APPEAL BY A JOCKEY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18763, 17 July 1924, Page 12

APPEAL BY A JOCKEY.

DEPRIVED OF CIVIL RIGHTS. FAILURE TO ATTEND DRILL. CASE ADJOURNED FOR YEAR.

An. application for a rehearing of his case was made by an Auckland jockey, Harold Norman Wiggins, 19, at tl?e Police Court yesterday, before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. Wiggins was recently deprived of civil rights for 10 years by Mr. Poynton for persistently failing to attend military parades. | The City Missioner, the Rev. Jasper Calder, who is also probation officer for [the Auckland Racing Club, said that I Wiggins had tendered as an excuse the fact that ho . was often away from Auckland, whereas the real reason was that he .suffered physical fatigue following on a severe attack of rheumatic fever and cardiac trouble in July, 1923. Although horse-riding did not affect appellant, he could not .stand still for any length of time, as he would be required to do when drilling. Appellant's; health had now improved and he wan prepared to pro, mise that he would drill when required. Wiggins had adopted a foolish attitude, but was now repentant. . , , Mr. Poynton: If makes amends it will be all right. ■, .. : , Mr. Calder: There is another aspect of the case. If this young man js deprived of civil rights it will automatically result in the cancellation of . his jockey s license. In such a case his sue would be against him in trying to obtain another position. He would not nnako a sergeant-major, a city missioner, or a senior-sergeant. ■ ; L . : Senior-S6rgeant Rawle: He would make

* good city missioner. . ' Mr. Calder: He. would be better as a senior-sergeant, only he would have to itand on a box to prosecute. "The Defence Department objects to a shearing," said the senior-sergeant, 'but it is ' now too late. Wiggins has been warned by the authorities, but only when ae is in danger of losing his position does tie plead that he is medically unfit; in me year he attended 19 out of 42 parades *nd during 1922-23 did not attend any. [n May, ?923, he was fined £3 for de-[aihenfeuior-sergeant (to Wiggins) : What do you do in your spare time. I rest. Do you ever go to some spare land near Customs Street with another. jockey . No, I have never been there m my me. You have never been there to play twoup? Never; I have never been to a two-up school in my life. , Dr. E, N. Drier gave evidence as to Wigizins* state of health in 1923 and said a doctor's certificate (produced), stating that Wiggins was now physically fat was probably correct.- . ■ . , . The magistrate said he did not_wisn to deprive Wiggins of his living. The case would be adjourned for one year, the threat of deprivation to be held over defendant in the meantime. "I will probably have to repund. the bov every week of his obligations, rejoined Mr. Calder, as he left the Court.