THE MABEL CASE.

Evening Star, Issue 3894, 17 August 1875, Page 2

THE MABEL CASE.

The adjourned meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club, to consider the question of removing the disqualification from the racing mare Mabel, was held last evening at the Empire Hotel; present—Mr John Stephenson (president), Messrs J. Davidson, Geo Dodson, Geo. Dowse, H. Gourley.’T. Meenan, C, Moore, J. M‘Neill, T. O’Donnell, J. Keany, A. Smith, 3. G. Smith, W. Taggart, and 3. James (secretary).

The Secretary laid on the table copies of the new rules of the Club, and then read correspondence and minutes of the Club bearing on the Mabel question. From these it appeared that on racing mare Mabel was disqualified by a meeting of the stewards from ever running on the Forbury Course, or any course over which the D. J.C rules were in force. On February 22 of the present year, Mr Doyle, of the East Taieri, who had purchased the mare, .wrote asking that the disqualification might be taken off, but the committee decided that the request be not entertained. On May 25 Dr Michael D. Murphy, the present owner of Mabel, wrote that he had in March bought her at a (long price &a a hack, but finding that she 'did not answer his purposes he now followed a course which had been suggested to him, via., to auply to the Club to have the disqualification removed. The vvnterstated that the mare would thus bo placed in her' proper position by being again allowed to race. He had heard it remarked that the sale of Mabel to him was perhaps not bond fide, but he was prepared to take an affidavit that she was entirely his own property, and that no one else had any interest in her. This letter was postponed till after the •lection of the new committee, in July, and came on for consideration on the 6th inst, when there not being a full meeting of committee it was again adjourned till last night. The Chaibman : Gentlemen you have all the information before you. Anyone uffio wishes to speak on the matter can now do so. Mr Meenan : I propose that the disqualification be taken off the racing mare Mabel. he would be a good acquisition to the turf and our future meetings, and I think the end of the disqualification has been attained—which was to punish Captain Hutchison. I have every confidence in the gentleman who now owns her and think such a course would be an encouragement to new blood coming amongst us to go into racing. There is no reason for keeping it oh new.

Mr Reant : 1 second that. Mr Dodson : I move ao an amendment that the disqualification be not taken off. It should not be if we have any respect for the Club, and I think those who bring the matter forward should withdraw it without going any further. I call it child’s-play to put on a disqualification and then taka it off again in a few months’ time, and if done for anybody it should have been done for Captain Hutchison—not for anyone else.

The Skobetart : I would point out that a direct negative is not an amendment. Mr Dodson : Well, put it how you like—that’s my opinion. Mr Arthur Smith : I hope the discussion en this matter will be held in a fair and impartial manner, and that no outside influence will be allowed to be brought to bear on it. Unfair influence has been brought to bear on the matter by some members having threatened t* resign if the disqualification is taken off and in consequence there is a fear that some may not vote as they would wish because of doing an injury to the Club ; still, I hope that all will vote according to their convictions. No new light has been thrown on the matter since its origin nine months ago, and all the parties implicated have left the country. Again, there

is no reason to doubt Dr Murphy, or to think that be would lend himself to anything discreditable or dishonest. Ho has only just come to the place, and I can see no good in enforcing tue penalty any longer, as the controlling “ oa Gst. It is not a horse that is guilty ot dishonesty, but the controlling power in the shape of owner or jockey ; and, now that the controlling power in this case is honest, we should hail with pleasure an addition to the turf of any such gentleman—especially considering the scarcity of racehorses in the Provmee, and that so many of what are here are owned by racing stables and members of the ‘ ring. ” While no one is more anxious than myself to uphold the morality of the turf, I am of opinion that we may fall into the opposite extreme. It is useless to punish a horseanimals have no reasoning powers ; and while the Club has taken disqualifications off jockeys, I would sooner take them off horses." It has been said that the financial position of the Club would be injured—(Mr

Domon; That It w*uld.)—but I may wy that Dr Murphy has put himself to a good deal of trouble in the matter, and the result ie that that ground is swept away from under the feat of those who urge it. ) have here a petition signed by a largo number of merchants and others, the principal supporters of the turf, asking that it be taken off. The Secretary road the petition, whichyu signed by Messrs James Marshall, Robert Ivil* son, Captain Stavoly, A. T. Dunning, 0. S* Beeves, H. Sbott, T. S. Graham, O. Johnson, 0. Flexmnn, T. Thomson, H. Falconer, B. Bastings, and about eighty others of all positions and callings. It was to the effect that in the opinion of the petitioners the removal of the disqualification would be not at all prejudicial to the interests or financial position of the Club, and that the public would be glad to seo Mabol racing again at the Forbury. Mr Dodson : There are not a dosen names there that art supporters of the Club. Mr A, smith : They are all supporters—they are frequenters of the Forbury, and those are the people wo look to for the support of our races.

Mr Dodson : Well, you don't gat it than. Mr A. Smith ; I think wo do. However, this disposes of the argument of the publio baing against the removal, and I believe tbat if it were done the attendance at 'the races would" be thiee times as great, for people would ha anxious to see an animal about which there haa been so-much mystery. I don’t think I have, anything more to say —- Mr Dodson ; You’ve said quit* enough. The t&oniTABT then, after objection by same of the members, read a letter from‘Mr C. W. Cutteu, otta of the stewards at the time of the disqualification, urging tbat it would ba injudicious to take off the penalty, as the Clubwould thereby stultify itself by so soon reversing its decision. The public would also think that the mare was disqualified merely to deceive them by yielding to their wishes, with the intentio > of removing the peualty in a few months’ time.

