CROWD WRECKS DOG RACING TRACK

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5292, 3 January 1947, Page 3

CROWD WRECKS DOG RACING TRACK

WILD DISORDBR FOLLOWS ONE RUNNER'S DISQUALIFICATION LONDON The Harringay dog racing- t.raek was severely damaged by angry crowds after the disqualification of Ballymaek Border, which finished seconcl to Rossmir Biddy in the seventh race. The crowds first surg'ed on to the track and started a bonfire of broken hurdles and fencing. The disorder spread when a number of the crowd entered one of the restaurants, over-turned tables, and began to destroy fittings. Meanwhile the trap, which had -been set alight on the cinder track, was in fiames and from the burning hurdles fresh fires were kindling in five places on the wooden covering of the hare rail on the popular side of the track. Hundreds of people then swept 011 to the track and began wrecking the track rail and electric lighting, The photo-fmish camera was lifted and thrown into the blaze. A length of palings was pulled up from the 9/6 enclousure. Another section of the crowd removed the remaining starting traps and added them to the fire. Breaking glass could be heard all around and the Press box and offi^cial's box became the target of bookmakers' stools, as ' did the huge plate glass window of the lower restaurant. Forty minutes after the stavt of the disturbance officials got hoses to play on the fires that were blazing- fiercely. Frustrated in their attempts to cause further daniage by fire, the mob rushed to the senior ring and, using bookmakers' stools and palings, attacked the restaurant. Plate glass was wrecked and when police reinforcements were brought up the crowd attacked them. The police niade several arrests, but further daniage was done and another bonfire was started in the main ring. A mem bcr of the totalisator staif said some of the tote control voom windows were broken and money was grabbed, and rolls of tickets were flung about. The stalf barricaded themselves in and turned fire applianees 011 to the crowd.