NORTH OTAGO TURF CLUB.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 532, 15 January 1878, Page 2

NORTH OTAGO TURF CLUB.

The Svst meeting of the new Committee of the North Otago Tm-f Club was held last evening at the Empire Hotel. There wore present—Messrs. Steward (in the chair), Grant, Lintott, O'Meagher, Thomson, Sutton, Lnmsden, Sherwin, Taylor. Richardson, Paterson, Dooley, Longford, and Greenfield (Secretary tern.). MINUTES. The minutes of the last Committee meeting were read and confirmed. ELECTION of OFFICERS. The election of officebearers took place with the following result:— President, Mr. J. O'ltfeagher j Vice-President, Mr. G-. S. Lintott; Treasurer, Mr. R. Lnmsden ; Secretary, Mr. F. W. O. Grant; ~rs, Messrs. G. R. Taylor and R. Richardson. Mr. O'Meagher then took the chair. NEW MKMBEKS, Several gentlemen were proposed as members of the Club, to be ballotted for at the next meeting. THE FISHHOOK CISE. The letter read at the last meeting from Mr. D. O'Brien, asking for the removal of the disqualification from his horse Fishhhook, was again read and considered,

The President (Mr. O'Meagher) introduced the matter at some length to the notice of members, dwelling upon some of the circumstances attending the disqualiscat}on, Mr. Steward said the question to be considered was whether or not O'Brien had made out such a case as to call for the clemency of the Committee, The matter was one in vvhieh the Committee should act vfiih the greatest caution. The eyes of the racing world of the Colonies would be on the Committee in referenee to tiie matter. He pointed out that if the disqualificaiion were removed then, no punishment would be inflicted upon O'Brien so far as Oamaru was concerned, inasmuch as he would be able to run his horse at the next race meeting here. He had run Fishhook here last year and would be able to do so again this year. The fact that the horse was allowed to run on the same course as that on which lie was disqualified the year after his disqualification would have a bad appearance, and it behoved the Committee to act carefully in the matter, Mr, Sherwin aaid that be believed the former actions of the stewards and the Committee in disqualifying the horse and jockey were perfectly justified ; but lie thought the stewards should have gone a little further in the matter, and have declared all bets on the moo off. By that means they would have got at the real guilty parties. As it was, O'Brien was the only one punished, and he had been punished pretty severely. In consei quence of the disqualification, Fishhook had been unable to rim for the Christchurch Great Autumn Handicap, besides at Timaru nnrl other places last season, anil had also been unable to enter for any of the. big events this season ai Dunedin and other places. If the disqualification were removed now, few opportunities would lie : iforded him of running this vear as ne;\vlv all the entries for bii' events hail already closed. He would move, "That, taking into consideration the circumstances detailed in Mr. O'Brien's letter, and also his character for integrity as a racing man prior to the Fishhook affair, this Committee resolves that the disqualification be now removed from the ; horse Fishhook, and that the Secretary notify this resolution to the various Clubs in the Colony." Mr. Greenfield seconded the motion. Mr. Richardson said that O'Brien urns'

' ave lost fully LIOOO through the hors being disqiiiilifi.-.i, .-.ml lie thought, t!i. jiunishnieiii illfloted had been ad<qnat. r«. the oiFrlice. They must also take into ,-onsid, -ration the fact (hat ali-hoiigi O'Brien had been riding and r-cing fo? fully eighteen years, in Victoria and thi.Ootciny. "no charge had ever before been brought against him. Mr. Steward said that removing the disqualitication at present would look like expressing a desire for the horse to run in Oanmru again this year, and would havi a bad appearance. He would move as an amendment, " That Mr. O'Brien be informed that the Committee of this Club do not see their way to remove the disqualification from his horse Fishhook at present ; but under the circumstances detailed in his letter, will be willing favourably to entertain a similar application, if made at the close of the present racing season, say after the 31st Marc • next."

Mr. Sutton seconded the amendment.

The President said that removing r'-e disqualification would be tantamount t» looking over the offence. He thought they would be taking a vei\y unwise step in removing the disqualification fromtln horse. They had iio right to take into consideration how much O'Brien had suffered. They were the representatives of the public, and had to guard against the public beipg swindled, for it was to the public they had t;> look for funds to support the races. He thought, it would look exceedingly bad to allow Fishhook to run on the same course as that on which he had been been disqualified the very next meeting after his disqualification. Mr. Lintott said that one reason why he should vote for the remoTal of the disqualification was that the principal offenders had not been got at. By continuing the disqualification they would be benefitting those who were supposed to have been connected with the affair, as a very formidable' opponent was thus re 7 moved from' the field. They could ill afford to loge so good a horse from the turf as Fishhook, and thp general public would be glad to see the horse again allowed to racs.

Mr. Steward said that very few clubs would have had the courage to disqualify such a horse as Fishhook ; but having had the courage of their convictions in disqualifying the horse, they should have the courage to maintain them. Mr. Lintott stated that he had recently spoken to several Christ-church racing men on the subject, and they had

expressed the opinion that the Committee would only be extending an act of clemency to O'Brien in removing the disqualification. After some further discussion, the amendment was put and lost by 8 to 5, and the original motion for the removal of the disqualification was then put and carried, the voting being as follows : For the motion, 8 —Messrs. Greenfield, Richardson, Longford, Paterson, Thomson, Sherivin, Grant, and Lintott.: against, 5 Messrs. Sutton, Taylor,' | Steward, Lumsdcn, and Doolcy. ' A letter from Derritt, Fishhook's jockey on the memorable occasion, was I then read, asking for the removal of the disqualification from himself. Mr. Sherwin moved, " That the disqualification of the horse Fishhook having been removed, that of the jockey Derritt be also removed."

Mr. Steward thought it would be unjust to remove the disqualification from the horse and not from the jockey, and for the sake of consistency he would second the motion.

Mr- Lintott, in opposing the motion, said that Derritt had not suffered to the same extent as C'Brien. There was a j vast difference in the cases. The jockey was the most guilty party in the matter, tt was a verv easy thing to pull a horse without it being noticed, and if a jockey would do it for one man he would do ii for another. A jockey who would be guilty of such dishonest conduct would also be able to find employment. Jf tliey had honest jockeys they would have honest racing, and they should therefore severely p.unish any rider whom they found guilty of dishonesty. The President pointed out that a jockey might be tho instrument of others besides his eundoyer, and in strong terms expressed his disapproval of the removal of the disqualification. After some little discussion the motion was put, and the removal of the disqualification from Derrit carried by 7 to 6, Messrs. Steward and Sutton, who had voted against tho removal of the disqualification of Fishhook, voting for the motion, and Messrs. Lintott, and Greenfield, who had voted for the previous motion, voting the removal of the disqualification fi-om D rritt. THE NEXT IiAI'ES. It was decided i.o hold the annual race meeting on M'>nd.-:v and Tuesday, the 11th and 12; h M.-m.-h. Messrs. Liniott, Lumsden, Richardson, Sutton, T.iuinson. Paterson, and Sherwin were elected a Suh-i 'oinmitt.ee to prepar- 1 a prolamine to be submitted to a meeting of (h< Ooin.uictee to be held on Monday evening iu-xt. Messrs. "Lintott, Paterson, and Richardson were appointed a Working Committee to U.v.'e the course put in order,

Mr. Sherwin was chosen bandicapper. The meeting then terminated with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.