RACING CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2824, 15 July 1916, Page 2

RACING CONFERENCE

LESSON TAUGHT BY WAR WHAT CLUBS ARE DOING FINANCIAL AID Tho annual conference of representatives of Now Zealand Racing Clubs was hold yesterday, Sir George Clifford. president, in tho chair. President's Address. Iji his address the president said:— ''Once again the din 01 Wattle souuiis in our ears as we assemble for our annual conference. A war iorct.d by a most wicked crime upon peace-desiring nations w. progressing cowanls our iinal victory. Wo may ho satidied that in carrying, on during its continuance tiie institution of racing we have added to, other utilities much direct benefit to the, defenders of our liberties. That we have acted wisely linds continuation in tho fact that His Must Gracious Majesty Ims kept his racing stable ,in active commission, sup. ported in that'rcspcct l>y Lord Derby and other sound leadet's of British opinion. "I may, nevertheless, be expee.tcd to take notico of tho pucrilu demand fur »' cessation of racing. Jt is a cry of tho uuinstructed. Those who repeat it little understand the vital importance of a supply ol suitable, horses for dolenee purposes; nor can they have realised that tlie thoroughbred horse is essential to their production. Trench warfare during one stago of a campaign may. put cavalry, out. of-action, but when tlie enemy is on tho run the mounted Ann of the service has its turn, as was shown quite recently in tho Russian advance' into Austrian territory;, nor is horse traction -wholly; suspended for artillery and. Iranspori:. If tho poiiit need, insistence, !l could qiiolo Lord Kitchener, whoso tragic loss we so deeply deplore, .but' it. suffices that, except whtre there may ■bo interferened with railage of troops or munitions, racing is kept gaiui' both in Britain and Germany. When the opposing clamuur does not arise from honest ignorance, it is the outcome of'dishonest claptrap. The intriguer who utilises tho national' crisis to promote his otherwise unattainable end is on'iv par with the politician whosu vanity seeks a. paltry prominence for him-' wlf by 'ill-timed ami unfounded criti cisms of responsible officials. Magnificent Response of Clubs. "Tho lesson taught by war goes to tho very heart of the value of racing, and explains in part why many private individuals aro maintaining expensive studs Ui secure-for-the- British 'Empire advantages gained in foreign countries by cost* ly ..establishments at Government expense. It further points to the'necessity' tor tho' proper conduct of a upurt which professes and sorves such high aims. In this respect we can claim tliat nowhera in the world is racing . bo,tier conducted than in New Zealand, The. absence ot proprietary clubs, the devotion of all 'profits to tho sport, tho cleansing intluence of the l/jtalisator, and tin; search, ing investigation of disputed decisions by an elaborate system of impartial tribunals, alt contribute to this result. They liavc also rendered possible 'the luagnili. cent response of the racing clubs to tho financial needs of tiio time. I have bcoti nt pains to estimate tho bulk of this as. instance. My figures may. nearly . approach to accuracy for the past, and may enable you to form sonio forecast of. the I'utuve, They nre as follow:--. (a) Voluntary contributions, <Sj!),ill2 10s. 6d.; (u) taxation pant .to . the Government, ,!;-til,lili7 bs. lii Total, .1307,U09 ISs. lid. , "Is. this tiie record of a useless frivolity!l i.et tlie next brilliant charge ol British cavalry reply! Let'the permanent help to our maimed fcllow-citizena anavYw! We will leave it nt that. At one time I had ventured to hope thai the voluntary payments by racing club.i ■..'night be pooicu lor the foundation ol a» liniititte l*>r disabled soldiers, but a pit), 'i-alcnt desire to befriend kindred local ?.tlut'ts._mu!ereiLu .national iichome im•p.vucticable." , . Administrative Details.

