THE BACKING OF OLD MAGINDI

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2280, 24 May 1921, Page 3

THE BACKING OF OLD MAGINDI

(By Old Sport.)

"Yes, we had a good time, at the Wanganui meeting,” said a local sport. “The run through by motor was delightful. The .Wanganui County Council has made a good job of the road from the top of the Wangaehu hill to the borough boundary —the old road was well-known as the motor man’s curse. Wanganui was crowded out with visitors, some of a very undesirable character, and accommodation was at a premium. The weather was fine, which added to the enjoyment of the outing. To see the well-dressed crowds parading the streets and the greater crowds at the races, one would never believe that this little chunk of earth was passing through a time of financial depression. Motor cars Hitting everywhere, and representing thousands upon thousands of pounds. Talk about welldressed women —pretty women, too —I have never seen a better or more prosperous looking assembly of the lair sex at any similar gathering. Yes, they had ’em all on, Not a dowdy-looking person met the eye. Perhaps the drop in drapery prices accounted for the fine feminine display. I guess ‘Bill’ Massey’s eyes would have bulged at the general air“of prosperity. It was further exemplified at the totalisator —the money simply rolled in. The Government should erect a loan deposit booth alongside the totalisator for permanent gilt-edged investments, with a guaranteed dividend. Lots of lucky winners would be tempted to transfer a share of their surplus in bonds. Our local trainer, Alt'. Wright, was a marked man among local sports, and his win helped to make some of us merrier. AVe nearly had a tragedy, and came within an ace of losing one of our mess. Oh, yes, you know him, 'but I can’! mention any name. Yes, he’s got a jolly round face, and knows something about breaking in horses. He’s very fond of sausages. He was late for the meal, and in a hurry to gel lo the course —hut the sausages! he couldn't resist 'em. All of a sudden his conversation ceased —he was choking. A piece of bone nearly tin inch long got caught crosswise in his swallow, and there he was, turning blue in the face. No one was able to perform tracheotomy, and our genial pal was gurgling and going west before our eyes. However, the victim’s passing knowledge of veterinary science saved the situation, and a chemist did the rest. Our cheery pal has kept the bone ns a memento, and is going to track down the manufacturer of the meat mysteries. He swears he will examine all sausages in future before eating them. Here’s another item. Two ladies lmd a fancy for Old Majindi’s chances in the hurdles. Their investments were limited to 5s each. They wanted some one to make up (lie pound. A local sport was introduced, and the persuasive eloquence of the ladies convinced him that Old Magindi was a winner, and he took charge of the investment, and added a fair amount of his own cash to the latter. It is alleged that he left the ladies with the wrong foot first. The race over, with Old Magindi well out of it, a short, dapper figure was seen on an eminence waving a clenched fist in the direction of two ladies in the ' distance.”