 | LOCAL HISTORY |
Nursing school established at Christchurch Hospital.
City's first electric lighting in the store of J. Ballantyne and Co.
The Land and Income Tax Assessment Act sets up the forerunner of the Inland Revenue Department and introduces the first income tax
Bob Fitzsimmons from Timaru wins the world middleweight boxing title in San Francisco. He went on to become boxing's first triple world champion.
The Sumner Borough is formed.
Credit: Ch-Ch City Libraries
 | RACING HISTORY CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CLUB |
Then on July 9, 1891, the CANTERBURY TIMES carried an advertisment for a Plumpton Park Steeplchase meeting to be run on August 1.
The Club was granted a "conditional permit" by the Canterbury Jockey Club to run four steeplechase events and, at the time of advertising, still did not have a totalisator licence.
Stewards of the Club were given as: D O'Brien (also the judge), E W Roper, F Beverley, J A Holmes, C S Howell, J B Hill, T Quill, A S Clarkson (also hon. secretary), A Loughrey and R J Mason.
It was known officially as the Metropolitan Plumpton Park Company.
The CANTERBURY TIMES commented on the return of a Plumpton Park Club, recalling the debacle of 1888 and claimed there was "no known club racing at Plumpton Park".
The steeplechase meeting was moderately successful. The CANTERBURY TIMES on August 6, noted the club had now changed its name to the Plumpton Park Racing and Trotting Club and this is confirmed in a report from the New Zealand Trotting Association.
On October 8 1891, the CANTERBURY TIMES advertised the "inaugural meeting" of the Plumpton Park Racing & Trotting Club to be held on November 12.
It was to be the club's first full trotting meeting with eight races. Stewards were listed, the same as for the meeting on August 1, but the treasurer was Mr C S Howell, the secretary, J A Connell, and the starter, H J Derrett.
Nominations were taken at the Scotch Stores Hotel.
The meeting was a great success, the totalisator handling £2,409, and the honour of winning the first race went to Mr J Gaskin's grey mare J.M., which also won the last race.
Credit: CPTC: Centennial History