TINUI.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8523, 28 August 1907, Page 3

TINUI.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) • TINUI, August 26. The Wairarapa Hunt Club held the last meet of the season here on the 24th inst The weather was glorious, but only eleven huntsmen followed the hounds, owing to so many horses being injured in the previous hunt. The hunt had an unexpected wind up in the afternoon. After afternoon tea had been partaken of one of the huntsmen proposed a mile and a half steeplechase, to be called the Tinui "Oodlams Wayback Steeplechase." The proposition was given effect to straight away. All the riders and the crowd joined in the fun in proper sporting spirit. A jovial sportsman of huge dimensions and a voice in proportion to his physique, roared out the odds. Hanging from this penciller's neck was a card quickly got up for the occasion, with the inscription "Bill the Burglar, Receiver of Cash." jThis bookie was kept busily engaged booking wagers. Another local horse racing enthusiast handicapped the horses by ordering the best horses to jump all the wire fences, the inferior ones to jump the hurdles on the fences. In some instance's the "owners" ordered their riders not to win, while others were told to make the pace a cracker from the start. Still another rider was advised to keep his mount steady until he got to the board fence, and from then he was to make the pace so terrific that the other horses must fall. One alert "trainer" advised the rider of Gunmetal to hide in a cow bail until the race had started, and then to come out and win. "I will make it all right with the judge," said the trainer. "1 will advise him how to bet." By this time the whole crowd were in a great state of excitement over the fun. "The "bookie" was doing a huge business. All the horses were heavily backed but Gunmetal. The public said all sorts of things about this horse—that he was not fast enough, or that he was not a sure fencer, but all at once the crowd were staggered to hear that this horse had come from a 50 to 1 chance to an "odds on" favourite. A "Taranaki Oil King," who was present, was said to be responsible for the alteration in the betting by plunging; but the crowd did not know that Gunmetal was standing quietly with his rider in the cow bail. All arrangement being complete, the horsemen rode off amid cheering to the starting post. The "starter" had Rata heavily backed, and inflicted fines on the other riders for getting away at the same time as Rata. The first fence was cleared safely, but the I next was too much for Rata, who! "turned turtle." A voice: "Oh, there's a man killed." "No he isn't" said a boy.' "I can see him kicking I in the mud like a wounded rabbit." Rata was quickly remounted, and came on at a great pace. Moonlight was next to come to grief, but was soon remounted. By the time Onaway was well in the lead, closely followed by Timaru, Tomboy and Robin. The crowd were becoming frantic and yelling "Onaway wins in a canter." But in an instant Gunmetal appeared in the lead without being noticed. All the horses tried hard to overtake the chestnut, but their efforts were of no avail, and the race ended Gunmetal 1, Onaway 2, Timaru 3. The public demanded an inquiry into the race, but the stewards decided that there was no cause for complaint, and men and horses were heartily cheered. Mrs J. S. Langdon provided afternoon tea in the Town Hall, in her usual hospitable manner. Mr H.

Morrison, while thanking Mrs Langdon for her kindenss, referred to the great inconvenience this lady had gone to, as owing to the state of the roads the refreshments had been carried a distance of four miles on horseback. Mrs Langdon was accorded three hearty cheers. The following took part in the run : —Messrs J. Shaw, huntsman, on Moonlight; B. Reardon, on Coloma, and J. O'Brien, on Gunmetal, whips; H. Morrison, district master, on Rata; J. H. Cameron, on Tomboy; A. A. Cameron, on Onaway; J. Douglas, on Robin; J. Wingate on Rocket; H. Millar, on Dashing Kate; J. Hudson, on Dolly; T. Crawford, on Timaru. A case of diphtheria just outside the township is reported. .