SPORTING NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 121, 17 April 1884, Page 2

SPORTING NEWS.

. A Disgraceful Scene at Auckland Races. > J

' (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) i Auckland, April 15, i A meeting of the stewards wa3 held after the .first race m consequence of the receipt of a letter from MrMcKihnon, owner of Taipori, as to the start m the Tradesman's Plate. It will be recol-" lectcd that the horse was left at the. post. Mr McKinnon asked for an ip T qinry, and stated thi^t £he;? starter seemed to ignore the fact that his horse was m the' race,' and started them when, his horse was walking m the opposite directionl Mr McKirinori was not present at the inquiry, although he was sought for by the president and oiher stewards. //McLpugbian, starter, feaid the mau was at the horse's head, and had j list turned him round, and seeing a good start he let them go, as had he 'waited there would have been another false start; but the man seemed paralysed, and held on to the horse's hfead. Several .stewards present who had Seen rhe start bore out this statement, and it was,, on the motion of Mr Clark, and seconded by Mr Kirkwood, agreed toinfown "McKinnon that the stewards regret that j lifeL horse had a bad start, bat are of opinion that it was not the fault of the starter. Mr Kirkwood drew attention to the club rule m reference to the ruling of starters, and the fact that their testimony could not be upset on the testimony of jockeys or owners?" Further details of the .scene at the close of the Consolation Race state •that cries of "False start" and howls of indignation arose. The crowds swarmed over the rails into the saddliug'paddock and lawn, and Mr Tom Browne, clerk of the course, was made the of attack; he.- was, howevei, guarded by- friends wfio were less excited than himself. A perieral 1 staujpßdu was made for^the totalisator, which was paying on the winner and the fun became fast and furious. The assistance of the police hadto^bo called for. The mob fairly stormed the machine, and, not obtaining the satisfaction they required m the way of a refund of their inohey, fcwx) shutters were torn down and stones were thrown into the machine, but ; j eventually a compromise was arrived; at, a piomise beiug made to refund the money invested on the race.