RACING UNDER ARMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1916, Page 7

RACING UNDER ARMS.

A TALE OF OLD PATEA. SPORTING PIONEERS. Writes W. K. Hovvitt, ill the Auckland Star:—There are not many now living who remember the time, forty-eight years ago, when the'coach service was extended from Wanganui as far as Patea. The first coach was piloted through by ■Mr. Shepherd himself, one of the giunest and largest-hearted of men, and a sportsman in every sense of the word. The journey up had to be done mostly along the sea coast, aid although he left Wanganui in the early morning, it took him the whole day to do the journey of forty miles, for the dangerous stage of the journey—crossing the Patea River at the heads—was accomplished just at nightfall. The coach did not run through to Hawera .till some time afterwards, and it was at Hawera that, later, Mr. Shepherd established his home. He bought a small hotel .there, and while Mrs. Shepherd managed thia he still continued to drive the coach till he met his death trying to cross a flooded river with some urgent mail matter he had o.i board.

KEEN SPORTSMEN. There is one little incident in eonuotioii with old Patea in which Mr. Shepherd was central figure that shows the love of sport :|he pioneers had, even in the face of the greatest dangers. It was towards the end of ISG7 or beginning of -'6B thait the first race meeting ft"as held at Patea, one of the outposts nf civilisation. The old township at the Heads was then in existence, and military rule was tlio order of the day. Scouts were sent out, and a suitable course was found on the present site of the Patea township. The trouble was to get fast enough horses to make the meeting interesting, and it is said that it was through Mr. Shepherd's efforts in bringing one or two good horses from Wanganui that tho success of the racing was due. The winning post was fixed at a point where a natural grandstand in the shape of a big mound was situated. From this spot a good view of the course, which was a pretty l)ig one, could be had. It was also chosen for the reason that the Natives were troublesome at the time, and sentries were posted everywhere to give warning to it lis onlookers in ease an attack was made. It is quite tme that to enable more of the soldiers to see the racing a number of dummy men were put up at posts of advantage, so that the Natives might think a Teally good look-out was being kept. The Maoris' love of sport is well known. They got wind of the race meeting, and, rolling up in great numbers under cover of the sandhills, watched, it is thought, the whole meeting.

A RIDER SHOT. Tlus was proved by a very sad accident towards the close of the day. A rider, whose name is probably long ago fo.'gotlen, was coming in an easy winner 011 one of the horses tha; Mr. Shepherd hiul brought up the coast to take .part in the racing, and the animal, sinking rather deeply into the soft groundi in front of the grand stand, Mumbled and threw his rider. The horse scon recovered itself, but, frightened no doubt by the cheering of the crowd as the secobd horse passed the winning post, lie cieaied away up past the spot where, it was proved afterwards, tli.i Maori? worn in hidinir, n:i<! v, rider, not wishing to lost his steed, followed. The rnan was warned of the risk he was running, but took no heed of dangen. From what was learned afterwards it was found that the Natives saw him coming, let him go past and get his horse, and then shot the poor fellow when he was riding back. They stripped him and left him lying on the spot. A Maori, wearily his shirt, was afterwards seen down at U'aitotara, and this same Nativ.; was eventually shot in a skirmish with Ihe whites.

The rescued horse must havo been of a good type, for long years afterwards wai the favorite riding lvirsi! of Patea's second Major, and when the faithful animal died it was said that lie was thirty years of ago. There were about 300 people present at Patea's first race meeting, mostly military settlers and soldiers, Dut many of these men had tlieir wives and families on the ground. As I hinted at the commencement, all the other people that were present on that great day, for it was a great day, will have long ago reached the last winning post themselves, for forty-eight years is a long period. If kindness of heart, courage under depressing circumstances, and absolute [earlessness count for anything in 4he great life Beyond, these old colonists will have a verv high place, and can we wonder at the boys of the present generation doing so well on the battlefield when we remember the blood that flows in tlieir veins?