NIGHT MEETINGS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27396, 8 July 1954, Page 4

NIGHT MEETINGS

Mr Matson Discusses Problems

EVENTUAL SOLUTION PREDICTED

Night trotting at selected periods of the year would eventually be possible, enjoyable, and profitable, said the president (Mr A. L. Matson) in his address to the annual meeting Of the New Zealand Trotting Conference yesterday. However, the population would have to increase and additional permits be available. Two other factors were the payment of catering rights, and whether the Totalisator Agency Board could provide the same off-course facilities as were available for day racing, said Mr Matson.

A number of clubs believed that the salvation of trotting in New Zealand lay in racing under lights, said Mr Matson. Undoubtedly night trotting was most spectacular and exhilarating. The Government would not issue any further permits to enable clubs to hold night trotting meetings, but clubs could change over from day to night trotting if they wished.

“I doubt whether, when consideration is given to the cost of lighting installations and possible separate power-producing units, any committee will consider a change from day to night trotting a wise one,” he said. Furthermore, it is well known that the erection of light poles may cast many shadows on tracks, which would be detrimental to day-time racing or training.” N.Z. Horses in Australia “In certain circles, some persons hold the view that too many horses are leaving New Zealand to race in Australia.” said Mr Matson. “Why should they not go? Competition is the life of trade, and owners are indeed fortunate in having further fields to go to. As yet. there has been no shortage of horses at our trotting meetings caused through this migration to Australia.”

Breeders in New Zealand could well do with the spending powers of Australian buyers, Mr Matson said. The Australians had bought not only horses of all ages, marks and gaits/but they had shown a great' deal of discrimination and knowledge of breed history.

Before long, as in thoroughbred racing, only the best trotting horses from New Zealand would be able to wm races in Australia, he said. The owners of champions should receive every assistance to travel overseas, as the advertisement gained was not only important to the breeding industry, but to the whole of the country from the point of view of making funds available in a trade balance that was most unfavourable. During the present season, 1154 horses had started in qualifying trials, 3n .d that number 325 had become eligible to start at totalisator meetings, said Mr Matson. Owners’ and breeders’ organisations had held most of the 68 meetings providing 130 qualifying races, and he thanked them for their co-operation and excellent management.

It could not be denied, he said, that the system of qualification had been a success. Many horses that would never have made the £rade had been kept from cluttering up fields at totalisator meetings. The public were now protected, in as much as Jthey were now investing in maiden races on horses that were well educated and that had the condition to run out the distance. Impo 's From America “Credit must go to the New Zealand Trotting Conference for at last convincing the Government to grant dollars to be used in the purchase of American sires,” said Mr Matson. “Our persistence has prevailed, and as a result licences have been issued to studmasters in various parts of the country. It .is fair to say that the allocation of the licences had nothing whatever to do with the conference. The Government handed out the authorities to all who applied. “It would have perhaps been wiser to have given consideration to a more even §pread of the stallions, and demanded that the horses be of a certain standard.” he said. Permit for Auckland

The decision of the dates committee to allocate the permit used for the Royal meeting at Addington this season to the Auckland Trotting Club for its Inter-Dominion Championship meeting nqxt Februarv was approved at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference yesterday.