The Globe. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 878, 18 April 1877, Page 2

The Globe. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1877.

SflfOE the clays of the great Peeress case, nothing apparently has moved the sporting world of New Zealand so much us will henceferth be called the Fishhook disqualification controversy. We do not wish to go into the merits or demerits of this unpleasant business, which, at the present moment, is being worked thread-bare by various contemporaries, but we must express our gratification at the fearless manner adopted by the North Otago Turf Club, and the Canterbury Jockey Club, when dealing with the matter. The Turf in these colonies has acquired, of late years, a far from pleasant notoriety, and its perfume is gradually assuming a pungency which, soon, but few nostrils will be enabled to bear and tolerate. And the well-defined and plain-spoken comments made on the subject last Saturday, by some of the members of the Jockey Club, fully corroborate our remarks. The gentlemen in question, by-the-bye, were not merely speaking as people who take an active interest in racing pursuits, but when denouncing the unfortunate state of depravity into which turf matters have now-a-days fallen, they took a more extended view of what is fast growing to be almost a social evil. Sir Cracroft Wilson, for one, broadly stated that rascality now existed in connection with racing which was not known in the early days of the club, and which, if not checked by most stringent measures, would lead to the disgrace of the whole colony. This is rather strong language perhaps, and slightly overshooting the mark, but he who uttered it is admittedly entitled to pronounce an opinion on such subjects, and it carries with it considerable weight. Further on we find that, when another member complained that jockeys had a great deal to do towards encouraging those swindling practices which make the Turf a public scandal, and that they should in consequence be made to amend their wicked ways, he was at once met with the rejoinder that there were not many honest jockeys nor yet many honest owners. Doubts have been freely expressed for some time past as to the absolute bona /ides of racing in New Zealand, and 'occurrences snch as digraced the Oamaru meeting the other day, and which have not been very imfrequent of late years, tend unfortunately to confirm those doubts. And when men of the highest standing, who happen to patronise the Turf, are seen hob-nob-bing with those fellows of the lowest type who attend each race meeting like hungry wolves bent \ipon devouring everything coming within their reach, how difficult it is to refrain from a conviction that things are not as they should be. The members of the rufiianly gangs to which we allude, should :>e scouted from among racing men, md until they are, horse racing will never become successful and popular. To make it so remains in a great measure, in the hands of the men who,

while taking ;i keen interest in racing matters, do not make a trade of it; and they should make every effort to render one of the noblest sports which we possess, one in which every member of the community could join without fear of being brought into disrepute by the contact.

The new arrangements made by the Government in their administration of the Canterbury railway, come into force, we believe, on the Ist of next month. As Ave stated, on a former occasion, Mr. Warner, the present railway engineer, has received notice to quit, and his services will be dispensed with iu a few days. The duties appertaining to his office, and which he has long discharged well and with ability, will henceforth be performed by two officials, Mr. Lowe and Mr. Allison Smith. The former gentleman has been gazetted engineer in charge of the permanent Avay, and his duties will be mainly to look after the maintenance of the lines. Mr. A. Smith, on the other hand, will have under his care the management of the locomotive department, that is to say the purely mechanical branch of the service, which includes the immediate control of all rolling-stock-. Both gentlemen, we believe, are able and energetic; Mr Smith, besides, possessing considerable experience in railway matters. Mr Lowe is somewhat new to the work, and, while his professional qualifications as an engineer are beyond dispute, it cannot be said that he ever served an apprenticeship in railway matters. AVe remember him as a goldfield warden on the West Coast diggings some years ago, where, during the short time he held office, he became a great favourite with the nomadic population he had to deal with. As both Mr. Lowe and Mr. Smith will each receive salaries almost equal to that enjoyed by Mr. Warner, we confess that Ave do not perceive the advantages to be derived from the change. HoAvever, the powers on high have spoken, and Ave have uoav a duplicate piece of administrative machinery in the engineering branch of our railways, from Avhich Avonders should reasonably be expected if occasion required.