RACE COURSE SPONGERS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 April 1910, Page 2

RACE COURSE SPONGERS.

EXPERIENCES AT TAUHEHENIKAU. * ■* Tt is rather amusing the peculiar , attempts that are made by some ' people to gain access to a racecourse "on the never" ■ system " (says the Wairarapn Daily News). As is well known, long before the races the secretary is .besieged \v.iHi numerous requests for complimentary tickets, and. some quaint reasons are held out to support the application, one- for instance, "Mr So wind So is a oig plunger on the machine." Attempts to _ secure tickets on -pleads of this kind fail, and the secretary and the club get 'branded "stingy" by these racecourse spongers. In due time they arrive at the course, and are still to be found scheming to gain admittance. In the hustle they produce all sorts of tickets, such m railway passes, club tickets, and cigarette paper packets, in the hope that they will not be observed, in the bustle-. At Tauherenikan on Saturday and Monday this game was resorted to, and passing tickets round in coaches was also practiced, but the men in charge of the gates were alert to these dodges, and the wouikl - hie dodgers were unable to work the oracle. On Saturday nn absentminded coachee drove through without stopping for tickets. He drove straight through the gate close upon a checked vehicle, thus not giving the man in charge of tho gate an opportunity to close it. One would naturally have through that the driver would have pulled _ up when on the inside and have given the passengers a chance to"' get their tickets, but the horses were allowed to continue their trot. "But this attempt to evade the gate failed like many others, for one of the gatemen, who was younger than the crowd, set chase after the coach and caught it well up the course roadway, jumped in and collected a nice little addition to the gate receipts, including two shillings from the. driver.