Continuing, Sir George ' 'UQord ?aidi "t'assing to administrative details), Wo may.congratulate ourselves upon the good work wrought by the stipendiary s-tsw-uidK. .Alueli of it lias-passed unnoticed, •'Mid that nut Hie least important. A tactful word here ami there, a - little quiet advice unobtrusively given, libs oiten .helped tu foster amoug tlio workers of tho turf nobler ideais of li noble sport, while on occasion there has been no lac); of nerve and courage to check sternly attempts at malpractice. It limy Ixi an indication of resulting restraint that so few appeal cases have demanded attention. in these, we havo to acknowledge with thanks the assistance of Messrs. W. U. liidwill, C. .'P. Skcrrett, K'.C., and 0 a, Watkins, as judges of appeal. II seems advisable to remove certain misconceptions by reiterating I,ho principle upon which the control of nomenclature ia based. .1 lmvn never vetoed proposed names merely because they are clumsy or inappropriate. Henry numy ill-adjured, and meaningless combinations of syllables from tho nuine-i of sire and dam have •tceu permitted. You wiii recogniso. that this i,s aiot a li tt i rig -time for endeavourin}; to rectify the inconveniences and injustices under which we labour" through' ;thi> hasty, enactments of a recent period. 1 may, bowover, montion tor future attention llie mistaken prohibition of" publication of totalisator investments, which defeats its supposed object:, and pjayn into tli« bunds of lawbreakers. Useless ire, itself it lessens the interest of racinii record!!, and helps to conccal tlio policy of ovil doors. Concerniini Bookmakers. "Tlittt bookmakers hauituaiiy evade tin, law is commonly known. t Whether owners in regard to iiieir own horses respect universally the undertaking to retrain from patronising them may be. doubted, though breaches oi this ob'l'igatiou must, of course, ho exceptional. Those who disregard the specific injunction in tho rule are liable to disqualification,' and, as it were, tako their racing ims in their hands, evon if ;ho self-contempt, dirt to a dishonourable act, is a'n lnsullicieut deterrent. J a this connection we nuiv depior; the facilities which arc afforded Ijy tno postal authorities for tlio transaction <;i : illicit business, while, tho 'sumo Department• rigorously bars investors m legalised; methods of investment from tiio Uisu -0.l if* facilitvtrf, "I cannot conclude-without deniorum tho death of Air. !•'. H. Pyne, who hasbeen a member of this conference, and who was more widely known as the lending auctioneer of racing stock in tho .Dominion, his stewing -Integrity commanding universal confidence. We alsu regret tue loss of JlivK J. Gothard, who so often represented tlio district clubs of tho ilawkc's Bay district. Hay. oui next meeting be free from the anxieties i.-inch must over attend a lit'o and death struggle with a relentless foe, and ma\ we all he conscious at its end that, wo have borno our part throughout' as in- , rlividua.ls , and as sportsmen,' regardless of-our' personal interests. Tlus'is a spirit which the friendly contests of the turf-should engender, wnl v.iiich should guide ■evtry- loyal imperial emergency.■ . Correspondence. Con'espondpnct> was received from G. F. Hardy and J. O'Neill, asking for a removal of tho disqualification imposed on them in connection with the running of Croesus. It was decided that the president be empowered to appoint judges to go into the question, and consider the applications. if Conlrol of Race Mcctinfl:. The report of the Stipendiary Stewards'., .Committee mentioned that :licient cleansing of racecourses is slin tariled by V-tro -non-employment < cient racecourse detectives. 'I'lie p:. ... system of racecourse detectives liai! He o: no elle.et in stamping out undesirables. .or curtailing Iwokinakiug. Willi, fpiv exceptions there had been no decided Improvement, in the control of the birdcage during the season, '.creator 1 punctuality"'.had been shown in tho starting of events at most meetings. (!oi<erjiUy'speofcing, racing lor the past year had maintained a high standard, 'and although' additional permits were granted by the Government, thereby increasing racing ill the Dominion, "the sport

had been fairly free from abuse by those concerned. The stipendiary stewards had found that there were occasions on which I hey did Jiot get the support from judicial committees that they had a right to expect. .There was also an occasional disposition to undue leniency. Despite the war, the volume of investments through the totalisator had been maintained in a remarkable manner, and the funds for all patriotic purposes throughout the Dominion had been much augmented thereby. The committee considered it inadvisable that the stipendiary stewards should act officially for trotting events at race meetings.

Ns discussion followed oil the report, which was adopted ou ll\e motion of the president.

All members of the Stipendiary Slew iirds' Committee were elected for a fur ther term.

