The Wellington Trotting Protest.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume III, Issue 134, 16 February 1893, Page 7

The Wellington Trotting Protest.

(from our own correspondent.)

Wellington, Feb. 10th. Mr D. H. McKinnon, secretary of the Johnsonville and Hutt Country Trotting Club, has supplied the local Press with the following summary of the report of the inquiry into the protests against Prince IL, winner of the Club Handicap and Spring Handicap at the Boxing Day Meeting : — The first meeting was held in Johnsonville on the 26th January, when there was a full attendance of the stewards, Mr Menteath being in the chair. Mr Pollock appeared on behalf of Messis Lonsdale and Oxenham, and called Fred Pragnall, horse-trainer and dealer, Christchurch, who deposed he was at Lancaster Park on the 20th June, 1891, at the Winter Meeting. Saw Nic. Russell ride Sandy Cook in the Maiden Handicap Saddle Trot; saw the horse Mr Falloon was holding outside the Johnsonville Hotel, and recognised him as Sandy Cook, because he was in height, build, stamp, and colour the same, and had a marked knee on the near leg, similar to Sandy Cook. He was also a conspicuous horse as a trotter.

N. Corrigan, farmer, Alfredton, deposed there was a resemblance between Prince 11. and Sandy Cook. Did not recognise Prince 11. as Sandy Cook on the racecourse at Johnsonville; only afterwards when reminded by a friend. Had an impression that Sandy Cook was branded on the neck with a mark that looked like a bite or an L or a G, but would not swear to any of his statements regarding the horse, it being at least eight months since he saw him at Lancaster Park, in June, 1891. Mr Falloon, of Taratahi, near Masterton, owner of the horse, said Prince 11. was bred by Mr Davie, near Christchurch, who sold him to Mr J. B. Whyte unbroken. Mr Whyte brought him up from Christchurch about three years ago with two other horses. He (witness)

never nominated the horse before. Mr Whyte lives at Pahiatua. The meeting then adjourned until Friday, 3rd February, at the Club Hotel, Wellington, to enable Messrs Lonsdale and Oxenham to produce further evidence of the horse’s identity, and Mr Whyte, the former owner, to be present. The witnesses attended on that date, but the horse, on account of Mr Falloon not receiving instructions in time, was not forthcoming. The stewards, however, decided to take Mr Malcolm Russell s evidence, and to then adjourn until Monday. when the horse could be seen. Malcolm Russell, horse-dealer, Christchurch, deposed he knew Sandy Cook running as a colt at Lincoln; saw him last in his own stables at Christchurch about three years ago. He was a big, light silver chestnut horse, suitable for a butcher’s cart or brougham, about 16 to 16.1 hands in height, had a lump on his near knee, but no other mark; never noticed his brand; the horse had a little bit of white on his forehead, but no other white.

The enquiry was then adjourned until Monday, February 6th. On resuming Mr M. Russell viewed the horse and deposed : He had seen the horse, and was certain that he was the property of Jim Whyte more than three years ago, and the horse was not Sandy Cook; also that he could not understand the rumour of identity with Sandy Cook, as there was so much difference between the two horses.

Mr Whyte (late owner of the horse), of Kaitawa, Pahiatua, farmer, deposed : Sold the horse to Falloon Brothers on 25th December, 1891, at Taratahi; owned the horse previous to that for between two and three years; bought the horse from Mortimer Davie, Christchurch, unbroken and uncut; brought him up here some time after, together with two other horses; broke him in. The horse exhibited to him to-day called Prince 11. was the horse he had sold to Messrs Falloon. He had no big knee when he sold him. He was not at the Johnsonville Meeting. Had ridden him in the Canterbury Mounted Rifles two years; did not notice a lump on his knee until he saw him after the Johnsonville Meeting; had seen him once before about nine months ago. when he had no mark. Never saw any other horse resembling him in Falloon’s possession; Prince 11. was not branded when he (witness) bought him. Witnesses having left the room, the stewards carefully considered well the facts of the case, and decided that no evidence had been produced to show that the horse Prince 11. was Sandy Cook, as alleged by the protestors, nor had any evidence been brought to show he was any other horse than he was described to be. Further, that the evidence of Mr J. Falloon, the present owner, and Mr J. B. Whyte, the late owner, was most satisfactory, and showed that the horse was Prince H. The stewards therefore awarded the stakes to Mr Falloon in both races, viz., the Johnsonville Handicap, 40 sovs, and the Harness Trot of 15sovs.

In reference to the foregoing summary of the evidence given at the enquiry, the following letter, with editorial footnote, appeared in the New Zealand Times this morning:— The Prince 11. Enquiry. To the Editor: Sir, —The chairman of the Johnsonville and Hutt County Trotting Club Committee (A. S. S. Menteath, Esq.) made it an express condition during the Prince 11. enquiry that the evidence taken should not be made public. I, on behalf of the protesting parties, fulfilled the condition imposed by the chairman, although I had copies of all evidence taken during the enquiry in my possession. I am therefore much surprised to find a portion of the evidence published in your columns this morning I say a portion, as Mr A. Scott’s (of Christchurch) sworn evidence as to the identity of Sandy Cook and Prince Il.being the same animal and tendered by me, is suppressed. I may here state that MrMenteaih assures me that he gave no consent or instructions re the evidence being published. I may add that the matter of taking further steps has been placed in the hands of our solicitor for consideration. — I am, etc., J. H. Pollock, Attorney for H. Lonsdale and T. Oxenham. Wellington, 2nd February. [The evidence as published by us yesterday was furnished by the secretary of the club, and printed with his sanction and approval.—Ed. Times.