WARNED OFF AT WINGATUI.

NZ Truth, Issue 104, 15 June 1907, Page 2

WARNED OFF AT WINGATUI.

From all accounts there were a gpbtf, many interesting facts which did not appear on the surface m connection with the ejection of Messrs Smith and Allen from, the Witjijsatui Racecourse on the Prince of Wales' Birthday. The general impression formed m. the North, Island was that . the action of ■ the Dunedinj stewards was prompted by some -happening at Oamaru, but this is an idea entirely erroneous. As is well knowii. the course at Wingatui is a private property, and the Jockey Club authorities decided to have. the two owners removed because it ' was alleged that they Were m the habit of acoepititig, . totalisator odds from different bookmakers, and would, no doubt, do so m connection with one or two events at the Dunedin meeting. If the truth must be told, however, the affair is only a side issue of a little feud that has been going on for some months between the ejected owners and a well-known race-course detective. For a considerable time now these parties have been conducting a sort of triangular battle m so much that they .have fought one another per medium 6i the various Racing .Club stewards down South. Just how long the en- j mity between, them has; actually existed is not quite evident, but the tacts about to be related should prove both interesting and amusing to sporting readers. At the last Riccarton meeting the racecourse detective employed by the Canterbury Jockey Club had occasion to report .some individual for betting with the bookmakers, and his action evoked ihe displeasure of certain owners. These latter gentlemen approached the Timaru Cluib before the date of nominations for. the last meeting, and before entering their horses requested a guarantee that the detective m would not be present at Washdyke, The Club, not wishing to lose the entries, which numbered about twenty, acceded to the request, and a let-, ter was forwarded to the detective informing w*-» that his presence at. the meeting h. iot desired, and asking that his j*«istants only be present. The Ashbcvfcon County Racing Club were approached m the same way, and they also., acceded to the request of the owners.. . It will be readily seen that the proceedings j at this stage were very one-sided, but the man of vigilance wafi watching and waiting, and hatching a plot which would prove him fust as vin^ j 'dicitivei as his opponents. The Oamaru meeting provided a truce to the fighting, for the racecourse there is a public reserve, and the North Otaso Jockey Club is a peaceful body which does not worry much about bookmakers or detectives. The Dunedinr racing officials, however, decided to employ the usual, racecourse staff of detectives, and the result was that just before the second race on the opening day the two owners were removed from the Wingatui grounds for the reasons above stated. When appeals and protestations were found to avail nothing Petard and Grandstand were withdrawn from all engagements. All the talk about legal proceedings, is, of course, bunkum, for the Otago 'Jockey Club have a perfect right to say who may or may not frequent^ their" private grounds. But the matter is not completely ended yet. The ejected parties complain to the Club that the owner of Strathfillan was 0119 Of

their paid officials, to wit, the racecourse detective ; and if report is trueothcy prgd^ced.^ a receigtifoj . thje. purchase ,_.raojxey,, in support .of their contention. At this interesting stage th'e matter rfemains unsettled. With the particulars furnished it Will be plain to everyone that the action of the Otagp Jockey Club has opened up a la'i'gb 'question. No one will jsresume t^ Jc|tie§tion 'the action of the club m employing the usual 1 detective staff, and doubtless it was deemr ed useless to h£.ve that staff unless it was given full authority. But if the practice adopted at Wingatui is to be rigidly enforced there and followed Jjy other clubs Where will it end ? There are numerous Metropolitan stewards who are known to bet with the bookmakers, and it is difficult to see how clubs can condemn offences m the public and condone similar ones among themselves.