THE RACING CONFERENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 14932, 19 July 1912, Page 2

THE RACING CONFERENCE.

STIPENDIARY STEWARDS APPROVED. Th-s question of the appointment of stipendiary stewards came before the Racing Conference at Wellington yesterday aftermoon. It was introduced this year by tho Taranairi delegates, who submitted the following proposition : At each .annual conference, cv committee, to be en lied the Stipendiary "Stewards' Committee," shall be elected, with power to select and appoint not less than two persona to act o<s stipendiary stewards at race meetings, on such terms, with such powers, and subject to such conditions as the committee may, by Laws or regulations, prescribe. " The committee shall consist of five persons, who shaH select a chairman, and may delegate to him -all or any of the powers'of the committee other than the power of appointing stipendiary .stewards and thr~ power of making, rescinding, or varying by-laws and regulation?; (hereby conferred on trie committee), and the chairman may exercif* such delegated powers as if they were hereby conferred on the chairman in the same manner as thev are conferred on the committee. In the event of no stipendiary titeward being able to attend any race meeting, a substitute stipendiary steward may be appointed bv the committee or their chairman to act at such race meeting, and in respect of such race meeting shall be deemed for ali purposes a stipendiary steward. The committee shall de--1 einiine the remuneration to be paid to the stipendiary stewards for their services, und the- amount required for the, purpose, and in order to carry this rub into effect it shall be provided by tli-3 fotalleator clubs in proporiion to th<; piow amounts received by them respectively by wnv of investments on the totalisator during the, preceding year, with regard, so far as the committee may find expedient, to any change in the number of elrivs on which tho totalisator i- used bv ar.'v club in th? current year. The amount payable by each club filial, be fixed bv the committee, and be paid to the secretary of the conference, who shall apply it .'is the chairman may from time to time direct. After several members had spoken in support of the motion, the president (Sir Grorce Clifford) pointed out that the cost night run to £4,000 per annum, and he doubted the value of the stewards at any ons meeting. A levy of 4 per cent, on this clubs' receipts would produce_ £3,000. He suggested as an alternative limiting the jockeys' provident, fund to £IO,OOO, and using' the surplus contributions for the payment of stewaids. The conference, however, adopted the motion with amendments limiting the eluh contributions to £ per cent., and increasing the committee to six, not including the president; who shall be ex officio a. member and chairman. It is considered that from three to six months will be required to get the scheme working. AMENDMENTS TO RULES. It was decided that the interpretation "metropolitan committee" be altered to "district committee," and that five delegates (instead of two) be elected by totalisator clubs in the metropolitan district. Rule 3 of Part VI. (providing that no club shall give less in stakes than tho net amount derived from the use of the totalizator during the previous year) was amended by adding a. proviso that tho rule shall not apply in the case of a-dimmu-tion in the number of days on which thc-totalis-ator is used by any club. Rule 7 of the same part was amended to provide tliat clubs shall undertake " not to permit any person to carry on the business of a. bookmaker.'' Previously the prohibition had applied to "any unlicensed person." Rule 8, Part XXIV., was struck out. and was substituted by: "The clerk of tho scales, before pawing the jockey's weight as correct, shall satisfy himself that it docs not exceed his correct weight by more than 2!b in a flat raoe or 41b in a'hurdle race or steeplechase.." Rule 2. Part XXVI., was altered to provide that a horse may be disqualified and tho jockey punished if the horse crosses another' unJcvS two clear lengths ahead, or jostles another horse or the jockov of another hooro, unless it be proved that the jet tie was wholly caused by tho fault of some other jockey or that j the jr.dlcd horse or his jockey was pitly 1 in fault. | Rule 7, Part XXXI.. was amended to I provide that there shall be no appeal f M ,m : the finding cf stewards on the following matters :—(a) Short' weight, (b) a cross «:r jcstle, (c) a start in front of the post or on the wrong course ot before the ' appointed time, (d) an obvious pull. Rule 1, Part XXXV., was amended to ; give power to trustees to invest moneys at ip.K-rei-t on smli terms and cr such periods as they may think fit. The Canterbury "(South) cou.rry cii.hf : or: ught forward'tlis following ionit :-- "That the conference consider the i (-< esj sity of taking the requisite steps to alter i the incidence of taxation so that the tax | be payable on the net profits of a meeting i only,'instead of es at present oi. the ur-.ff, ! turnover of totalisator. gate me:pts. | etc."—Mr G. Hunter, M.P.. said le : they should not approach I'ai'ia- ■ ment" It was a, new Parliament, aud riey idid not know what attitude it wouh.l u.Uz lup in regard to the totalisator. Thi-y >'■ -re ! getting on very well at present. -Mr hj. j \V. Alison (Ta'kajiuna) th.,' th:s i lav: ehoukl never have !> on ni.uk-. It y.-;.6 i wronrr in pnndi.'le ard a i<> Par- ' liameut. It should be alvr.-d. It vvw brought about thioiigh the mlhieuc* of j men opposed to raeii):;, and. now that tl'fy I had a cliai:,:e of Government, let tie m i±Q ! and ask the Government to change the j law, and so do justice t.o the.nisehvs and ! to th-se connected with racing.-- -Mr W. ■ E. Bidwell (Wairarapn) said that unless i they ventilated their grievances they would j never get them reetimxl. They should ■ point out to the Government the injustice icf the present tax.—'iho motion was ' adopted in this amended form : " that tho : conference make, ropiv.-cntat.ions to the ' Government with ivl-.Tenro to the unjust ! svttem of taxation, to tiiat the tn.x be : payable en tire- -ix-t profits, of a meeting ! only, instead cf as at present on the turnover of totalizator, gate icceipts. etc. '■ .Sir G. ffuntor mowd--'/ That it be a I ncirmancnt iii-tructiou to the Dates lom- ! niittec not to allot the Saturday before i Eu«tcr Sunday as a day ol any race meet- ! ing."~Tkis was earned by 2j votes to 12. i The foilowin; -.vere.-ka led to the. Date* | Committee :--M>.£.'s J. W. Abbott, E 1 W Alison E. Gocdbeliere. J. M'vay, and i P. Miller.' ■ Sir Ceorge Clifford wac re-elected prest- ! dent, i The president war. authorised, to make a special law diiriiu the year for the ■ benefit of the Suo,t« f'rotection League.