The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-07 00:00:00

38 36
1 12

2HREATENED STOPPAGE OF NEW-

CASTLE RACES.

The Newcastle Chronicle-says :--"*On Tuesday
a private meeting was held for the purpose of
bringing to arbitration the question in dispute be-
tween the Newcastle Grand Stand Company,
Limited, and the Herbage Committee of the
freemen. For some months past serious differ-
ences have existed between the above Company
and the executive of the borough freemen.
Last races the Herbage Committee, in opposition
to the wishes and interests of the Company,
enclosed a portion of the race-ground close
to the enlarged enclosure fronting the grand
stand, and let it for 180. An indignation meet-
ing was held on the race Monday night, and the
result was that the people demolished the new
railings and threw the place open. In July the
Race Committee, anxious to come to a definite
settlement with regard to the erections on the race
ground, offered the Herbage Committee £3OO per
annum for the rent of the great enclosure and the
privilege of letting all the tent and stand sites at
the race meetings. On the 11th August a meeting
of the stewards of the incorporated companies was
held, when it was resolved not only to decline the
offer of the Grand Stand Company, but also to
give notice that, ' with a view to the comfort
and convenience of the general public, and a
better understanding with the Grand Stand Com-
pany, notice should be served upon the latter body
that the present arrangement for the use of the en-
larged enclosure in front of the grand stand should
cease and determine on the Ist of May next.' Upon
receipt of these resolutions the Grand Stand Com-
e pany passed two important motions. Firstly, they
resolved to memorialise the Town Council of the
borough respecting the right of freemea to let the
ground used for the races as against the right pos-
sessed by the Corporation ; and, secondly, they de-
termine not to hold any future race meeting on
the Town Moor until a satisfactory arrangement
has been come to with the freemen.' At the Octo-
ber meeting of the Town Council, the memorial,
which also contained reference to certain moneys re-
ceive" by the Herbage Committee at the spring and
summer meetings, was presented. The matter was
referred by the Council to the Finance Committee
of the corporation, and in due course a settlement
of the matters in dispute by arbitration was sug-
gested. The Grand Stand Company cheerfully
acquiesced in the proposition, and two arbitrators
(the past town clerk, Mr. J. Clayton, and the pre-
sent town clerk, Mr. R. P. Philipson) were ap-
pointed to hear the case on either side and adjudi-
cate. On Tuesday morning the parties met for
the despatch of business, both arbitrators being
present. At the commencement of the proceed-
ings, Mr. Brown, on behalf of the freemen,
handed a letter to the arbitrators, stating that
they would agree to the settlement of the question
in dispute by arbitration, on the understand-
ing that the decision should not affect their
rights and privileges in any way, and should not
interfere al Lb their management of the Town
Moor and Castle Leases as heretofore.—Mr. G. W.
Hodge, ou behalf of the Grand Stand Company,
entered his emphatic protest against this letter
being accepted as a b:.sis of arbitration. To allow
the freemen to take such ground to commence with
could not be called fair, and he declined to accede
to these propositions as a starting point.—Mr.
Philipson took But stantially the same view of the
letter. The only thing they had to go by was the
Town Moor Act, and they could do nothing against
its provisions. The document had an appearance of
alleging they would do something against the Act.—
Mr. Hodge sail the letter amounted to this—that
the freemen would accept the decision of the arbi-
trators, if it was in their favour, but not otherwise.
It left them a hole to creep out if the award did not
please them. It was a mischievous document.
Nearly an hour was spent in trying to arrange
a mutually satisfactory basis for arbitration,
but without success ; and at length the gentle-
man appointed to act in the matter declared
the meeting at an end. We understand that in
his closing remarks Mr. Philipson said he must
report to the Finance Committee that they had
failed in attempting to deal with the subject,
and the onus must fall upon those who had insisted
upon adhering to the letter handed in as a bas's of
negotiation. He had been under the impression
that both parties would have attended animated
only with the idea of settling the matters in dis-
pute; and he was sorry that no arrangement had
been come to. The proceedings then terminated ;
and the Race Committee, as the result of their
failure to treat with the freemen, express their in-
tention not to hold the Newcastle race meeting
this year, unless a private course can be secured,
or the Herbage Committee consent to debate the
questions between them upon some more satisfactory
ground."