STORMY AFTERNOON

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1940, Page 14

STORMY AFTERNOON

RANDWICK DEMONSTRATION

(From "Vedette.")

SYDNEY, November 28. Randwick's calm has been shattered on more than one occasion ,but it is doubtful if there has been an uglier situation than that of last Saturday, when a demonstrator addressed the crowd from the birdcage railings on two occasions, the upshot being that he was arrested and charged with offensive behaviour and assaulting the police. At present he is on remand. The first occasion was after the two-year-old event, in which Final Victory, a hot favourite, was hopelessly left, and Beau Port finished second to Linemond. Both the runner-up and Final Victory are trained by G. Price, who, however, was not present but was in Melbourne with Mildura.

The demonstrator had much to say concerning the leaving of Final Victory, M. McCarten's handling of Beau Port, and of racing control in general. On this occasion he was closely surrounded by members of the A.1.F., and as the police handled the situation tactfully the hubbub subsided, and all appeared to be calm again. After the last race, however, won by Hash at an outside price, there a fresh outburst, inspired by the fact that Hash had been beaten out of a place when a hot favourite three races earlier. Hash in the sprint event was slow away, but in the mile welter began well and was the leader practically all the way. As the demonstrator showed no signs of desisting and his remarks were anything but complimentary, the chairman of the A.J.y. (Mr. Geo. Main) walked over to the fence in an endeavour to appease him. In the meantime the man had been surrounded by several members of the police force, who finally pulled him away from the fence, through a small gate and into the weighing room, the doors of which were closed speedily. He was charged then by the police and taken away. Another sidelight was provided by one of the senior committeemen of the A J.C (Mr. P. H. Osborne) attempting to prevent a Press photographer, who had authority from the A.J.C. to be in the birdcage, from taking pictures of the incident. This was objected to by Mr. Frank Packer, one of the proprietors of the "Daily Telegraph," who pointed out that the photographer, who incidentally was not one of his employees, was only doing his duty. A good deal of heat was generated and Mr. Packer was also ordered out of the enclosure. However, calm was restored and sweet reason prevailed. Subsequently Messrs. Osborne and Packer were seen making mutual apologies.