THE NOHRA CASE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1927, Page 1

THE NOHRA CASE

DISQUALIFICATIONS imposed There was a lengthy sitting of the Greymouth District Racing Committee at Greymouth last evening to deal with the Nohra case remitted from the Racing Conference. There were present: Messrs Coates (chair), Docgan, McGregor, Kilgour, Parfitt, Perotti, Behan, and Evans. An apology for absence was received from Mr Roadie.

The charge against J. Nohra, of Reefton, was to the effect that that he had been guilty of a corrupt practice under the Rules of Racing in that he had, according to allegation, endeavoured to have the horse Moorland pulled at the New Year meeting of the Greymouth Jockey Club. The charge was heard originally by the Canterbury Jockey Club in the absence of Nohra, and a life disqualification imposed. On representations to the Racing Conference by .Air Nohra that lie had not been heard and that the Canterbury Committee did not have jurisdiction in the matter, the latter reconsidered the position, and revoked the disqualification, when the ease was remitted to the Greymouth Committee.

The case caino lip at Greymouth a fortnight ago, when R. McLellan (who bad been in charge of -Moorland on the Coast trip) and I). E. Colton (the rider) who were the chief witnesses in respect to the charge, did not appear, though summoned to do so. The ease was adjourned for a fortnight, and McLellan and Cotton were disqualified for a month for failure to comply with a request to attend under the Rules of

Racing. When the ease came on at Greymouth at 7.30 last night, all the parties and several witnesses were present. The hearing extended over five hours, and it was 12.30 a.m. before the decision of the Committee was announced. Mr J. Torrance, Racecourse Inspector, represented the Racing Conference. Evidence was given by D. E. Cotton (jockey), R. McLelland (in charge of Moorland), J. J. Keene (also associated with Moorland), F. Hanlon (sporting writer), J. Nohra, F. H. McHareus and P. Stevens. Written statements were put in by Mrs Cotton and others, considered also with the evidence. Alter deliberation the Committee found that J. Nohra had contravened the Rules of Racing under Part 32 of the laws, and a disqualification of two years was imposed. With respect to R. McLellan and D. E. Cotton, they were both called before the Committee and charged also in respect to the same offence for a breach of the Rules of Racing, and the hearing of flic* charm? was set clown for January 4th at Greymouth. For the time being, the disqualification previously imposed, stands, expiring on January 3rd.