CHANCE FOR SALVATION

NZ Truth, Issue 1181, 19 July 1928, Page 12

CHANCE FOR SALVATION

President's Significant Note At Trotting Conference x

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Commissioner.)

IT is significant; that the presidential address -to the Trotting Conference fang with a note of impending danger to the sport.

NO other meaning can be gleaned' from a careful study of this address, than * that the sport . is not entirely free from criticism, and this means that either the stipendiary or club ' stewards can clo better than- in the past. • •.■■■•;■ By leading the stipendiary stewards to believe that they will be backed up by the Conference m displaying conscientiousness m their tasks, the president has left the path clear for them to prov.e that they are worthy of their hire. . . ,i- ' Further, it is tantamount to calling' upon all ; honorary club stewards to show that they are fit and- proper per■sons to-control a. pastime which, can only; remain popular if stern measures, are introduced— measures, by the way, which will sheet home to the "tamperer" that he is not .wanted, and that the ever -paying public must be protected. .'' • That the public's' financial support has been trifled, with m the, past by those of an avaricious tendency m the trotting game is the general opinion, and it would, at least seem 1 that the opportunity has now. presented itself tp rectify matters. , . . ' While on this point, there .is. certainly room' for the suspicion that even those m charge of some of the most important trotting clubs have displayed a lack of courage when it was a case of tackling the. many evil ways of wily perpetrators. _ What may have been desirable m the presidential report was reference to the "betting steward," for. although it may be -hard to . swallow for those concerned, the general impression' is that the majority of trotting club stewards like to have a tilt at the tote. Anyhow, it is mere fallacy to contend that air stewards and officials refrain from betting at their own, fixtures. ••■.'■■ . -■■ ' ■ ■ There are probably some who do not, and only those of that calibre should allow themselves' to take a share in' governing the doings of any fixture.

New capital which may come in y has been kept out of trotting because of the "alleged" unsavory flavor surrounding it. • It ; . is sincerely hoped that the tone of ' the presidential! address will not be treated by those responsible for club control, of the sport as idle verbiage uttered with the idea of bulling a gullible public into the belief that the conduct of the _ sport is m safe 'hands. ' What trotting club officials want to realize is that the majority of enthusiasts, incline to the belief that the game has • been inadequately . conducted and that there' is room for much needed improvement. . ' : '. i Unless this is fully appreciated and a resolutely firm stand taken, there, will be reason for a continuance of the general assumption that the- trotting game is better left alone. Several important clubs have awakened to the fact that the New Zealand Trotting Association is not filling the bill. They want district committees, and it looks; as if. two or three years more will be the end of the Trotting Association. -