricket Company, assisted by a few trotting enthusiasts, it struggled along for a few years, and the directors, satisfied with the £40 rental per meeting, were quite ready for any change that would relieve them of managing the trotting club. In due course, the shareholders of the Cricket Company, as such, ceased to have any say in the management, and in 1890 the club was controlled entirely by trotting enthusiasts. In that year (1890)the principal officials of the club were stewards: D Barnes, C Louisson, V Harris, G McClatchie, J Perkins, and L Wilson; secretary: A I Rattray; starter, C O'Connor.

Trotting continued at Lancaster Park util 1899, during which time at least four meetings a year were held. Those thirteen years at Lancaster Park had laid the foundation for something better. The meetings had progressed to a satisfactory degree, and it was realised by the committee that if they were still to go ahead something must be done to obtain their own grounds with better facilities for all concerned.

For some years the Lancaster Park Club and the Canterbury Trotting Club which raced at the show grounds, had been accumulating funds, as a result of their meetings, for the purpose of jointly securing a property of their own, the idea being to form an up-to-date track, with buildings and general surroundings in keeping with the latest American style. To secure the object in view, a joint committee from the two clubs was set up, and a representative of the Canterbury Trotting Club was commissioned to secure a piece of land adjoining the show grounds. The trustees of the property, however, declined to sell for trotting purposes, but subsequently put it up for auction, and a lengthy lease was knocked down to the President of the Lancaster Park Trotting Club at a price below the amount to which the clubs were prepared to go.

But when the grounds had been secured the Canterbury Trotting Club refused to join ownership, their main grievance being that the land was not freehold. Nevertheless, the Lancaster Park Club lost no time in going ahead with the new grounds and in laying what were then paddocks, subdivided by straggling fences, into the finest trotting track in the Southern Hemisphere, with expansive grounds, beautiful gardens, lawns and drives and splendid grandstands.

On moving to the new grounds, the name of the club was changed to the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, and thus was originated the organisation we know today. The first meeting on the new grounds was held on November 6th and 10th, 1899, the stakes for the two days being £2,140 and the totalisator investments £10,695. trotting immediately caught on at the new grounds and the committee tried all sorts of attractions to encourage people to attend.

In 1900, under pressure from the Colonial Secretary, and after a number of conferences with the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, the Canterbury Trotting Club agreed to amalgamate, the arrangement being that each club was to have six of its number on the committee and six stewards. This move strengthened the club considerably besides providing further needed funds. The men who were in charge of affairs in those days were undoubtedly men of great vision. Their faith in the future of trotting was amazing and all their moves were actuated by this faith. With so many natural advantages in the way of flat country and excellent highways, Canterbury, from its infancy led the way in everything appertaining to the breeding and development of the trotting horse.

The NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club has been particularly fortunate in the men who have been at the head of affairs during the 50 years of its existence. It has had only six presidents, viz: V Harris, 1899 to 1903; G H McHaffie, 1903 to 1905; Hon C Louisson, 1906 to 1924; J H Williams, 1924 to 1940; A L Matson, 1940 to 1945, and C S Thomas, from 1945 to the present time.

Mr Victor Harris, the first president was a great enthusiast and worker for the club when the spadework was being done in transferring to Addington and forming the new grounds. He raced a number of horses which were trained by D J Price, and did a good deal to bring about and finance the Ribbonwood - Fritz match which did so much to place the club on a sound footing.

Mr G H McHaffie, the second president, was also a great enthusiast and one of the most far-seeing officials the club ever had. He was a wholesale merchant in Cashel Street, and bred trotting horses as a hobby, the most notable of his bred being the famous Ribbonwood.

The third president was the Hon Chas. Louisson who held office for 18 years. He was a steward of the Lancaster Park Club when it was taken over from the Cricket Company in 1890, so that he acted as an official of the club for 34 years. His term as president covered the period when great changes were made in erecting buildings and enlarging the Addington grounds and forming it into what we know it as today. One of his greatest services was to make a present of the Cup for the NZ Cup Handicap annually for many years. His name is perpetuated on the foundation stone of the inside public stand, which he laid.

On the death of the Hon C Louisson, Mr J H Williams was elected president and held office for 16 years, during that time he rendered yeoman service to the club. He was an able counsellor on all matters appertaining to the administration of the sport, and was president of the NZ Trotting Association for 14 years. He was also a member of the Racing Commission in 1921. He was one of nature's gentlemen and was held in high esteem by all. He did a lot of very useful work in a quiet unostentatious way and was a tower of strength during the dark days of the depression.

The fifth president was Mr Allan L Matson, who was elected in 1940. He brought to the office youth, energy, ability and enthusiasm, and put a tremendous amount of work into reorganising the club and bringing it to its present popular position. Probably no president has been so universally popular as Mr Matson.

Mr C S Thomas, who has been president since 1945, is a man of very high attainments in the legal profession. He brought outstanding ability, drive and dignity to the position and has done a great deal towards promoting the high reputation and position of the club. He was leading counsel for the trotting authorities before the Gaming Commission, and his work in this direction was freely acknowledged as a masterpiece.

Perhaps the outstanding personality throughout all the years of the club's history was the late Mr A I Rattray, who was secretary of the club from 1890 to 1941. His great experience in all branches of the sport made him an authority on all matters pertaining to it. At various times he acted as handicapper, starter and timekeeper, and he was also the first secretary of the NZ Trotting Association. He did great service in framing the Rules of Trotting and in obtaining Government recognition of the NZ Trotting Association. He was intensly loyal to his club and was always out to create such a standard for it in integrity and prestige that anything which did not measure up 100% in his opinion was scorned. He was an indefatiguable worker and put in long hours when it was required. During the 54 years he was associated with trotting as a secretary, he won great respect and was well known throughout NZ. Undoubtedly his foresight, resolution and faith in the sport placed his club and trotting in Canterbury in the strong position it is in today.


Credit: H E Goggin writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 26Oct49

1945. With the end of the Second World War, the Cup Meeting reverted to a three day format and the stake of the Cup was increased from £5,000 when Bronze Eagle won the 1944 contest, to £7,500. According to “Ribbonwood” writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar at the time this stake made it not only the richest horse race in NZ, but “the largest prize for a straight-out light-harness contest in the world”.

Although Gold Bar was not among the punter’s favourites (he started 5/7 in the betting) he was certainly the one of the crowds favourites. Gold Bar had started in the previous four Cups and, as was his racing style, had lead the fields along “at break-neck speed” only to be overtaken in the final sprint to the line. This attitude endeared both the horse and his Owner-Trainer-Driver Allan (A B) Holmes to the racing public. In 1945 however only Integrity got within 3 lengths at the finish, with 10 lengths to Shadow Maid which was third. Gold Bar returned to a scene of unrestrained enthusiasm and in the presentation Mr C S Thomas, then President of the Club, referred to the race “as probably the greatest light harness contest ever staged in the Dominion.

The last word should be left to a rather contrite “Ribbonwood” who after writing off Gold Bar’s chances in the previous issue of the Trotting Calendar commented “…so you will just have to put up with the vapourings of the scribe who told you in all seriousness last week that Gold Bar had about as much chance of winning the Cup as Hirohito has of becoming President of the United States”.


Credit: Colin Steele