NO CORPSES WHEN SMOKE CLEARS AWAY

NZ Truth, Issue 1146, 17 November 1927, Page 11

NO CORPSES WHEN SMOKE CLEARS AWAY

Irregularities In Procedure Let Trdiner Bagby and Apprentice-Jockey Parker Escape

RACING CONTROL THAT CONTROLS NOTHING!

CUP week at Ricoarton was nothing but a series of sensations and they followed one on top of the other with such rapidity that it was excusable to imagine a quick-change artist was out to beat all previous worlds records. The opening act was staged on Cup day, when, m the last race, Rowley, ridden by an apprentice, A. R. Parker, was pulled up before the post was reached. By committing this error m judgment— op whatever it was— Parker started something for himself — and for Owner McDonald and Trainer Bagby. An inquiry was started, adjourned till the Monday and then came the verdict—McDonald and Bagby two years' disqualification each and Parker twelve months' suspension. Here, indeed, was a pretty kettle of fish, but the three hesitated not and m went their appeals. Heard on the Tuesday, the district committee found that there was nothing to include McDonald, in the business and he was let out. Bagby and Parker were, however, left to carry the burden. Hoisting their flag, with the banner: "Nil Desperandum" inscribed upon it, right to the top of the mast, Bagby and Parker went to the last court of appeal — the Conference judges. With hopes running high, they turned up at the appointed rendezvous on Friday evening last. After the pair went through their lines again, the judges sat down to consider what was what — and why. The judicial bench was made up of Arthur Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor m Christchurch, Henry Hassall, squatter and breeder, of Hawkes Bay, and Hugh Lowry, president of the South Canterbury Jockey Club. ' After long deliberation they came

The McDonald-Bagby-Parfyer case now savors very j much of the old nursery rhyme: "Ten Little Nigger j Boys. " Bring the ten down to three and it is almost on a | parallel There were three mat the start; then there were [ two, but now there is none. i

The only real difference from the rhyme is that whereas the nigger boys were all wiped out, the three Rowley hoys are left to live another day.

to a verdict and m a judgment as long as one's arm they found that the fault was all on one side — that of the judicial committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club. Technicalities and irregularities were discovered m abundance. . First: The fact that the . appellants were not present at the adjourned meeting was found fault with.

Second: A steward who was at the adjourned meeting and who had not been present when the inquiryopened, was thought worthy of mention. Third: The fact that the appellants were not charged with the precise offence on which they -were sentenced — but only charged m a general way — read anything but m order to the judges. They said so m quite a number of *#£* words and — ending jg*' their judgment jiß with: "For the f above reasons we *" allow the appeals of Bagby and Parker" — sent the aforesaid pair home to bed happy.

Having two happy — It would be three, for McDonald would share their joy — does not necessarily mean that everybody else went home singing. Far from it, and at the races on Saturday, on a number of occasions there were little incidents that were anything but • harmonious.

If all that came to "N.Z. Truth" is correct — and there is no reason to think it otherwise — some nasty -words were passed and even at times the integrity of some of the officials concerned was questioned. But to the public, who were fortunately spared these little pleasantries, the ending was anything but m order. A case of pulling-up had . occurred and when all the smoke had S*. lifted there was not «;:£??>» a corpse m sight. Something . was wrong somewhere, but just where was not known by the average race-goer. What he certainly did know and con-

tend was that somebody should have got the axe..In all, £370 was invested upon Rowley m the race he failed to win and the fact that Parker, who failed to do his best for the backers of his mount, was allowed out v of the scrape on a technicality is very poor compensation indeed. The sum of £370 was "done" m oold blood. None of that money belonged to Owner MoDonald, who states that he had no interest m the race. Bagby may have had a little of it, so the rest must have been held by the poor person who always pays the piper — the public. ■ His worries are ample without having to contend against a horse being pulled up on him and then to see the offending rider get out of the business on an irregularity. .By pulling the horse up short of the post, the rider committed an irregularity — and then he got out of it on. 'an irregularity. ■ A case of a wrong being corrected by another wrong. Yet it has always been taught that two wrongs do not make a right! Just what racing control is coming to is hard to say, but after lastj.week's happenings it is possible to expect anything to happen. The position that has now arisen is as farcical as it is serious and it is one that should give those governing racing m New Zealand a good deal of food for thought. The whole Rowley affair has exercised many minutes of "Truth's" time, but when those responsible for the cleanliness of the game start to turn double-somersaults it is time to be on your guard. As was remarked the other day: "It is a dangerous age one lives m!"