AN AUSTRALIAN AT HOME.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10131, 29 October 1910, Page 7

AN AUSTRALIAN AT HOME.

VISITS THE DONCASTER.

Among the letters received by a Loudon paper on the subject of the charges and accommodation at Doncaster is the following:— "I am an Australian paying my first visit to the Old Country, and being a bit of a sport naturally I went to the St. Leger. It was an unexpected experience, I can tell you. First I was charged 30s to go into the enclosure. This was a bit stiff compared with Flemington, our big meeting, and you may imagine my surprise to find the enclosure was just the paddock and an annexe in the form of a second class betting ring. I asked a gatekeeper where the stand was. 'Which one?' he asked. 'Why, the stand for people in this enclosure, of course,' I replied, and he explained that all the stands just about there wore private or privileged in some way. 'ls there no public stand at all?' T asked. 'There is one in TattorsaH's,' he said, 'but it's a very little one.' Well, you know the saying that half a loaf is better than no bread. I thought a little stand—even a very little onewould be bettor than the ground floor, so I started off to find Tattcrsall's. It cost me another guinea to get in, and the stand turned out to be a microscopic affair of three or four steps and not much longer than my arm. Angry as you can bet I was I couldn't help laughing at the sheer absurdity of calling such a little dump of woodwork a stand at all. What is more, it was chiefly occupied as a pitch for bookmakers. I returned to the paddock to see the horses start, and was able to follow them for a time, but they were invisible during the last half mile except for just the finish. For this I paid altogether £2 lis, and it was not worth the money. People tell me this is an exceptional case, that at Sandown and most other meetings a sovereign covers Tattersall's, the paddock, and a good stand. If this be true, and you will know whether it is or not, then all I can say is it makes the exception more disgraceful still. Just a word about the refreshments. There was a lot of dust everywhere, and nasty dust, too, and I didn't think the atmosphere very salubrious. I order a whisky and soda and was charged Is 4d for it. This is worse than bushranging. I hope to be in England again next September, but the St. Lege.? NO, sir. Experientia docet."