PURGING THE SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 126, 18 August 1927, Page 7

PURGING THE SPORT IN NEW ZEALAND

INTERESTING REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF THE MANAGEMENT An indictaion of the thorough action taken by the board of the New Zealand Trotting Association to keep the sport clean was given in the report of the president, Mr. J. H. Williams, at the annual meeting of the board in Christchurch. The report, which was adopted, stated: ‘‘Fortunately, except in one instance, where a life disqualification was imposed by this board upon a person for having supplied false information in connection with the alleged death of the mare Promenade, there has been an absence of any serious breach of the rules during the past sea§on. “There still appears to be present in the minds of some people the fear of a recurrence of what is termed “ring-ing-in.’ It is mainly due to that feeling that a number of reports were circulated during the past season, all of which have been fully inquired into. FALSE RUMOURS “For the most part, this has entailed much inquiry and expense, but it is pleasing to find that there was no foundation for the circulation of the reports. Should any person entertain a doubt as to the bona tides of a horse, he should state his grounds therefor to the stipendiary stewards immediately before or after a race, or as soon thereafter as possible. Some people seem to imagine that anonymous letters are all that are necessary. Anonymous correspondence of any kind is most unsatisfactory, and generally indicates a disinclination on the part of the person writing the same to come out into the open and support a charge which he desires the association to inquire into. The board is at all times prepared to have full inquiries made into anything appertaining to the welfare of the sport of trotting, and will welcome any helpful information from persons who may be able to throw any light on any matter that is the subject of inquiry. “I am quite sure that every true sportsman realises that to start a report without corroborative evidence to support it, is a cowardly action, and cannot be productive of any good result. A CLEAN SHEET “I am pleased to say that there have been no recent cases in New Zealand of fraudulent practices, such as occurred three years ago. A person who is undergoing life disqualification imposed by this association, continued, in Australia, his practice of fraudulent trafficking in horses, and by various means people there and here fell easy prey to his devices. Some instances of fraud practised upon New Zealand residents were brought under the notice of the board; but it was not until the early part of the season that a case was brought under its notice which, in its opinion, warranted a prosecution. The matter was thereupon taken up with the affiliated Australian associations, with the result that the culprit was arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the costs of the prosecution being borne equally by three of the Australian controlling bodies and this association. GATHERED GOLD - PROMENADE CASE “For the best part of the present year the association has been making investigations into a case which culminated in two persons, one a New Zealander and the other an Australian, being committed for trial in Sydney on a charge of having conspired together to defraud the New South Wales and Richmond Trotting Clubs, the Victorian and 'West Australian Trotting Associations, of large sums of money by running the well-known New Zealand mare Promenade, previously mentioned, as Gathered Gold. The costs of this prosecution also will be borne in the same proportion as the one previously referred to.”