ACCIDENT AT ELLERSLIE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11621, 8 April 1901, Page 6

ACCIDENT AT ELLERSLIE.

During the progress of training operations at Ellerslie on Saturday morning, an accident occurred, by which the light-weight jockey William Stewart had his right leg fractured. Motor, on whom Stewart was mounted, was engaged in a fast five-furlong gallop on the course proper in company with Regulus. The horses had completed but a short distance whon Regulus, who was on the outside, bor&d in, with the result that Motor was forced on to one of the trestles, so placed to keep the horses from galloping close in to the rails, and Stewart's right leg was brought into collision with the obstacle, the limb being fractured below the knee. Though he must have been in great pain, tho plucky little fellow stuck to his mount, and stopped him at the mile and a-quarter post. On it being found that Stewart was hurt, medical aid was immediately sought. Dr. Shannan was telephoned for, and proceeded out to the course. Though the doctor answered the call most promptly, tho want of an ambulance waggon was pointedly brought out. Had such a vehicle been in tho possession of the A.R.C., the lad could have " been taken straight away to the hospital, and much suffering would thereby have been prevented.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The accident that befell the jockey W. Stewart at Ellerslio on Saturday, and tho fact that he had to remain there over an hour in. great pain, with a-broken leg, before, being convoyed to tho hospital, should be a powerful pica to tho A.R.C. to have a pro-perly-equipped ambulance on the course to meet such emergencies. When the danger inseparable from race riding at all times is considered, one is left wondering that the A.R.C. should have waited so long before providing suoh a very necessary adjunct to every largo racecourse as a fully-equipped and efficient ambulance. I believe there are at present fully 150 horses in training at Ellerslie, and there is only a stretcher and a few bandages to meet any accident that is unfortunately so likely to occur. A glance at the improvements carried out by the A.R.C. authorities would lead cue to almost conclude that they are actuated more by a desire to cater for tho comfort and pleasure of their patrons of the enclosure than the humane one of seeing that some adequate provision is made to minimise, as far as possible, suffering attendant on accidents on their course; but I trust that in future there will not bo the slightest cause to cast such a reproach at the metropolitan body.—T. am, etc., Humanitarian.