THE MILE CHAMPIONSHIP

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2636, 18 September 1882, Page 3

THE MILE CHAMPIONSHIP

[PBHSB ASSOCIATION TBLTOBAM. I , DTJNEDIN, September 16. Tho seoond matoh between Burk and O'Connor for the mile championship of New ■ Zealand and a stake of £6O aside came off at < the Caledonian grounds this afternoon. A , strong wind was blowing up to just before , the start, when it dropped wonderfully, and thus enabled faet time to be made. Theie was an attendance of fully 4000 psople. i Bettißg at the start ruled at 6 to 4 on Burk. The following was the result o' the raoe:— O'Connor won the inside place, but Bark got away quickest, and took a lead of five yards, whioh he inoreased in the first lap to twenty. In the second lap O'Connor gradually drew up, and passing the stand passed Burk. In the third lap O'Connor went steadily ahead, and on again passing the stand was in turn twenty yards in front. Still Burk's supporters felt no qualms, bearing in mind the previous oontest, nor did they think their man out of it, though in the fourth lop O'Connor inoreased his lead to forty ya-ds. In the last round Burk was expected to make up his leeway, but, though he made a determined effort, he oould never get near O'Connor, who after looking round occasionally, put on a tremendous spurt and won right out by full forty yards. Time —4min. 291 sec», There was any amount of oheering for the winner though not so muoh enthusiasm as when the local man beat him the other da>. The faot seems to be that O'Connor has more pace than Burk, and as he exeroised more judgment than when they met before, he kept something in for the finish and was then able to go olean away from Burk, who ran just up to his previous form. The firat half mile was done in 2min ISseo. WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. DUNBDIN, September 18. The air is filled with reports impugning a bona fide Saturday's raoe. The " Times," referring to them, says: —" Rum:,rs are ourrent that would lead to the belief that everything is not «on the square 'in connec tion with the match, and suggest the Caledonian Society make an investigation into the matter* The raoe was run on their ground, and praotioally under their auspices, and it is their duty to satisfy themselves whether Burke or O'Connor, or both of them, are guilty of attempting to make a swindle of the costest. The task should not be a difficult one. For instance, it is asserted objections were raised by Burk's principal baokers to the stakeholders handiog over the stakes to the winner. If an investigation should establish roguery, unquestionably the runner or runners who took part in it should be disqualified from future oontests on the sooiety's ground. From the manner in whioh O'Connor was guarded by a circle of his friends, and certain other unmistakeable demonstrations on his subsequent appearance for the mile handicap, no small amount of indignation appeared to exist in the minds of some in relation to his victory. This, unaooountable as it at first seemed, was more fully explained by certain remarks I shortly afterwards freely circulated, and whioh pointed to the faot that overtures re speoting the result of the race were made to } O'Connor by persons pecuniarily interested."