Page:1930 QLD Royal Commission into Racing Report.djvu/20

 By an agreement of 1st January, 1929, the trustees have, in consideration of an annual payment of £10, granted to the Commonwealth, for a period of three years from that date, landing rights for aircraft over that portion of the property which lies within the racing track proper.

The racing track, which is oval in shape, with safe and easy curves, has a straight of about one furlong.

It is a full mile in circumference, is of grass, and is in good condition.

Its width is ample to accommodate with safety a considerable field.

There is at present no separate training track.

The appointments include a fairly large grandstand and a small Hodsdon automatic totalisator. These are shabby but otherwise in good condition.

The racing track is safe for jockeys and horses.

Except with regard to its distance from Brisbane, about 21 miles, and to the present condition and extent of the improvements, this course is very suitable for racing purposes.

It was in fact used for many years for registered racing, but owing to reasons dealt with later, has of recent years been used only for unregistered racing.

(d) The Albion Park Racecourse.

The lands comprising the Albion Park Racecourse at present total an area of 39 acres 0 roods 7⋅11 perches.

This area includes a large number of portions of land under The Real Property Acts, alienated from the Crown prior to the year 1890. On 11th February, 1890, 25 acres 2 roods 16 perches of the land were sold by the then owner to The Breakfast Creek Sports Ground Proprietary, Limited, for the sum of £8,000. On the same day, the same Company purchased from other owners further areas of land totalling 3 acres 2 roods 8⋅15 perches.

By registered mortgage No. 220341, dated the same day, the Company mortgaged all the said lands to the Royal Bank of Queensland, Limited, to secure the sum of £18,000.

Subsequently, on the liquidation of the Company, that Bank became owner in fee-simple of all the said lands as from the 1st February, 1894.

As the result of a large number of transactions, not necessary to be set forth, the Bank also became entitled, in or about the same year, to the fee-simple ownership of other contiguous lands of a total area of 17 acres 1 rood 16⋅14 perches. The Bank had thus acquired a total holding of 42 acres 3 roods 32⋅14 perches.

In 1909 the Bank agreed to sell to one Wesley Castles, for the sum of £30,000, an area of 38 acres 2 roods 11⋅52 perches, part of its said holding.

Later in the same year, Castles assigned the benefit of this contract to Messrs. Nathan and Wren for £31,000,