THE LATE HAWKE'S BAY RACE MEETING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3068, 27 April 1881, Page 3

THE LATE HAWKE'S BAY RACE MEETING.

Shortly after the last Hawke's Bay Jockey Club's race meeting, it will be remembered that we republished from the Wanganui Chronicle an account furnished by " Soukar" of those races from at visitor's point of view. Since then, at a club committee meeting, the secretary was instructed to address a communication to the Chronicle that should contain ah unqualified contradiction of the statements made in that account by " Soukar." Accordingly Mr F. D. Luckie wrote the following letter to the Chronicle, which, in justice to the Jockey Club, we gladly republish:—

TO THE EDITOR WANGAKUI OHBONICLE. Sir, —In your issue of the 23rd ult. appears,an article written by " Soukar," Riving a discription, from bis point of view, of the " 'Hawke'sßay Jockey Club Races. Of course all public men expect the Press to criticise their actions, but when, as in this case, fair criticism is made to give way to deliberate falsehood, it is necessary that the truth should be" made public. "Soukar" writes in reference to tbe Tradesman's Handicap, stating that certain gentlemen entered the judge's box before the judge's dicision was given, and persuaded him into declaring in favour of Mavis. I may state that, as Secretary to the Club, I was in the judge's box when the race ia question was run ; that there was not the slightest doubt about the mare having won the race, and that the judge gave me his dicision instantly the mare passed the post. Also, I was in the saddling paddock on my way to put up the numbers before anyone entered the judge's enclosure. " Soukar's" article abounds ■with untruths from start to finish, and I regret that you have, unwittingly no doubt, . allowed that individual to publicly traduce the character of a gentleman who is known to be incapable of such actions. I may also '. state that at a meeting of the H. 8." Jockey .' Club,,beld.a ): few i days: since, a resolution ,'\ was. passed sympathising with the judge oil account of the article in question. I trust you will find space for this letter, and, as „, ."Soukar's" effusion has been copied into most, of the New Zealand papers, I would, . with; your permission, ask the editors of those .papers to publish this contradiction of " Soukar's " statements.—Yours, &c, r : ,.,f r.-- ~ •-; I.D. Lupus. '' Secretary, Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, papier, 16fch April, 1881,

[Wo willingly publish the above letter a 9 requested, it being only fair' that both sides should be heard. At tbo same time it is necessary for us to state that "Soukar" was no chance correspondent picked up by us for the occasion of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club Races, but is our regular sporting contributor, a man who thoroughly understands the subject, and who is in our opinion quite trustworthy. "Soukar" has assured us personally that he merely wrote what he actually saw, and what hundreds besides him saw. He has stated in our columns that he does not cbai'ge the judge with giving a wilfully dishonest decision.—Ed. W.C.]