“A VICIOUS CLAUSE”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 131, 24 August 1927, Page 10

“A VICIOUS CLAUSE”

PERMITTING CHANGES BETWEEN TROTTING AND RACING SPIRIT OF RECIPROCITY MR. JOHN ROWE, president of the Auckland Trotting Club, had something interesting to say at the annual meeting on the question of racing or trotting clubs being permitted to change their constitution. He dealt with he subject concisely and in a manner that left no doubt as to his strenuous opposition to what he termed “a vicious clause.’ POSITION UNSATISFACTORY When the 1924 Gaming Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament, said Mr. Rowe, a clause was included which allowed clubs to change from galloping to trotting or trotting to galloping. That clause had brought about a very unsatisfactory state of affairs. Several racing clubs in the South Island had made application to change over to trotting and he understood there were some trotting clubs in the North Island anxious to change to galloping. He had always stated that trotting did not want extra days at the expense of galloping, neither did the racing people want trotting clubs to change over to them. The clause was a most vicious one and had brought about much dissatisfaction among the clubs. If a club had a slight reverse it agitated for a change, instead of trying to meet the situation. The sooner the clause was repealed the better it would be for all concerned. THE HAND OF FRIENDSHIP The Trotting Conference was opposed to any of its clubs making a change, and was not hankering after any of the Racing Conference permits, but would do everything possible to continue the friendship and goodwill which had always existed between the two branches of the sport. This spirit of reciprocity is one that should be fostered in the interests of both turf organisations, and the two branches of the sport. With the hand of friendship extended by each association, the sports cannot help but be of assistance to each other, and with the removal of the objectionable clause of the Bill referred to, the associations would not be placed in the position of arbitrators for clubs wishing to change their constitution.