HAWKE'S BAY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 678, 5 March 1903, Page 14

HAWKE'S BAY.

Napier, March 2. Much regret was expressed here on Monday when the news came to hand that Mr George Douse, the veteran follower of the pastime in Dunedin, had been gathered in by the Reaper, who spares no one, giant or dwarf, young or old. What a

< lot George Douse did for the sport in the ;■ South those only know who had the pleai sure of his acquaintance. I can speak with some assurance on the subject, for in my youth I was one of his boys, having served my time under him, and consequently had ample opportunities of knowing the way in which he helped many a lame dog over the stile of adversity, and set them on their feet. Generous as they make them, the big-hearted Celt was ever ready with his money and advice to give assistance to those who deserved it, and though his style was of the rough and ready order, and his vocabulary more pungent than polite, his heart was as warm and full of kindness as that of a woman. Though a keen business man in the ordinary sense of the word, the love of the ' game had too big a hold of him for his pecuniary benefit, and there is no doubt that had he paid as> muck attention to his business in the early days as he did to sport in all its branches that in his old age he would not have allowed a subscript i tion list to be got up for his benefit. .I' I am sure the subject must have been a dis- ! tasteful one to him, for he was one of the ! clan who felt it lowered their dignity to be beholden to any inan, but if the idea was not a palatable one to him, it at J least showed him that the sportsmen of to-day recognised in him a builder of the game when it wanted strong hands and ! good heads to pilot it along the troubled ! way. Full of repartee, wit, and humour, ' and imbued with the highest principles of integrity, travellers along the racing road will miss his familiar presence and strong personality. I myself mourn the loss of an able instructor, good adviser, and staunch well-wisher, and I am quite sure in' that respect I am not singular. Napier, March 3. Mr G. L. . Sunderland, judge and bon. treasurer of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey \ Club, left for a holiday trip to the Old Country to-day. Eclair left for Wanganui to-day, and The Shannon, Tradewind, Ta, and Starshoot took their departure for the same place this morning. The quintette will represent Hawke’s Bay at the Wanganui Meeting this week. Tradewind did a good gallop on Saturday morning, easily settling The Shannon in a once round .go. While working over the obstacles on Saturday morning, at Hastings, Defoe got struck on the head with a splinter out of one erf the hurdles. It must have come at him with some force, for it took some trouble to get the splinter out of his jaw. The accident was caused through his attempting to run off at the first fence, and in doing so ran Modesty off, who was on the outside of him'. Modesty toppled over the wing of the hurdle, giving her rider, Bargliss, a bad fall. Owing to his mis-,, hap, Defoe will have to be placed on the retired list for some time. Scallywag is in active commission in the Waipawa district, and Turquoise’s well-performed son is acquitting himself satisfactorily in his studies. Though several of Prosser’s team have been entered for the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club’s Meeting, not a single member of his string has been nominated at Napier Park. After the payment of the sweepstakes last Friday night, the following horses have been left in the Hawke’s Bay Stakes, which is the leading item on the second day’s bill of fare of the Hawke’s Bay J.C. Autumn Meeting this month. The names of the payers-up are • Melodeon, Rose Madder, Regiment, Achilles, Exmoor, Deerstalker, Gt]den Vein, To-morrow, Treadmill, Kamo, Pprirua. Rawiri, Machine Gun, King i og, Bandmaster, Treat, Goldust, Nitrite, St. Evangeline. , The Cuirassier —Lady Moth filly, Renown, is standing well up in her tasks, and it looks as if this gallant chestnut son of Dreadnought will soon again be / measuring strides with the opposing forces. Oracle’s owner had a fair win over Cast-off’s son’s victory in the Woodville Cup, for although he was not present to assist at the meeting, he had a fiver invested on his horse’s number on the machine. Frost gives the idea that he will again be able to survive the trying-out process, for the leg that had been blistered now ’• looks fine and clean.