Heavy rain set in at the outset, and gathered in volume as the day grew older.
The track became a quagmire, and many of those present bore quite a sodden (externally) appearance long before the final item on the card happened along.
Even the ladies defied Jupiter Pluvius (who has often spoilt other sports besides racing), and remained to the end.
Under the circumstances one could not but keenly regret that the stand could not shelter half of those in the lawn enclosure.
It reminded one of a particularly wet day at Tahuna Park when it rained in torrents, and the club considerately invited all the outside patrons to avail themselves of the shelter of the lawn stand.
An extremely wet day at the races soon becomes a humour-provoking memory.
We laugh at Smith with the water running out of his boots, and chide him for the folly that leaves a gamp and stout overcoat at home whilst he ventures abroad in Dunedin's whimsical climate.
We admire Brown, who always is fully equipped for any unexpected appearance of a violent and generally unforeseen ''rein'' of Jupiter Pluvius or an unseasonable reminder of ''Jack Frost's'' existence.
Under the track conditions form counts for very little, except that one should make a note of those who established themselves as mudlarks.
At the outset the meeting promised to be the most successful ever held on the track, but a gale on the first day and the rain on the second might easily have prepared one for a comparative disappointment as to results.
Notwithstanding all drawbacks, Mr H. L. James will probably present a pleasing balance sheet to the stewards, as returns from the totalisator come to 4408 above last year.
• The question of providing funds to keep a resident doctor in the district has been causing the residents of the Wanaka and Hawea districts some anxiety lately owing to the withdrawal of the subsidy of 100 which the Agricultural Department has been paying (says the Dunstan Times).
Taking advantage of Dr Valintine's visit to Central Otago, a deputation waited on that gentleman at Clyde to discuss some means of getting over the financial difficulty.
The paper understands that Dr Valintine recognised the necessity for assistance, and would confer with the Southland Hospital Board at an early date and endeavour to work out some scheme to assist the settlers.
The chief difficulty lies in the fact that the locality is on the border of two hospital districts, the doctor's residence and about half the locality coming under the Southland administration and the balance under the Vincent.
The probabilities are that both districts will contribute something towards the expenditure.
• The Minister in charge of the Immigration Department in Western Australia has had to make the blunt announcement that his department is not a matrimonial agency, for the department is continually being inundated by letters from lonely young farmers, bent on matrimony with immigrant girls.
According to one West Australian paper, ''the department in the eyes of these sentimental correspondents, evidently appears as a romantic sort of institution conducted on the lines of the approved matrimonial agency, with the Minister as the official selector of affinities.'' - ODT 5.2.1914.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
