RACING EVILS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10293, 30 May 1919, Page 5

RACING EVILS

DRASTIC ACTION NEEDED

DISCUSSION AT C.J.C. MEETING,

Press Association.

CHRISTCHURCH, May £9

At the annual meeting of the Canterbury Jockey Club this afternoon, the president (Mr Alex. Boyle), in his address, said that the actual racing during the past season had been successful, but there was a growing feeling amongst the racing community that everything waa not as it should be. It was impossible for any one club to remedy tne evils that undoubtedly existed, but when these evils became common talk it was high time some drastic measures were taken. There was no shadow of doubt that the riding had deteriorated throughout the Dominion, and there appeared to bo very tew apprentices likely ■to first-claps horsemen. He considered, it was a matter for sincere regret that a few racing clubs continued to increase the. numoer or races u ™* er one mile on their programme. The conference should without doubt give grave consideration as to the advisability of limiting . the number of five and sis furlong flutters in each day s racing. During the discussion, Mr J. S. B&r----rett drew attention to the spread or illicit.betting, and said the Racing Conference and clubs should give the matter their serious attention. The racing people needed to put their house in order or possibly the enthusiasts who had tried to deal with another alleged evil might turn their attention to racing, which would be harder to deal with than the evil he had referred to. The president (Sir George Clifford, chairman of the Racing Conference) told him the conference intended to legislate very shortly on the question of bettting.