BOOKMAKERS AND BACKERS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 479, 12 April 1909, Page 5

BOOKMAKERS AND BACKERS

DISGRACEFUL SCENE AT ELLERSLIE. RIOTOUS BEHAVIOUR. (BY TELEGUAI'iI--I'IIESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, April 11. A disgraceful sceno occurred at the end of tin; last race of tlie Auckland Racing Club's Easter meeting oil Saturday. A young man had laid a double of 50 to 1 with a bookmaker. ■ When Dogger Bank won the last raco tho backer's . hopes had been realised, and ho went along to the bookmaker to claim his winnings, £'25 10s. It is then alleged that the bookmaker passed a wad of notes to a confederate, and turned round to tho successful backers with tho story that tho cash had rim out, but -that tho money would bo obtained from the bank, and ail made right next day. 1' nry thereupon soized the crowd, and things would have gone badly with tho bookmaker, his clerk, ainl tho alleged confederate, if the police had not stepped in and taken a hand. Tho men

were taken to the stewards' stand, but as most of the stewards had departed, an inquiry was postponed till Mondav. Tito crowd then took a hand again, and things looked very bad for the two. With many imprecations they wore seized by tho throats, by the hair, bv the collar, in fact everywhere a hand could bo gripped. For the timo all was riot. Pot-plants wont crashing over the stairs, flower-beds were trodden upon and crushed, and pandemonium reigned supremo. Eventually tho man paid straightout odds, and the polico got him away.° ■ Another bookmaker, who earlier in' tho day failed to make good his wagers, was with his clerk, brought before the stewards, who, after hearing evidence, ordered his immediate removal from the course, and recommonded that no license be issued to him in future, nnd that lie bo warned off all racecourses in New Zealand.