HOSTILITY IN RACING COUNCILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 438, 21 August 1928, Page 1

HOSTILITY IN RACING COUNCILS

Set Against Auckland Club TAKAPUNA J.C. PRESIDENT SPEAKS OUT WHOLE-HEARTED support to the Auckland Racing Club in its criticism of the method of constituting the executive of the New Zealand Racing Conference was given by the Hon. E. W. Alison in his presidential address at the annual meeting this afternoon of members of the Takapuna Jockey Club.

“I seldom refer to Racing Conference affairs other than with words of compliment, but feel constrained to offer adverse comment to-day.” he said. “Members are aware that certain changes have been effected, placing in the hands of an executive committee many of the powers hitherto vested in the president. Had this committee been properly representative of the metropolitan clubs and country clubs of the Dominion, all would have been well, but all is not well —far from it. ABSENCE OF GUIDING HAND “Had Sir George Clifford been in his accustomed place at the recent conference meeting, I feel confident that the regrettable episode upon which the president of the Auckland Racing Club has forcibly and with good reason expressed himself would not have been permitted to occur. I allude, of course, to the circumstance that upon this committee nominees of the metropoli-

for some unexplained and wholly indefensible reason, a set was made against the Auckland Racing Club, the premier metropolitan club of the Dominion. The following table, show - ing the number of races run, stakes paid, trophies given, and totalisator investments made by the Auckland Racing Club, and the metropolitan clubs which are represented on the conference executive committee, during the past year, will clearly illustrate how unfairly, how wrongly, the Auckland Placing Club has been treated Total-

Hawke's Bay 54 9,410 155 106,059 “Had the metropolitan clubs been given the voting power, which it is contended the rules entitled them to, the mischief complained of would probably not have happened; but be that as it may, what was done constitutes deliberate affront and indignity to Auckland, and reflects anything but credit upon those responsible. An inexcusable impropriety of this kind tends to create a feeling of hostility towards the Xew Zealand Racing Conference, which, if not overcome, must inevitably lead to disintegration and disunity, a condition of racing affairwhich we should all deeply deplore, and which conference representatives should exercise their best endeavourto avoid.” MANAWATU’S STATUS REPLY TO AUCKLAND INDIGNANT REFUTATION Press Association. PALMERSTON X., To-day | Speaking at the annual meeting of j the Manawatu Racing Club last even- ’ ing, the president, Mr. C. JLouisson, re- ; ferred to the remarks made by the president of the Auckland Racing Club regarding Manawatu being represented on the Racing Conference. He stated that although Manawatu ranks as a country club, its stakes per day’s racing and tota lisa tor turnover are considerably higher than many metropolitan clubs, and if the conferI enco was reconstituted on the basis of ! figures, Manawatu most certainly Franks as a metropolitan club. J Stakes for classic races amounted ito £I,BOO, which ranks Manawatu fifth, only four clubs giving higher ! stakes for these races. The amount of stakes distributed a day was £2,399. which ranks sixth among the racing clubs of the Dominion. The average totalisator turnover a day was which ranks sixth. i There are nine metropolitan clubs lin the Dominion, all represented on the conference. Of these only Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch give | larger stakes and have a larger totalisator turnover than Manawatu. As or.* j so-called metropolitan club gives as low as £ 883 a day in stakes, with a ' daily turnover of £9,414, compared \ with Manawatu’s £2,399 and £35,731. iit proves that the remarks of the Auckland Club president are unaware ranted. Wanganui, Dunedin and Hawke's Bay, with two representatives each on the conference, show less a day in stakes and totalisator turnover than j Manawatu. These facts justified | Manawatu being represented on the ’ I conference.

tan clubs of Canterbury, Wellington, Dunedin, and even Southland and Hawke’s Bay, have found seats, to the total exclusion of the Auckland Racing Club. “It is stated that this lamentable result has been brought about by a misreading of the rules. Whether that is

isator Xo. of InvestClub Races Stakes Trophy ments £ t: £ Auckland . 85 64.000 Wellington . 80 36,830 300 556.867: Canterbury . 80 32.675 325 Dunedin . . 72 loo 207.172 Southland . 32 6.775 50 74.V42