To the Editor of the Nonmi-Cuiwa DAty News"
'Sm—As a' patron of local racing, L.read with interest the short article appearing in your issue of August 25 under heading of "Sixty Years Ago" wherein reference is made to the Arst auction of griffins for "the pre= sent (Autumn Racing) Season," doubt other patrons of racing here regret that these auctions of griffins have long ceased to be held and that the cost of griffins for racing and general purposes has greatly me creased, the highest price paid 60 years ago being a mere Tis, 160 say $250, I have also noticed the advertise~ ment regarding the official Training Season and hope that as this will be in full swing in a few days, we will be favoured with, as We have been since 1882 or so,' the training times and performances of ponies which will provide us with pleasure and sport at our autumn race meetings.
While on the subject of what happened 60 years ago, perhaps the following from "The New Zealand Free Lance" may" prove amusing and interesting to your readers. The autocratic and" novel manner of appointing officials of the meeting may perhaps be unpopular if adopted here, but evidently it gave satis faction as did many autocratic rules and methods in the "good old days!"
I would particularly ask all those actively interested in local racing to read the "Rules of the Races" quoted in the following, Several of them might be adopted with advantage (particularly (0 the Treasurer—vide Rules 7 and 8) Rule 9 is a "knockout" and unless Shanghai Stewards, officials and riders are protected by some local rule (perhaps som thing similar could be added to our local rules and bye-laws Peaasus, Shanghai, Aug. 30,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.