.Mr A. Suite ; I object to that letter being read—a letter from a member only has no right to be re'ad at a committee meeting, Mr DoWRB: The letter is addressed to the Secretary, anti is therefore the property of the committee, and I claim the right to have it read. Mr Moore : Why, Mr Smith ku lust had read a letter from about 100 persons ; now earn he object to a letter from one ? Mr A. Suite :It was only a request—mot a letter at all. Mr Dowse : It is an expression of opinion, isn’t it ? Mr Doßsok :Gf course it is—he (Mr Smith) wants a one-sided affair. Mr A. Smith : But this letter— TheOBAiBUAN: You can’t have all the right to yourself to talk. Other members may wish to speak on the matter. The Secretary then concluded the letter, which Mr Dodson said he considered a very sensible one. Mr Meenan : I see by the names to the petition that two of the stewards Messrs Marshall and Scott hare changed their opinions.

Mr GoubliET : I think the disqualification ought to be taken off the mare ; she has sufiei ed long enough. Mr Meenan : Tes ; we want to get honest men on the turf. The Chairman : Is that the way to get them? Can you show that Dr Murphy will suffer in any way if it is not taken off ? If so I will vote for its removal. Mr Dodson : If it was ever taken off it should have been for Captain Hutchison—not for those who bought her, knowing that sho waa disqualified. The Chairman : My opinion is that if Dr Murphy had been let alone he would never have sent that letter to the Club at all, but that he has been urged to do it by some one else. Mr Godrlet : Then you would throw her out of racing altogether? The Chairman: And why not? Otherwise, why should not I get Peeress down and run her here ? air Moore : One way to look at the question is that *e elected gentlemen to act as stewards, who are accountable to the public for the proper conduct on the course of men and animals; these gentlemen heard the evidence and disqualified the mare, and we should be treating them badly to ask them to act and then upset their decision. Air A .''MITH ; When a ban is put on is it never to be lemoved? Look ,at the jockeys VL'Kiy and Bob Ray—and they were bad eases.

lire Chairman : It’s a different matter altogether l etween a horse and a man. A man may have nothing else by which to gain a livelihood, while a horse loses nothing hy disqualification. Mr Moobb : If this is taken off we need never expect other Clubs to endorse oar actions.

air A Smith ; I am credibly informed that some of the country Clubs have it off already. Mr S. ii. Smith ;■ I think what we ought te consider is whether the removal of the penalty would be prejudicial to the Club, b have heard one prominent member say that if it were taken off he would resign his position, and all things considered I am of opinion that the letter of Dr Murphy should, be withdrawn. No one has lost anything by the mare, she was disqualified “for ever,” and how they could take it off I cannot see.

Mr A Smith : You see by the petition that ninety people ©ut of every 100 wojdd be glad to ■ee it removed.

Mr S. G. Smith : It’s a .very easy thing to get up a requisition on any subject. Mr Dowse : The gentlemen elected as stewards carried out the disqualification, and if we wish them to act throughout the year we should beck them up in what they do. As te the petition, there is one name there, the first on the list (Mr Marshall’s), which is a host in itself, and anything that gentleman puts Lie name to I consider, and the Club has always considered, worthy of earnest consideration; but as to the other names—with the exception of some eight or nine, they are simple nonentities as regards racing. It is barely three months ago we received answers from the Melbourne and Sydney Clubs following our example, and if we reverse our decision what wifi they think? It would plaoe the Club in a ridiculous position, and all other olubc would say it'c no use taking any notice of What we de. .Besides, the feelings of a majority ef the tubseribers are against it. Mr A. Smith : I think it will be seen-

The Chairman : Look here, yon mint *ll the talk to yourself— ycm can hare this place ef mine if you like. Mr Keant : The great point raised by the opponents of the removal of the disqualifies* tiou is the threat of a prominent member to resign. I think that some member* here would not change their opinion if all the names in Dunedin were at the foot of the petition. The Chairman : If all the town signed it I should not change my opinion. Mr Dodson: Nor I. You would not get Lo subscribed to the race funds from the lot on that petition. Mr Reant : Well, the Dunedin people would be proud to see Mabel racing again at the Forbury, and I suppose no one here is in dread of the marc—you that have got horses ? The Chairman : None of us have got horses. Mr Rbant ; Not thorough racehorsss, but some of you have got a lot of scrubbers, Mr Dowse : There is no one here but grho personally would like to see the mare ruduisg again ; but the question is whether an injusy is being done anyone bv keeping on the disqualification? Does the .mare express any opinion that she would prefer racing te her present easy life ? I should imagine not. Mr Davidson : We arc studying expedienoy too much and what the outside public will say but we ought to do what e honest, At the first blush 1 was in favor of taking it off, but after studying the matter out X changed my opinion —we are doing no one any injury, and I say keep it on, for the credit of the Club. The Club was foolishly lax with Kay and M'Kay and that is no argument in favor of removing the penalty from Mabel Mr MeenaN : I know for a fact that certain members told Dr Murphy to write to the Club as he had done, and that probably it would be taken off, and that induced him to purchase Mabel

ivir Davidson : Oh I That makss it ten times wor e.

, motion was then put and lest, five votlnn Mfr it and six against Th* voting was as fef-

laws:—For the motion Main Gouxley, Meeaan, O’Donnell, Beany, and Arthur Smith; against—Messrs Davidson, Dodson, Dowse, Moore, M'Neill, and S. G. Smith. The chairman and Mr Taggart did not vote. The matter therefore remains as before, and the disqualification is not removed.