The Wise Men of the South Sit Tight

NZ Truth, Issue 1179, 5 July 1928, Page 6

The Wise Men of the South Sit Tight

NO section of the community has a monopoly of the love of sport. It is innate m the lot of us, with the exception of that long-visaged company which despises the thrill of a neck-to-neck encounter between a pair of sleek and splendid animals. The prosperous little province of Southland knows Dr. J. E. Rogers as superintendent of the Gore Hospital, but the worthy doctor is known m a . wider field as a great sportsman. He owns some of the speediest equine aristocrats m the South Island. And, what is more, he is m the racing game for the glad, unalloyed sport and pleasure of pitting one horse against* another m breathless contest on the pounding turf. - The turf is his great recreation and hobby — not his main business m life. The betting side of racing leaves him cold. Success for this turf patron is not measured m totalisator tickets, but m the joy of seeing a good horse wear down opposition and'*- head .himself to victory. Not puffed up is he with pride, but just happily content to see his handsome mare, Set Sail, or any other of his string, flash past the judge's box m front of the field. '." Dr. Rogers isa Southland man through and through. Wyndham, Tapanui and other small towns know him and esteem him. The hardy southern folk regard illnessof the flesh as unworthy weakness, but the Gore Hospital is so well administered that the problem is, not. to persuade the Spartan southerners to enter and be treated, but to keep them out. Order, method, efficiency and sympathy stamp the institution. Just the place, m fact, where an' old soldier would love to linger and "swing the lead." A canny superintendent is Dr. Rogers, for he sees that for every bawbee carefully counted out, the hospital' receives full value m return. No fussing or fuming is there when the superintendent lays a request before the board, for the local big-wigs know full well that the doctor understands his job. T r-Jothirig selfish or exclusive is there about Rogers,, for he is anxious that the other sawbones should have a say ih hospital-matters. But the wise men of the south sit tight and will not hear of the reins being dropped. '', A fine sport for the game's sake, man of the world, kindly minister to the sick and public-spirited gentleman, Dr. Rogers occupies a special niche m the hearts of Southland folk.