TROTTING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1095, 24 February 1893, Page 26

TROTTING.

THE PRINCE 11. ENQUIRY. SEVERE CRITICISM.

The Referee has some severe articles on the way trotting has been conducted in Wellington since its two clubs have been formed. It devotes a leader to the Prince 11. scandal, in which the opinion is expressed that the enquiry was conducted in a very unsatisfactory manner. It says: There are those who maintain that the horse produced at the enquiry was not the same that performed successfully at Johnsonville, and indeed though bearing a ggod deal of resemblance was different in several respects to the Prince 11. on the trotting track; and this being so, the attitude of the owners of the horse in refusing to allow a more searching examination of him to be made was all the more reprehensible. The evidence of Mr Whyte, who sold Prince 11. to Falloon Bros, and recognised the horse produced at the enquiry as the same, goes for little, as he did not see the horse at the Johnsonvillo meeting, and it is quite conceivable that another chestnut gelding might have trotted there. There were besides a few threads in Mr Whyte’s evidence that wanted catching up. The stewards doubtless came to a conclusion on the merits of the case as brought forward, and we are only sorry for the sake of all paities, the accused ones in particular, that the finding has not altogether convinced the general public of the bona fides of the horse that was so successful at Johnsonville, for there was no evidence whatever that he was the same. This is a point that still wants clearing up. If witnesses had been called to swear that the horse produced was the one that trotted at Johnsonville, a lot of mystery might have been cleared away, and no doubt if Mr Whyte had been called upon before being shown the gelding he could have advised the Committee as to whether the horse had any white about him. There was evidence that Mr Whyte’s gelding had a white leg or legs, but the gelding recognised by Mr Whyte, as the one sold by him, we are informed on good authority, did not exhibit a white leg or legs when trotted or when produced at the enquiry, and there is no wonder that a good deal of curiosity exists in the minds of those who have taken a special interest in the proceedings. It would indeed bo interesting if Mr Whyte would now tell us whether the gelding he sold had a white leg or legs at the time, for we have heard of horses in this colony so changing in colour as to be almost unrecognisable again. Apart from this there were witnesses who signed written statements that they saw the gelding Sandy Cook after the Johnsonville meeting, and had him pointed out as the chestnut gelding that had trotted at that meeting, but they were not present to say whether tho gelding that was trotted at Johnsonville was the one produced at the enquiry. It seems strange that there were no experts at the enquiry to come forward and say positively that the gelding submitted for examination was tho same that performed at Jobnsonyillo,

Another article, in which the Wellington Trotting Club is called over the coals for their last meeting, concludes as follows : As we have indicated, the sport has not been established on a very healthy basis in the Wellington district, and it will require a strong Club, bold to put down wrong doing, to revive interest in the pasttime. In this connection we might mention that a third club is being formed in the Empire City for the purpose of holding trotting meetings, and we are told that a number of influential men are interesting themselves in the establishment of the new club. We don’t pretend to express an opinion as to whether or not there is room for three clubs in Wellington, but we hope the new club will be more fortunate than have been either the Johnsonville-Hutt County or Wellington Clubs in their efforts to introduce the sport, and make it find favour with the people. To do this at all effectively there should be the greatest care in the choice of working members and officials, and the owers of horses should as far as possible be deterred from having a voice in the business of the Club, either as stewards, handicappers, starters, or in any official capacity.

The Onslow (Auckland) Trotting Club have fixed the date of their Summer Meeting for Saturday, March 11. The programme of events is as follows: —Handicap Maiden Trot of 25 sovs, one mile and a half; Handicap Maiden Pony Race of 15 sovs, six furlongs; Onslow Trot Handicap of 60 sovs, three miles; Onslow Stakes Handicap of 30 sovs, one mile; Wheel Race Handicap of 40 sovs, two miles and a quarter ; Handicap Hurdles of 30 sovs, one mile and a half; Pony Trot Handicap of 25 sovs, one mile and a half; Huia Trot HandicapYf 30 sovs, one mile and a half. Nominations close on Friday, February 17, at 10 p.m. An adjourned meeting of owners of trotting horses and ponies was held at the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, Auckland, on Tuesday the 14th inst., Mr G. Mcßride presiding. It was decided that a club should be formed, to be called the ‘ Metropolitan Trotting and Pony Horse Owners’ Association of Auckland,’ such association to consist of an unlimited number of horseowners and others interested, the yearly subscription to be 2s 6d. The object of the association is to protect the interests of members, as horse-owners, in every possible way. It shall have the power of affiliating with similar bodies throughout the colony. The following officers were elected: —President, Mr W. Paul; vicepresident, Mr G.. Mcßride; committee, Messrs J. Martin, H. S. Canham, E. G. Sandall, W. Trubshaw, G. Robinson, G. Eynyon, E. S. Cole, J. Davis, T. Bray, A. Hughes, R. Kinloch, H. Wilson, and R. Moore.

The Auckland Trotting Club have framed an excellent programme for their autumn meeting, which is fixed to take place on the 15th April. The bill of fare consists of seven events, the added money to which amounts to £395, the principal event—the April Handicap Trot—being endowed with 130sovs.