THE REASON?

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 15

THE REASON?

No Clerk of Scales For A.T.C.

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) j It will come as rather a surprise fo know that the Auckland Trotting Club has decided to dispense^ with the services of a> Clerk of Scales. x THE information comes from a reli- ; able source and H; B. Massey, one of the most popular officials of the scales m the north, will no longer fill the bill at Alexandra Park. The reason, according to the trotting officials, is that owing to saddle races not figuring on the A.T.C. programme it will not be necessary to employ a clerk of the scales. This, however, hardly coincides with the rules of trotting. A rough glance through the edition leaves the impression that a Clerk of Scales is a necessity. Part 1, Interpretation, page 10, says: "Weigh Out" and "Weighing Out" includes notification to the Clerk of Scales by the driver of a horse as provided by these Rules. Part VIII., Regulations for Race Meetings, Rule 107, also mentions the Clerk of Scales, evidently because he is a necessity. Part X., Rule 137, page 601 The Clerk of Scales shall see that eaoh horseman/ weighs out In proper, costume and the right colors. Part XXIII., Rule 263, Page 78, mentions the driver, also the Clerk of Scales, evidently meaning him as a necessary official. . \ , ■■:■ In the same Part, Rule 287, page 79, saysr "Every horseman shall if required to do so provide his license to the Clerk of Scales," while Rule 261, also infers, that the Clerk of Scales Is a necessity. • Again m the same part, Rule 267, page 81, and Rule 2708, page 82, the Clerk of the Scales is mentioned. It is admitted some of these rules quoted appear to refer to horsemen only (evidently saddle races), but not all. It would seem that a oapable Clerk of the Scales is a necessity for any trotthig olub aspiring to be great. The A.T.C. are surely not that short of funds. that they intend to do away With such an important individual even though they have no saddle races on their programmes. Ribbonwood's Last Is expected to be first at Auckland. He will have to take his coat off to beat Sunfish. , • « « Loch Moigh beat Western King that easily at Addtngton that he should beat him again at Auckland.