Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Friday 8 April 1898, page 30


HELENA. VALE BACECOUESE.

The improvements upon the Helena Vale racecourse have grown out of all

recognition in the last ten weeks, j It is evident, on the face of

the improvements made in the com- ! paratively short actual working time that the contractors have had the work in hand, that the club means pro-gression. The stabling and saddling paddock accommodation, grand stand en-closure, totalisator, stewards' stand, weigh-ing-in room, judge's box, hoist for the numbers of starters, and the "flat"' totalisator have been completed and pre-sent a very spick and span appearance. The course proper of three chains wide looks well, as doss also the training track. Everything,.in fact, is in readiness for the inaugural race meeting -of the H.V.E.C. next .Saturday. Patrons of the meeting by train will ba landed in very close vicinity to the grand stand enclosure. A special

time table or trains for the convenience of

patrons of the meeting is being drawn up. Everything points to a highly successful inauguration of racing on what will un-doubtedly prove one of the beBt racing tracks-it is already the widest and longest -in the colony.

The Acting-General Manager of Rail-ways (Mr. J. T. Short), the Acting-Chief Traffic Manager (Mr. Livesey), the Chief. Engineer of Existing lanes, and the Resi-dent Engineer on Tuesday proceeded to the Helena Vale racecourse to consider the application from the Helena Vale Race Club for their, course to be .connected with the main line. Mr- S J. Chinner, Mr. W.

W. Berry (secretary), representing the Helena Vale Sacs Club, and myself, ac-companied the party, which proceeded by the ordinary train to Midland Junction, from where the" party went on in a special car to Belle Vue. The Railway Depart-ment v representatives conferred upon arrival at the locality in which the line is sought to be laid, discussing the probable necessary additions to the Une. Explaining the result of the officers' deliberations, Mr. Short stated to Mr. Berry that it was found it would not be practicable to carry out the committee's suggestion owing to the section of line being a busy one, and on a grade of 1 in SO, and that the officers had the alternative suggestion to make that a con-nection be made with the loopline at Belle Vue and a separate line be run to the course, bringing up in front of the entrance to the grand stand.