SPORTING MEMORANDA.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1472, 8 December 1881, Page 1 (Supplement)

SPORTING MEMORANDA.

Mr Wentworth (Australia), was a loser to the extent of £24,000 over the late V.R.C. meeting, he having pinned his faith to Waxy and Sardonyx in their various engagements. Jimmy Gough, the boy who steered Zulu first past the judge's box, is very little over 4st. and is one of the best behaved lads. Young St. Albans did not ride all through the V.R.C. meeting owing to the death of his mother. Darebin has been scratched for the Champion St'ikes, Mr Dakin thinking it unwise to train a big growing colt like the son of Peter and Lurline for so long a race The early withdrawl of Darebin is alike creditable to his trainer and his Tasmanian owner, Mr Guesdon ; for the colt would assuredly have been backed heavily, Mr James Wilson of St. Albans has won the Oaks stake no less than eight times, viz : — With My Dream, Sunshine, Maid-of-all-work, Bresis, Pardon, Melita, Petrea, and now with Royal Miad. The amount of stakes paid over to winners at the V.R.C. Meeting was £12,654, of which the Hon. J. White took £1815 for Segenboe's victory in the Maribynong Plate. Now that the Gaming and Lotteries Bill has becomo law in Now Zealand, and people are prevented from patronising local "Bweops," it would be as well to ponder over the following beforo sending their soys. out of the colony. A letter which appears in the Australasian reads thus :— To the Editor,— Sir, The following is one of the means practised by MiMiller for the purpose of intimidating the lucky drawers of favourite horses in his consultations, with a view to induce them to dispose of part or the whole of their interest. A short time back a young woman residing in this town took a ticket in Miller's No. 1 consultation on the Melbourne Cup, and was fortunate enough to draw Sweetmeat. On October 18th she reoervod the following telegram from Miller and OBrien : — ' If owner of horse drawn in No. 1 can buy half interest, will run for place ; if not, will scratch ; reply.' The young woman, not being well up in racing matters, consulted her friends, some of whom advised her not to sell at all, whilst others, feaiing the ownei would scratch fcho hort-e, persuaded her to ask £30 for a half shine, which she did, with the following result : — Telesram No 2 from Miller and OBrien : ' Have sold half your inteiest in Sweetmeat for £30 ; will forward cheque.' By the next mail came the following letter : — ' Sir, — Mi Ivoiy has agreed to accept half your shaie in Sweetmeat in No. 1, and we now encloio you a choque for amount, less our commission of o per cent. Kindly acknowledge same on receipt — £30, less 30s commission, £28 10s. — Yours truly, Mti ixvl and O'BulhN ' Iv the inteiest of the public*, I trust you will find room for the insertion of this letter m your valuable columns, for besides giving Mr Ivoiy the oppoi (unity of den j ing tho statement of Mr Miller md paitnei, it may be the moans of bunging to light the fact that niroilav ' tactics ' have b< t n hied on other equally fortunate dr.iweis of favourite hoises. —Yours, &c. , Justice, Meuindip, October 28th. " [Having in our possession the original telegrams, and the letter referred to in the above communication, we feel bound to make it public. Mr Ivory will no doubt also feel called upon to ex. plain the u«e made of his name by Messrr Miller and O'Brien.- Sp. Ed. Australasian.] The "better half " of a lending metalhcian—and a better wif«, better mother, and better hostess does not e.\ist amongst our sporting community— nicinasred to hit upon a very novel and somewhat sensationid method of di-pl.iying the exubeiant joy she felt at her husband s suc< ess over Ins Melbourne Cup book. Upon lici lmge <md handsome black satin sunshade she had had lichly embroideied tho figiue of a i,icehoise at full speed, with the word "Zulu" underneath, and this slu displayed with playful piidc whilst piomenading the Lawn <it Fleming ton List Saturday. The well-known Noitli Wand steeplechaser, Gazelle, fell dead .i few divs ago at Manaia. He was 16 years old, and dining his tuif caieei inn many good races and scoied sevcial wins. Blue Gown,

At a meeting of the Kirikiriroa Road Boaid held yesterd.iy, t-evcrn] tenders for small road woik.s were accepted. The tender of Mr 11. Mulliou'h for Komolcorau Bridge ]S r o. 1 was accepted at £144 15*, and 0-U1 per yard foi caifch works. Inhtiuctions weie given to call for tenileis for the cou.-tiuition of Komokorau Bridge No. 2 ;it Taupiri, plans of which weie submitted to the meeting by Mr T. (i. Sandcs. Charles Dickens i& not foi gotten (says an English paper), as we had conclusive proof a short time ago. Walking through Westminster Abbey we saw the memorial slab over the great novelist's grave covered with flowers, and we learned from the attendant that visitors from all parts of England come to the Abbey to drop a flower on Charles Dickens' tomb. This is true fame. The conqueror, the statesman, and the inventor are forgotten, save in their works, but the loving handn that scatter flowers upon this giave belong to hearts which have been deeply moved and to memories which do Dot fade. The London Field i 3 convinced that there are no large poultry farms in France, periodical reports to the contrary notwithstanding. A favourite roadster mare, the property of Mr W. S. Marr, (Jppermill, Aberdeenshire, recently produced twin foals at the jttge of twenty -seven. The twins, strange to say, are the mare's first produce. Mobb and better butter can be made from the milk of a cW when she has her free supply of salt than from one entirely deprived of it, or having an irregular supply, and it also takes less time to churn the cream. France appropriates for agriculture this year, in round numbers £156,000. This grant includes ' agricultural education, expenses for breeding studs and keeping up 2500 stallions, inspection of woods and forests, prizes t;> regional