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Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 537, 21 January 1878, Page 2

A speciai telegraphic message informs us that the Dunedin Jockey Club "passed the following resolution at a meeting held on Saturday evening : -" That the action of the North Otago Turf Club in removing the disqualification from Fishhook and Derritt be not endorsed by the Dunedin Jockey Club, in the absence of any evidence to warrant their doing so." It is quite true that nobody has asked them to endorse, and we presume that the Oamaru Turf Club cares but I little for the endorsation of the Dunedin Jockey or any other Club. They removed the disqualification from O'Brien because it believed it just to do so, and although we think their action in the matter somewhat precipitant, we respect their reasons for once more according to O'Brien the privileges of the Oamaru racecourse. If they felt it to be their duty to satisfy the Dunedin Club as to the reasons that actuated them in thus favorin" O'Brien, it is just within the range of probability that the Dunedin Club, although perhaps not agreeing with the time chosen for doing so, would follow the example set by the Oamaru Club, and extend once more to O'Brien the privileges for which he has pined during his term of excommunication. But what of Derritt? The Oamaru Club took compassion upon O'Brien because he had suffered a penalty equal to the offence, that penalty being losses which had accrued in consequence of the prohibition of the Club to run his horse Fishhook. The offence had been committed against the Club on the Club's ground. They had an opportunity of judging as to the extent of that offence, and believing—although they could not vouch for it in consequence of the wiliness of the man Derritt, who kept buried in his own bosom the names of his employers to do dirty work that O'Brien had expiated his wrong-doing, they behaved with leniency. But how about Derritt 1 He too, has been pardoned ; and because the club desired not to make an invidious distinction. Both men were guilty of a grave offence, O'Brien was forgiven because he had suffered almost ruin, and Derritt is pardoned because well, because O'Brien has been pardoned. Derritt has kept his secret well, and has apparently profited by it ; and the Club now acknowledges itself beaten, and its Jiats not such terrible things after all.