Dates of Meetings. The dates of racing which .had been applied for were approved subject to certain exceptions and amendments. These exceptions alt'ected .several meetings _in and neat- the Wellington. Racing .District. The Manawatu Hunt Club were granted August o'O, in lieu of August ~;1. The North M'aranaki limit Club were grunted August 2i, in lieu' of-' August 81. The Poverty Bay Hunt Club was granted October 'lis, instead of September 7. September 25.and 20 were, the date 3 granted to the Otaki Maori Racing Club. The Taraiiaki Jockey Club's objection to the amended application of the Marlborough Racing | Club for-February 7 and S,.ijt lieu of I November 15 afld IG, was not-sustained, | and the Jrarlborough Club was granted ! February 7 and S. it was decided not j to uphold the objection of the Jlurton Jockey . Club to the Jtanawatu Racing ! Club being granted December 20, 27, I and- 29. - With regard to the application of liio To Kuiti liacing Club for au extra day of racing the committee had 110 rccom-' Imendation to nialce. - I instead of holdiil;? races 011 April 211 and 21), next year tiio Wellington Racing I Club applied for April HI and 21. The mjuest was granteil. ' x . Members of the .Dates Committee were elected for a further term. of Jockeys. On the recommendation of the Stipendiary Stewards Committee, Jlr. W. li. Bidweill (Welling Son District Clubs) -moved: "That all_ licenses be granted by 11 licensing coimiiittee of the conference,and -issued by the secretary of the conference." In supporting the resolution, Mr. Eidwill said that this was tho fourth time that the resolution had been betore HlO conference. At the present l time nine different bodies were issuing licenses, aud tills, in his opinion, was not tho proper way to do business. Exception had beeu taken to the remit, as it was. thought that too much power would bo placed in the hands of tlie coirfcrciico, He did not hold with this view, anil further expressed the/opinion that if a licensing committee., were. appointed . it. would do away with many- influences which at the present time the district committees, or Members of those bodies, were subjected to. ' r - j Messrs._ M. M'Lean (Auckland .R.C.). 11. Freidlnnder (Canterbury), "AW Duncan (Wanganui), A. W". Budge (Taramiki), . and J-. IL'. Perrett - (Wangle m:,i) supported the resolution. Sir .George Clifford, president, strongly supported the motion.. Ho held that bj' the ap]iointment of tlie committee much of the discredit brought.upon the racing community would be removed. "It hail been mentioned that the committee would have to be placed in Christchurch., This was not so. Ho thought that in regard to the administration of .the Turf tha licensing of jockeys should be placed in the hands of persons who would bo in a position to kuor tho character an'd behaviour of the jockeys throughout! New Zealand. ' Messrs. G. Hunter (Hawke's Bnv), E. W. Alison (Auckland), and F. ?,I. Buckley spoke against the motion. It was contended by the speakers that district. committee!-., having a much better local kuo'wledgo. their decisions in these' matters would lie more likely to be recognised than the licensing cwnniittce. Mr.. W. T. Hnzlett (Ot.igo) expressed the opinion that district bom nittees were in a much better position to jwlge how., jockcvs behaved in their oivn'districts. I " The motion was lost on-the-.-majority. system of voting, thc.figur.es being—For, li); against, 10. Amendments to Rules. A resolution by the Wanganui Jockey Club, the eliect ok«'Meh was that it a motion was proposed at each of three, successive annual ■'conferences and if, had received a majority of votes at each meeting, it could be carried at a succeediug annual meeting by a bare majority, «\\s lost. - . Metropolitan or totalisator clubs, which, 111 addition to trots, place races 011 their programme, ivill in future have to give not less than .2)50 in stakes per day for races. - At the request of the-Stipendiary Stewards' Committee, the-- president brought ionvard a motion tho effect ct which would give power to a stipendiary steward to debar an unruly or vicious Jiorse '•at the starting-post from starting in a race. Alter discussion the motion was lost- , , 1 I'art XXIV, Rule 11, at nrescnt reads, in cirect, that the riders of placed yiorses must weigh in, and any such, ruler tail-, ill" to do so may be. lined a sum not exceeding £50. Certain provisions are included. "Conference, by a • iinaniinousvote, decided that the first four howes must weigh in. - Mr. Hazlctt moved to the effect that Jjnvs, wiie.ll 'disqualified-for "all obviou; pu'll," should be given the right of appeal. 'The motion was . carried, with tho addition that the right of appeal is tv_ be whoro u (iisrjunlificaticn is formore than fourteen -days. "That raciftourse deteelivcs-; shall be appointed .i\ew Zealand .Racing Conference,, or bv the comniittce there, of nominated for'that purpose, and.'with such powers a»(l subject to such reguIntions as may from time to time bo conferred or ajiproved by tho conference," was a motion which was-moved by the president at.the request of tho Stipendiary Stewards' Committee. After discussion the motion was lost. , The Taranaki Jockey Club ivished powers to bo given-to stipendiary stewards to cause the stirrup leathers of the-, riders in- .hurdle- ami steeplechase, races to be lengthened-. 011 the majority voting rule the motion was. lost. -; A remit from Dunodin urged that the minimum, weight to .be. carried by. any horse in any-handicap flat race shall bo 7st. After considerable discussion tho motion was lost by. a large majority. Mr. A. 11. M'Ke.llar jyas reappointed auditor.