Taranaki Jockey Club

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 10, 13 January 1904, Page 4

Taranaki Jockey Club

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING. There was a very large attendance of nnom-bers of the Taranaki .lackey Oub at the special general meeting, fceiid layt evening. Mr Samuel, President, was in the chair, uiiid explained tlaat tlie meeting was called to place beiore members of the clulo the evidence on which the stewards tttud acted in connection with the second huidle race at the Christmas luoetittg. He t-hon read a dig',st OI the evidence tajven on the course. and explained that the was then lakiyourned to Tuesday iv.givt. Mi Quilliam had taken notes of the reKumcd mqiiiiy. and he him to reaid this e\ hlence to meii&ers-. Mr Q,U'iildaiii read this, which was to the effect that tlH*re wta-s m> collision between owners and jockess, ami tlrnt each- acted separately and tritfd to win. ()' Connoll s explanation of Moturod's running was that ehe struck a hurdle, and that she was itot a good juniper. Mr McCrackcn, owner of Moturoa, stated he was not satislied with the way the mare was handled by her jockey.

A'fter tlw reading of the evwtenw, Which was very lengthy, tine chairman invited full discussion-. He referieJ to the great trouble taken by the stewards in endeavor ring to arrive at the truth of the alTair which formed the subject of tine injctyLiiry. Tdie ytewaid.H l«aid refused to hear nobody. Of course they could not act on the many statements of irresponsible persons. If stewards were to be carriod away by the howls oi the crowid—eve.n were there 50,000 instead of only forty or lifty, or if they took notice of those wfro had lost a httle money on tlw race in tfuervtion, they would not be lit to act as stewards. Personally 'ha would give a good round sum to be able to S'litet home the swindle to the ligpit persons, but on the evidence adduced the stewards could riot frave acted in any other imanner ttaa by passing those resolutions which had already been made public. He thought that the club was to -bhunc for not stationing stewbrds to watch hurdle races, as it was impossible to watoh closely enough from tlie stewards' stand. He refemiJ to the diversity of opinior <amo»g the stewaids as to the ru«rmii>g of Toledo, an-d stated that if the horse were pulled, the ruder was too good a jockey to allow the sfewaids to see the offence. Mr Samuel then announced that he was open to answer any Questions, and placed himseH in the hands of the members as to whether or not he should continue to act as president. He and the stewards would not shark their responsibility, arid courted investigation. H« stated that the New Plymouth racecourse was no more subject to crooked rurmm-g than any other in the colony, and referred to the fact that at the Mian-awiatu races an accusation on this head had been ; iaikl it>u'inst one of the colony's most ttaoimule iiK'n. Hir George Clittord. ; recent incident had revived the question of liow to maintain pure sifiort and continued the opinion that racing was a hazardous thing. After referring to the fact that he ne,ver lead any pecuniary inteiests in racing, either hi betting or otherwise (a statement loudly by the nieeting) Mr Samuel moved "That it is inexpedient that any steward should lie personally interested i'ji any ractihorse owned or raced in farauaki-, or invest monev the to-jalifc-aitor or Ix't in oiny mamner at any race meeting held by tihe club.'' Money was at the bottom of all these troubles. As for the .wretcUd hooters—for that was his Opmion of them—this sort of thiwg would always prevail amongst disappointed Lackers, the ignorant section of whom were always ready to Irac* W tiic-ir expected '-goad thing did net come off." It was impossible to pick a winner of a race. The bajiddcaprpcr was paid to coniceal that, otherwise there would be no

sport at all in racing. Referring more closely to his motion, the pre£fedenrt said that the public w-ouLd have more confidence in the conduct

of the club's aflairs if it were known tihiat the stewards had no pecuniary interest ixi- the racing, and he hoped iJiat there woukd be sufficient etewajkte who would be willing to undertake the dutiej under the no-/ arrangements There had toun many gentlemen connected with racing affairs in New Plymouth—gentlemen who bad -done much for sport and who owmod cn were con-iK-ctui with racehorses. He hoped their assistance woulU still be available, it mot as stewaids, as committeemen, so that t'hvir advice could be obtained on matters with which they were fomiliar. In the true interests of sport it was desirable that no steward should have anything to win or lose by the result of a race. He exptair.ji why it was that Toledo's running could not I/; penalised, the stewards being compelled to decide dUyntw on questions of fact, such as a pull or a jostle. In conclusion, Mr Samuel stated that this had been anything but -a merry Christmas for him. The incident *»nder notice had caused him much pain, and he was very sorry that the stewards had not been able to probe the affair to the bottom, and sheet home tho fault to the real offender. Mr Quilliam seconded the motion, without comment. At this stage the chairman read apologies from Mr Newton Kinig, who was away on a trip to the Mokau ; Mr Paul, who wws in the New Plymouth Bowling Club's team now in Auckland ; ami Mr Atkinson. Mr Thomson asked if Jl* Samuel meant that no betting man could become a steward. The chairman said he would leave it to tihe good taste of the stewards to refrain from Lvtting or else lake no part in the conduct of the racing when they were j>ecunianly interested. Mr P. O'Brien said this was a very unusual thing, and mentioned the munes of Sir George ClitTond, Sir Wm. Russell, Mr (J. (J. Stead, arad several leading Australian horse-

