A SELL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 15, 9 May 1876, Page 2

A SELL.

At the races liekl at Talbot tho other week a horse, tho winner of a selling race, duly advertised to be sold, was put up for sale (says the "Chines Guardian,") by the secretary of the race club. A reserve of £lO was put upon the animal, and the sum was promptly bid by the owner, a well-known resident of Lexton. A bystander amongst tlie crowd named Phillips bid £ll, and upon tho horse being passed forward as claimed his bargain. The secretary and members of the race committee present refused to accept the higher bid. Phillips, however, stuck to thy, hvse, and was ultimately given in charge for illegal detention of the animal. When Mr. Dowling, P.M., adjudicated upon the matter, lie immediately ordered Phillips to be released, a'id severely commented upon the police having arrested the man, and. a" very pretty action for false imprisonment seemed likely to eventuate. At the Talbot Police Court on Thursday last, however, tlie case appeared in another form by the police summoning the secretary of the race club for acting as an auctioneer without a license. Phillips, who was summoned as a witness, stated that he had squared, the dispute concerning the horse by accepting from a prominent member of the race committee the sum of £2 as compensation. The race club secretary, with the greatest naivete, openly stated that it was merely intended to go through the •'■' form" of a sale in order to pass the horse over to the owner. Tho_prcskling magistrates, Messrs. Dowling, P.M., and Wilkinson, J.P., fined the defendant £2 and costs, remarking that no doubt lie had acted in t!;o presumed interest of the race club, or the fine "would have been much heavier.