Preamble

WHEREAS by Grant under the Public Seal of the Colony and hand of Sir George Bowen the Governor thereof the lands described in the Schedule hereto have been granted to Isaac Earl Featherston as Superintendent of the Province under the provisions of the Public Reserves Act 1854 in trust as a racecourse and for purposes connected therewith: AND WHEREAS it is expedient to make provision for the management of such land and racecourse.

1 Trustees appointed

The management of the land comprised in the said grant shall be vested in Francis Robinson Thomas Uppadine Cook Alexander Gray John Kebbell junior and John Taylor Dalrymple who shall be Trustees thereof and on the death or absence from the Dominion for 12 months or resignation of any Trustee the continuing Trustees shall appoint some other person being an elector of the said District to be a Trustee in the place of such person who may have died or absented himself or resigned as aforesaid.

The reference to the “Dominion” was substituted for a reference to the “Colony” pursuant to section 4 Acts Interpretation Act 1924.

2 Trustees to be a body corporate

The Trustees of the said land shall be a body corporate by the name or style of The Manawatu Racecourse Board having perpetual succession and a common seal with a power to acquire and hold lands for the purposes of this Act and for the benefit of the inhabitants of the district.

3 Vacancy not to invalidate acts of Board

No act or proceeding of the Board shall be questioned on account of any vacancy in their body.

4 Defect in qualification of Trustees provided for

No defect in the qualification or election of any person acting as a member of the Board shall be deemed to vitiate any proceeding in which he may have taken a part in cases where a majority of the members parties to such proceedings are entitled to act.

5 Superintendent may convey to Trustees

The Trustees and their successors may accept from the Superintendent a conveyance of the said lands described in the Schedule hereto and the Superintendent is hereby authorised and empowered to transfer to and vest in such Trustees and their successors the said lands accordingly.

6 Three Trustees to form a quorum

All acts, matters and things which Trustees may do or determine with reference to the said land under the authority of this Act may be done and determined by any 3 of such Trustees assembled at a meeting whereof due notice shall have been given to or forwarded for all the Trustees who shall appoint a Chairman of such meeting who shall not only vote as a Trustee but in case of equality of votes shall have a casting vote.

7 Trustees may employ labour

It shall be lawful for such trustees to appoint such officers and labourers for the custody and management of the said land and to fix and pay the salary of such officers and labourers and all necessary charges for the management and regulation of the said land.

8 Trustees may let land

Subject to the purposes and trusts for which the said land shall be conveyed to them it shall be lawful for such Trustees to let from time to time for any period not exceeding 21 years all or any portion of such land and to fence the same or any part thereof and to do all such acts as they may deem necessary for the management, improvement and regulation thereof and to apply all rents received from such land towards the support and keeping up of races in the Manawatu:

Provided that every such lease shall contain a reservation of the use of the land comprised therein for the purposes of a racecourse for 10 days in every year such 10 days to be from time to time appointed by the Trustees.

9 Trustees to hold yearly meetings

The Trustees shall once at least in every year hold a public meeting to be called by notice published in 2 newspapers one in the town or place nearest to the said land and the other in the City of Wellington at which meeting a true statement of all transactions, receipts and disbursements respecting the said piece of land shall be presented in writing.

10 Trustees not accountable

The Trustees of such public racecourse shall not be answerable or accountable for the other or others of them but each and every of them for his own acts, receipts, neglects or defaults respectively nor for any misfortune, loss or damage which may happen in the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in relation thereto except the same shall happen by or through their own wilful fault respectively.

11 Short Title

This Act may be referred to as the Manawatu Racecourse Act 1869 (W).

Schedule

All that parcel of land situate in the Manawatu district in the Province of Wellington in the Dominion of New Zealand containing by admeasurement 85 acres more or less situate in the Manawatu District being the Rural Section numbered 537 on the plan of the Township of Foxton in the said District bounded towards the North by Section No 477 3968 links towards the East and South East by a public road 1630 links and 877 links towards the South by a public road 1494 links and 1578 links and towards the West by Section No 476 2196 links.

The reference to the “Dominion of New Zealand” was substituted for a reference to the “Colony of New Zealand” pursuant to section 4 Acts Interpretation Act 1924.

Manawatu Racecourse Act 1869 (W)