owners who were prominent officials in the principal racing clu'bs of the

colonies. The chairman saw! tlvat certainly it was a wry, uncommon thing. But 'it was getting a puinfully common

thing to have su-wards charged with fostering bad sport ami encouraigtng swindles. And tivis was no more common than tin l a]ijK'aianc<: o!' names of owners urn stewards' lists. On account oi the latter fact the public were often incline! to blame officials where there was really no (ground for complaint at, all. Mr Mc<iuin'iK-ss asked if it were true that some stewards had recently resigned. Tho chairman said that Messrs Atkinson, Thomson ai.'i Thos. Elliott Wall resigned as stewards, and Mr Alexander had resigned from his stewaidship ami membership' as well. Mr Mc(Juiiin«'ss sugjgjestfd that these stewards he asked to reconsider their resignations. He also stigg|»ted that O'Cranjiell's case be reopfno.l, and mentioned that a rider unused to a haul jumjier like Moturoa might easily lose his lteai;!. He did not see how the chairman's motion could foe carried until thv anrjual general meeting. It would be against the interests of the clirb to make any alteration now in tile status of the stewands. He moved as ain ajiiendment—"Thot the debate on Mr Samuel's motion in- adjouniod until the next general meeting of the ch4b and that the present stewards be requested to continue to act, ami t.iwit thotte of tlie stewards who are still members of the club and who recently resigned as stewards be roqueted to consent to act as stewfixts until the expiration oi the term

for which they were elected." Tim chairman favoured the. amendment, ' and Mr Lepper seconded it. Mr J. C. Ceonge .said he woufii like to see the motion threshed out. TUoiugh the stewards were ever sio honest, ever so clean-handed, chaste as the driven snow, the fact that they Had monetary interests would prejudice Uveni in the eyes oi the public. If a man ptood to lose mon!eyit was only reasonable that he would be prejudiced in his decision. Ilr Lealham thought, t'lvat the next general meeting wouid )>e soon enough to discus's alterimg' the duties or ijii'alifiiuit'ions of the stewards. The president said he would like

to see the amendment carried. Alter .the IVUruarv meeting it was possible [that th-eiv would h'e considerable changes in the ixersownel of the ollicials of the ckilt. He liked to see a jpjo-oid race, but -took no part himself, if things woe twenty times worse thiani! mow he would not take, his hand from the plough till alter the February meeting, aind even if lie were the only oftlcial left he would try and carry the meeting through somehow. (Api yause). Mr George then agreed with Mr McCJiiinness- that the stewards who ittud resigned should linish out their year, while at the same time Ik; supporting Mr Samuel's motion. Colonel toilis saw no use in putting the motion, as a majority oi' member* could return "horsey" men as stewards if they wished. The motion was carried.

l)r Leatham moved — r rhat the members piv*-ent take this opportunity of thanking the stewards for the care and laborious consideration they lia-ve exercised in tlieir conduct oi the case under consideration. f Jhat the meeting expresses its entile confidence and feel that the stewards have acted conscientiously to the Ix'St of their ability and in tlw be?-;t interests of the club and racing public : and we very highly appreciate their having taken ua so fully into their conrfidcnec.

Seconded by Mr J. C. George and carried unanimously. Mr Samuel, on behalf of the stewaids, retuiTYod thanks. He assuivd the meeting that tihe stewards honestly er.d<eavourtid to do thefr ffuty. Mr McGuinness moved that the stvwaids 'be recommended to take into favourable consideration any application from O'Connell for the removal of hit; di^'iualilication. There was no seconder, Che chairmaiu ruling that one of the stewards was out of order in seconding. Mr Mace remarked that there was too much inquiry into the recent affair. Officials properly stationed co'ulid look into all this 'crooked running as in the old days of the Tarafiuki Club. The general mooting then concluded. and a meeting of the inanage- : ment committee was held to trani sact business in connection with the I forthcoming races in February.