Colonial Enterprise.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 113, 22 September 1892, Page 3

Colonial Enterprise.

In our issue of September 8, under the above heading, we quoted an article in which the Canterbury Times “ bowled out” the Weekly Press over reproducing a picture of the English chaser Pathfinder and trying to palm it off as a likeness of the C.J.C. Grand National winner Ahua. The “ artistic” plagarism was detected by our contributor “ Pegasus,” and alluded to by him at the same time as the sporting editor of the Canterbury Times detected it. In this connection “ Castor,” of the Canterbury Times says in that journal’s issue of September 15th

‘ ‘ I have received a number of letters of congratulation upon the subject of ‘ Colonial Enterprise,’ for insertion in the columns of this paper. But as the journal which committed the plagiarism has acknowledged the offence, I think my correspondents will approve of leaving the author to his own reflections.”

On the same subject “Vigilant,” of the New Zealand Mail, has the following scathing remarks : — “ The Weekly Press and New Zealand Referee has been completely bowled out by the Canterbury Times in a gross piece of artistic plagiarism. The similarity between the two pictures of Ah.ua and Pathfinder as placed side by side in the Times illustration leaves no doubt in any intelligent person’s mind that ‘ Ahua ’ has been adapted from Pathfinder. The pose of jockey and horse, the clouds in the sky, the flag, and the little building in the distance are points of similiarity which could not be accidental. The general verdict is ‘ found guilty,’ and the deception inflicted on its confiding readers will be quoted against the ‘ sporting authority ’ for years. I should not have made such pointed allusion to this very singular fiasco if the Referee editor had not been so unwise as to reply to the Canterbury Times in its last issue in the folio-wing terms :— ‘ We observe that a contemporary finds a marvellous resemblance between Ahua and a horse called Pathfinder. We have never seen Pathfinder, but will accept the evidence put before us that the one horse is very like the other. At any rate we can vouch for our illustration being an excellent sketch of Ahua. If our gallant little champion is like the other in appearance, it may comfort Mr. Rutherford to know that there the resemblance ends—for Pathfinder is only a cocktail, by Mogador from a mare of unknown pedigree, and is as inferior to our horse in performance as he is inbreeding.’ “ It is not only very foolish but very unfortunate for out contemporary that it should have made such a reply, for I feel convinced that not half-a-dozen persons in New Zealand will believe it. It reminds us of the man who, on being accused of plagiarising from Shakespeare, remarked that it was very curious that he and Shakespeare should have thought of the same thing. The offence of the Press and Referee was rank when it was committed, but it is ranker after this very clumsy—and I had almost said impudent—denial. The suggestion made in the paragraph following the denial is in exceedingly bad taste, but the third article asking the readers of the Referee to satisfy themselves as to the genuineness of Orme’s picture in that week’s issue was quite necessary after the unlucky Ahua esclandre.”

A full sister to Melos has just been bom at the Tocal (N.S.W.) Stud. Target has had to be eliminated from the Melbourne Cup perforce, an informality having been discovered in his nomination. The Earl of Rosslyn and Col. North have matched Buccaneer and Nunthorpe to race mile at even weights for a-side. The contest will take place at Newmarket in the autumn, some time after Buccaneer’s match with Orvieto, and it is safe to say that it will excite an exceptional degree of interest in English racing circles. The father of Mick O’Brien died the same evening as did the famous jockey. He had been ailing for some time previously. He was in his 68th year. The Victorian Trotting Club has declined to accede to the request of the New Zealand Trotting Association to remove the disqualification passed on the New Zealander David Price in connection with the trotting of the mare Princess at Elstemwick Park.