FATAL ACCIDENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2603, 19 March 1889, Page 2

FATAL ACCIDENT.

A Jockey Killed at Kihikihi.

The day's amusement at the Kihikihi races was marred by an accident to a jockey named McGlynn, which terminated fatally on Sunday morning. The accident occurred while tho Cup was being run. McGlynn was riding Eisherboy, who put his foot through a rotten culvert, both horse and rider coining down. The unfortunate lad must have been dragged after tho horse got up. for he was picked up twenty yards from where the horse put his foot through. He was quite unconscious, having received a severe blow on the right temple and side of head and neck. The course is somewhat similar to tho Alexandra course, a trifle larger than a dinner plate, and full of hollows and rough spots. The place where the accident occurred is in a hollow where there is a box culvert covered with earth. That this is the first accident that has occurred on the Kihikihi racecourse is due more to good luck than good management. It is like the Alexandra course referred to, a murderous one, and the stewards, or whoever are tho means of petting up races on such courses, are deserving of the gravest censure. At Alexandra it would be safe to say there is always an accident of some kind, and it is reported that an accident, which happened to a native jockey there last Boxing-Day, terminated fatally three days after. Every little place ninst have a raco meeting of its own It does not matter whether the course is of such a nature as to be dangerous to life or limb, so long as a meeting can bo got up to bring a little money into the place. Whatever gain has resulted to Kihikihi over the late meeting has been dearly paid for by the life of the poor lad McGlynn, and I hope that good sense and good feeling will overrule greed, and that until a safe course can be found no more meetings will be held here. Should another be held, either here or in any other place, with a similar small course, and another fatal accident result, the stewards should be indicted for manslaughter. The accident to McGlynn was, fortunately, the only one, which is entirely due to good fortune attending some of the jockeys. At one part the pole marking the course is only eight yards from tho entrance to a cutting leading to a bridge over a swamp. Ten yards from tho pole the bank of the cutting is two feet deep, quite enough to bring a horse to grief, and about six yards further on, the bank is about six feet dee]), so that less than a chain from the inside of the course is a dangerous chasm, for chasm it is if only a small one. At this point some of the horses bolted, and two of them jumped down tho deepest part of the cutting. One rider was thrown and I believe was unhurt, and the other, by sheer good riding, stuck to his horse and got off safely. I have written thus strongly in the hope that some steps will be taken to put a stop to meetings in which the element of danger to life and limb is so great, and if the good taste of the people themselves does not prompt them in this direction, then the authorities should interfere and forbid races being held on what are truly murderous courses. Dr. Blackett was on tho course, and did what he could for the poor lad. Dr. Painnan was sent for. Dr. Blackett in the meantime attending the case, hut it was felt from the first that the chances of recovory were small. I did not hear whether lie regained consciousness before death.—(Own Correspondent).