AUSTRALIAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1777, 12 December 1885, Page 20

AUSTRALIAN.

Mr Martin Loughlin, who won a considerable sum with Sheet Anchor, the winner of the Melbourne Cup, has given £700 to be divided among the charities in the Ballarat district. , The members of the Victorian ring still complain bitterly of the dilatoriness of certain backers in settling their accounts over the late V.R.C. Spring meeting. The owner of Newstead has been " posted," and it is stated that other South Australians are likely to be placed on the board if their liabilities are not met next week. Tho settling in New South Wales has not been any too satisfactory, and on the whole the balancing of accounts in Sheet Anchor's year will be remembered as the worst that has occurred* for some time.

Last April, it will be remembered, a scion of a noble English house returned to the Old Country, leaving behind him many sorrowing friends at the Victorian rooms. It is now the intention of one of his creditors to have the young sprig of nobility posted as a defaulter, communications from England having satisfied him that there is no chance of a settlement.

" Augur " writes that a youthful new arrival from Home bought Primus just' before the Bendigo Selling Race, and backed him to win £1000 at 5 to 4 ; but it did not come off.

The profits on the late meeting of the Victorian Racing Club will reach something like £13,600.

While settling was going on in front of the Commercial Hotel at Waggn, on the night of the third day's races, an enterprising individual named Williams, on the look-out for an increase of wealth, and who wasn't over particular as to the method he used in obtaining it, snatched from the hands of Mr J. Abrahams, the'wellknown bookmaker, a roll of bank notes, and immediately made off as best he could through the

crowd. An alarm was at once given tl and for a second or two there was nothing but Commotion, but the robbed one's cries for" Help being well followed up, the robber, who had gained a slight start of his pursuers, was soon come up with, and after a rough handling disgorged 'bis illgotten gains, and was handed over to the care of the police, after which settling proceeded. Williams, and an accomplice named Smith, subsequently gotthree and two years' hard labour respectively.

Mr Bond, in framing the handicaps for .-two races at Sandhurst, mistook Mr Pile's horse Lantern for the other horse of that name, and accordingly let him in at 6st and 6st 101b each. Mr Pile, however, in the most commendable manner, agreed to accept the new weights allotted to his horse, which carried Bst 101b in each instance, instead of 6st 71b and 6st 101b, as originally handicapped by Mr Bond. The Sandhurst Cup was won by Mr J. Whittingham's Merrimu, by Argus, Scandal— Chiffoniere, 4 yrs, Bst 21b, beating Gipsy's Warning (<?st), Lesbia (7st4lb), and four others. The Bendigo Handicap, of 150 soys. was secured by Mr J. D. Robertson's b g StaflFord^by Lord Lytton— Peri, 6 yrs, Bst 51b, beating Irralic (Bst 101b), Royal Maid 6st 71b) and eight more. .With reference to the reward of £1000 offered by Mr Pearson for information which will lead to the conviction of persons implicated in injuring the racehorse Commotion, it is stated in the Melbourne papers that one of the stable boys received £JQO to lame the horse by striking him with a heavy blunt instrument, probably a hammer, on the fore leg. The horse has been lamed for life. The reward will not be paid for conviction of the stable boy alone. Competent judges, however, persist that the injury was the resuit of an accident on the wet course. A fire occurred on the 28th ult. at the stud farm of Alexander and. Thomas Anderson, Woodlands. The stables were .completely destroyed, and an old man named John Bryce, who slept in the stables, was burnt 4o death. The stallion Royal Charlie and draught black mare of the Adder blood were also destroyed. The fire is supposed to have been caused, by Bryce, who was drunk.