Correspondence.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1174, 6 January 1880, Page 2

Correspondence.

(Our correspondence columns are impar- ' tially open to ally but toe do not in any way identify ourselves with opinions expressed theretnj.

TO THE EDITOE. Sic, — Your Whatawhata correspondent remarks in the Timks issue of Tuesday last, concerning the Whatawhata Races are drawn very mild indeed " Wheie ara the police?" may well be asked by any person who attended the races ; for the rowdyism on thac occasion defies description. Why no police should have been there to k^ep order appears more than strange. Perhaps the doings there on that day wa» the recognised order of things in Waikato ; but if so God help them who are unable to help themselves, for protection they have none ; but if they were not ready to fight had perforce to take a blow quietly and pocket the insult. Anything more disgraceful than the scenes witnessed could scarcely be imagined. Many a respected settler minus an orb returned to his home a sadder and wiser man after his day's amusement. (?). for tho timely and judicious iaterference of a respected Waikato storekeeper who happened to be there, and who it appears is held in hi<<h estimation by natives and Europeans alike, matters would have had a much more serious ending. Kven as it was, many had their peroonal appearance seriously damaged, and their " -.unday best " entirely damaged. The question, " Where are the police?" was repeatedly asked, but only one " guardian of the peace" could be found. Through either incompetence or neglect the peace of a ra°e day at V\ hatawhata was broken continually with impunity. It is hardly creditably that so large a gathering of a mixed population of Europeans and natives as thare congregate should not receive more attention from the party whose duty it is to see to these matters, especially when it is remembered that out of suchlike broils the most serious dangers to the peace of the colony have arisen.— l am, &c, Observer. Ngaruawahia, Dec. 31st, 1879.

[There were other places in Waikato besides Whatawhata at which the presence of the police was required on • oxing Day. There was, however, a police constable there, and he could have called upon any whose assistance he needed to help him in preserving order — our corresponded among the number. Our correspondent's late incarceration seems to have embittered him against the police, as this is the second letter we have received from him within the past few weeks intended to bring discredit upon them. No blame whatever is to be attached to them that they cannot be in two places at once. We cannot speak too highly of the efficiency of the police stationed in Waikato, nor of the kindliness and forbearance with which they carry out their onerous and often disagreeable duties. — Ed. W.T.']

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — It would have been well, for the information of the public, had you pubHhhed the handicaps of tfie several winners of races at the Hamilton • ports, both at ! East Hamilton and at FranHon, opposite |to their name I.1 '. Had you done so, it would have at once been seen by any person experienced in running matters that the handicappers were entirely ignorant of their duties, and that not one of them had the le is*, idea of the suitable handicaps for the different distances. It may perhaps be wrong 1 to imply that there was any pirtialily shown to ihe Hamilton competitors, but it was a curious circumstance, noticeable to spectators, that the Hamilton »unnern were placed well forward in every race ; and that the competitors from Cambridge, of whom there we c a good few, were, without exception, put at scratch or very near it. The length of handicap given was such as showed the total ignorance of the handicappers in all running distances ; such as 120 yards in the half-mile, 40 yards in the 300 yards race ; and this too from men who have never made their mark iv an important race. The conduct of the starter was certainly worth, remarking upon, he starting was effected by the very ancient method of dropping a flag. In each race the starter stood by one of the Hamilton forwards, who, curiously enough, always had some hint given him to start before the flag was dropped. Such conduct on the part of a starter ( would not be tolerated elsewhere. l *^ If the inhabitants of Hamilton wish their spo ts to come off succes-fuly in futu c, they will have to appoint as members of the committee, men who are known to have had experience in such matters ; gentlemen who have in their youth taken part in such epoits, or have seen them carried out properly eKwhere. In this instance it did not require a great stretch of imagination on the part of the most uniniated to see that the oom-nittee did not in the least understand their work.— l am, &c, < A Lovbe of Good Spokts.