Two-Sided Contest For Presidency

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 4

Two-Sided Contest For Presidency

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON. Racing’s parliament, the annual meeting of the Racing Conference, will be held today in Wellington. There is nothing on the list of remits to cause a stir, but the outcome of the election for the new conference president is creating intense interest.

It is generally agreed that it is a two-sided contest, the principals being Mr R. A. Whyte, of Wellington, and Mr R. I. Sewell, of Wanganui. Mr Whyte is a past president of the Wellington Racing Club and has served on the club’s committee since 1948. He is chairman of the Wellington district committee and is a son of a former secretary of the Wellington Racing Club, the family name being commemorated in the name of one of the principal flat races at the Wellington winter meeting. Mr Whyte is partly crippled but this did not prevent him from achieving some stature as a cricketer, first at Christ’s College, and later in Wellington. Mr Whyte is expected to get solid South Island support in voting on the conference presidency, but it is felt that Mr Sewell will have Auckland support, if for no Other reason than that Wellington has the financial resources to match if not better Auckland in providing stakes for prestige races. Mr G. H. Grigg, of Canterbury, is stepping down from the presidency, and Dr. A. McGregor Grant, the vicepresident for several years, does not seek the higher office because of his advanced age and indifferent health. i Mr Sewell, a Wanganui accountant, has been on the conference executive for seve-

ral years. He might have some support from Hawke's Bay as well as having Auckland backing.

South Island voting could be all important If there is a division among the North Islanders, a block South Island vote for Mr Whyte, which is likely, could establish the popular Wellington official in the position of the “Prime Minister” of racing. Today’s meeting of the conference will also be the last for Mr A. M. Mcßeath, who has had a long career as conference secretary. Born at Kirwee and educated in Christchurch, Mr McBeath was on the staff of the Canterbury Jockey Club for a short time before becoming a conference employee. Mr Mcßeath was appointed acting secretary to the conference in July, 1939, and his appointment as secretary’ was oonfirmed three months' later. Mr Mcßeath has seen some big changes in racing, among them the introduction of win-and-place betting, the establisment of the T.A.B. and the establishment of machinery for detecting doping.