THAT PROVIDENT FUND.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1883, 17 October 1913, Page 5

THAT PROVIDENT FUND.

SOME FURTHER EXPLANATION. Some further references were made in the House of Representatives yesterday to the alleged proposal of the Racing Conforenco to divert, moneys held for the benefit of trainers and jockeys to the maintenance of stipendiary stewards. There was a question on the Order Paper from Mr. J. S. Dickson (Paniell) and tlio reply of the Government. was simply that the Chairman of the Racing; Conference had advised thatnothing of the sort was proposed.

Mr. G. Hunter 6aid there was no intention on the part of the -Racing Conference to divert the funds referred to. In fact, the funds wero held by trustees outside the conference. The proposal was to uso jjart of the fund subscribed bv trainers and owners to defray the expenses of tlio employment of stipendiary stewards. . And ho claimed that the owners had contributed largely towards the fund, which was primarily instituted for their protection, and only incidentally for the benefit of trainers and jockoys. No attempt was being made to employ the funds contributed by the jockoys themsolves. The fund had been-established for the protection tif owners and for the benefit of owners and jockeys, and had been used fj.v the conference largely for tlio benefit of jockeys. v Mr Wilford: It is not, I can prove it. Mr. Hunter: I am quite a sure the honourable gentleman who is making that statement can not prove it. Ho (Mr. Hunter) knew that the jockeys and trainors generally wero perfectly .with,

fund. It was manifestly in their interests as well as in tho interests of tho public that stipendiary stewards should be employed.

Mr. T. M. Wilford alleged that the trustees of tho accident fund had not, been humane in their administration of the fund, and ho told tho story of i boy who was killed not long ago at a meeting of the Marlborough Racing Club. Tho club had allowed the horse to" bo started without tho payment of the insuranco fees, so that tho trustees wero not liable, and tho owner of tho horse could not be compelled to pay. Tho boy was the main support of his widowed mother, aud her solicitor had interviewed tho trustees on her behalf. The trustees would give nothing, as they would have if they had a spark of generosity in them. Mr. J. S. Dickson maintained that tho statement j*iven to the Minister by tho president of the Racing Conference was incorrect.

Tho Hon. W. H. Herries said that tho Racing Conference held tho fund not for the benefit of trainers and jockeys, but for tlio benefit of owners, to protect them from liability they might incur under the law of this land through accidents. Tho fund was not a jockeys' or-trainers' provident fund. Tho owners had established the fund voluntarily for their own protection. And it was not the business of the Houso, and he hoped it never would bo tho business of the House to interfere with tho private arrangements of any sporting body. With regard to the casa-quoted by the member for Hutt, ho did not think there was any reason for diatribes against tho trustees, who could not. under tho rules.of their trust, have paid anything to the boy's relatives. Their remedy was by an ordinary action ih the Law Courts. REMINDERS. Owners are reminded that acceptances for the first day's events at the Wellington Racing Club's Spring Meeting close to-night. Nominations for a number of events at tho Auckland Racing Club's meeting closo to-night. An acceptance for the City Handicap is duo at the samo time..

FIXTURES. Oct. 23 and 24,-Poverty Bay T.C. Spring Oct. 25 and 27.—'Wellington R.C. Spring Oot 27.—Waverley-Waitotara R.C. Annual Oct. 27 and 28.—Gore R.C.'s Spring Oct. 28 and 29.— Greymouth J.C. Spring