AUCKLAND RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6995, 18 April 1884, Page 6

AUCKLAND RACING CLUB'S AUTUMN MEETING.

t »■ ■ ' THE RECENT PROTESTS AND FRACAS. A meeting of the stewards of the Auckland. Racing Club was held yesterday afternoon" to consider certain protests and dispntes arising out of the Autumn Race Meeting.' There were present: Mr". B. Tonks, President, in the chair, Mesers. Buller, Barber, Dickey, S. Morrin, Major Walmsley, Car- , penter, McLaughlin, Kirkwood, T. Morrin, and J. M. Philson. The Chairman briefly, explained the business for which they were, called together. THE ELLKRSLIE PLATE. The first matter considered was a protest from Mr. " Stookton," owner of Woodnympb,, olaiming the stakes for the Ellerslie Plate' (for which Necklace and Krupp ran a dead, heat) on the grounds that Krupp ahculd have carried a penalty of 51bs., and that Necklace,, instead of carrying two penalties ef 51bs. each, should have carried three penalties, or 151b5., instead of lOlbs. It appeared, however, that the protest had not been lodged in due time, having only been lodged yester- r .day morning. Attention was also called to: the rule providing for a fine of £10 or disqualification for frivolous or vexatious protests. So far as regards Krapp, it was' pointed out tbat the conditions were that the winner of a two-year-old stake was to carry a penalty, and that the race won by Krupp wae open to two and thre-year-olds. The rule, therefore, did not apply. The protest was dieallowed, but the Secretary was; instructed to make the programme more striot in future.! THE STEEPLECHASE. In'regard to the Steeplechase, Mr. Rae; rider of Chandler the winner, had on behalf of his owner Mr. John Lennard lodged a protest against second money being paid to Billy-go-by-'em on the ground that he had not jumped all the hurdles. Billy, it will be recollected, etuck up at the top of the hill, and did not finish until the conclusion of the succeeding race. The hurdles had been in the meantime removed to make room for the Ellerslie Plate, but when the latter was finished the last hurdle ■in the straight was put up to enable Billy to finish. Mr. Lennard's protest was on the ground that he missed two hurdles. There was no dispute-as to the horse having gone over the course, and after hearing the statements of Mr. Lennard and Mr. Russell, the rider of Billy, it was decided to award second money to the latter, as if he did not jump the hurdles it was not his fault, but the fault of the stewards' officers in removing the hurdles. ..In regard to this an interesting question was raised as to what-, rules steeplechases were run under, and what time should be allowed to horses after the first had come in. It appeared that > there were no rules at all, and a recommendation was made that some definite rule should be framed for future guidance. THE CONSOLATION RACE AND THE FRACAS ON THE COURSE.. The dispute as to the start and finish of this race, and the action taken in regard to the fracas on- the course, was the most important business before the "■ meeting. It will be recollected that in this race Mitrailleuse was .the "only- one that went round, and there was - a good deal of excitement, as many were under the impression that there was no start. The starter, however, ruled that there was a start, and those who backed the other horses were loud and violent in their denunciations and conduct. Mr. Percival made an explana-. tion. He said that being informed that there was a start, he gave instructions to pay on Mitrailleuse. The mob wanted their money returned, and when he gave those instructions be was received with hooting, and stones were thrown. The shutters were torn down off the totalieator house. He recognised several of those who were most prominent in the riot, and mentioned their names. The police came, and Sergeant White called on them to do their duty and advance. They did so, and cleared away the crowd, but he then ordered them to retire. Had it not been for that, they could have " held the fort." One stone thrown hit his (Mr. Percival's) hat. -The people around and the police begged'and prayed of him to return- the' money. He told the crowd to wait till eleven o'clock next day, when the stewards would meet, but they refused, and Mr. Owen McGee made a speech. On the advice of the police, he returned money to the amount of £218, including 10 tickets on Mitrailleuse. There were 62 tickets only oa Mitrailleuse out of a total of 476. Several members strongly commented on the action of the officer in charge of the police, and after some consideration it was agreed to place the .matter in-the hands of the club's solicitor as to what steps should be taken to punish those who had promoted the riot and breach of the peace. It was also agreed that the totalisator dividend be paid on Mitraillenee, and that no further money be refnnded on the other horses.—A resolution was also paseed to the following effeat :— "That the conduct of the sergeant in charge of the police was very unsatisfactory to the stewards." . ■ :