THE FEILDING ENQUIRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1321, 24 June 1897, Page 24

THE FEILDING ENQUIRY.

.The.much talked of enquiry into the running of certain animals at the last Feilding meeting 1 has been held by the Wanganui Metropolitan Club, but no information on the subject is available, the proceedings being of a very private nature. It is not even generally known what was being enquired into but there was plenty of material to work upon in that particular respect, for not only did some animals not try, or were not permitted to try, but others tried too well—for the bookmakers of the colony, at any rate. A deputation from the Feilding Club travelled to Wanganui to tender evidence and give all the information of which they held possession in reference to the matters complained of, and the Metropolitan Club Committee passed a resolution to the effect that the Feilding Jockey Club was to be congratulated upon the manner in which it conducted its race meetings. This brief item, whieh I noticed in a country contemporary, is all that the writer has, so far, seen printed on the subject. All that can be said is that no public charge was made against the Feilding institution for not conducting its meetings in a proper manner. There may have been an inference that as there were irregular practises indulged in the club was responsible. But no club can prevent crooked running. All that its stewards can do is to deal . with the offenders subsequently and pass such sentences as will likely act as a deterrent in the future. When a racing club gets a name for strictness and severity owners and trainers who patronise its gatherings seldom care to run the risk of disqualification on that particular course. But the majority of stewards in this colony appear to be of a very lenient disposition, and many glaring cases in which crookedness is most palpable to everyone goes unrewarded in the shape of punishment. The Feilding Jockey Club officials apparently did nob have sufficient evidence to warrant them taking any steps against alleged offenders, or they would likely have done so. There were so many rumours spread round the colony in reference to the running of certain horses and the backing of others with the outside bookmakers instead of with the machine, that it is not to be wondered at that the Colonial Secretary moved in the matter of an enquiry. The result is the exoneration of the Feilding Club, but beyond that nothing is known. It is quite possible, however, that some of the evidence tendered by the Feilding deputation will be valuable to the Metropolitan Club for reference in the not far distant future.