SPORTING.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 280, 23 May 1912, Page 7

SPORTING.

TARANAKI METROPOLITAN COMMITTEE. NOTICES OF MOTION.

The following notices of motion to be forwarded to the Racing Conference have been approved by the Taranaki Metropolitan Committee: — Page 14, Rule 35, Part 3. —To omit all words after the word "Conference" in the third line and insert the following words:—"No person shall be a representative of more than one of such clubs. Each, of such clubs shall be entitled to one vote only, and if two representatives of any such clubs shall differ on any question, the vote of the club shall not be counted." Page 22, Part V., New Rule 3.—That the following new rule be added to Part V.: —"At each annual conference a committee, to be called 'The Stipendiary Stewards' Committee,' shall be elected, with power to select and appoint not less than two persons to act as stipendiary stewards at race meetings on such terms, with such powers, and subject to such conditions as the committee may, by laws or regulations (which they are hereby authorised to make) prescribe. Such by-laws and regulations shall, when signed by the chairman of the committee, lie transmitted to the secretary of the conference and notified, and shall thereafter have equal force and effect as if they were by-laws and regulations made by the conference itself. The committee shall consist of five persons, who shall select a chairman and may delegate to him all or any of the powers of the committee other than the power of appointing stipendiary stewards, and the power of making, rescinding, or varying by-laws and regulations (hereby conferred on the committee), and the chairman may exercise such delegated powers as if they were hereby conferred oil the chairman in the same as they are hereby conferred on the committee. In the event of no stipendiary steward being able to attend any race meeting a substitute stipendiary steward may be appointed by the committee or its chairman to act at such race meeting, and in respect of such race 1 meeting shall be deemed for all purposes a stipendiary steward. The committee shall determine the remuneration to be paid to the stipendiary stewards for their services, and the amount required for the purpose, and in order to carry this rule into effect, shall be provided by the totalisator clubs, in proportion to the gross amounts received by them respectively by way of investments on the totalisator during the preceding year, with regard, so far as I the committee may find expedient, to any change in the number of days on which the totalisator is used by any club in the current year. The amount payable by each club shall be fixed by the committee, and be paid to the secretary of the conference, who shall apply it as tlie chairman may from tinje to time direct."

Page 23, Part VT.. Rule 3.—That the following words be added to the rule:- — "But this rule shall not apply in the case of a diminution of the number of days on which the totalisator is used by any club." Page 35, Part XTT., New Rule 7. — That the following new rule be added to Part Xll.:—"The stewards shall not permit any jockey, when riding In a hurdle race or steeplechase, to adopt the 'crouch' or 'Sloan' style of riding."

Pasre 80, Part XXXI.. Rule 7.—That in the last paragraph of Rule 7 all the words after the word "committee," in the sixth line be omitted from the rule, or. in the alternative (2) that all the words after the word "literally" in the ninth line be omitted, and the following words substituted:—"And so as not to include the question whether any act alleged was done fraudulently or corruptly, and nothing in this rule contained shall affect the right of appeal by those rules conferred, or render unnecessary the approval by the Metropolitan Committee of disqualifications and fines where provided for by these rules."

At a meeting of the committee it was decided to forward two claims under the accident fund to the Trustees.

H. Goldfinch, holder of an apprentice jockey's license, and who is apprenticed to E. J. Milne, was before the committee for leaving his employment before the term of his apprenticeship had expired. Goldfinch was ordered to return to his employment and complete his apprenticeship, otherwise his license would lie cancelled and the secretary instructed to have his name inserted in the official calendar for breaking his apprenticeship.

I Goldfinch informed the committee . that he would not return and complete bis apprenticeship. J. O'Neills trainer's license was suspended for one month for knowingly employing a person —Hector Gray—whose name for the time being appeared on the list of disqualifications in the official calendar.

Under Rule 3, Part 33, Hector Gray's term of disqualification was increased by one-third of its original duration, and he was also ordered to pay a fine of £5 under the same rule.—This means that Gray's term of disqualification has been increased by four month*.

TURF TOPICS. (By "Moturoa.") The Wanganui Jockey Club's winter meeting, the first of the steeplechase gatherings of the season, opens to-day, and will be concluded to-morrow. Matters in connection with the meeting point to it being a very successful one, and given fine weather some stirring contests may be expected. At the very least it is likely that a dozen horses will contest the Wanganui Steeplechase, and the presence of Antarctic, Continuance, Pleiades and Whakaweira invests the race with great interest. Antarctic has come through a solid preparation and his displays on the Wanganui track have been of a [high order. His jumping is the acme of correctness, and his pace on the flat surprising for one of his class. Continuance jumps finely, but reads badly handicapped in comparison to a veteran steeplechaser like Antarctic. Sir Lethe could do with more schooling, and may do better over a shorter course. The Taranaki horse, Pleiades, has plenty of weight, but he is such a good game horse that he must run well forward. Whaka-

weira is the Hawie's Bay tip, and his party will not hear of defeat. .They consider that they hold Continuance safe at the weights—and that is saying a good deal. Lovell, Okaihau, Glenmore, The Spaniard and Zante . have only jumpers' ehanees. hut Dorando anil Kaipelipeti —of the light-weights are greatly fancied. As far as condition goes Antarctic. Pleiades and Dorando look to this scribe the fittest in the race.

Another tough problem confronts backers in the Century Hurdle Race. run over two miles and a quarter. Quite one half of the hurdlers engaged will be troubled by the distance, and the handicapper appears to have the winner well concealed. The Native, Koran, and Sandy Paul are most fancied, but there is plenty of money for Passive, Merry Lad and Seaman. On the strength of recent gallops, Mr. F. Faber has decided to start Seaman in the big hurdle race in preference to the hack event. The Native is in great nick and will probably remain favorite until the barrier goes up. Koran has been going well at Waverley, and is sure to carry a lot of money.

The Connolly Handicap field has been further reduced by the withdrawal of Mulga Bill, and it is not at all unlikely that Mendip will be amongst the missing also. Coromandel and Merrivonia look very well, but Byron has not been galloped on the local course. Oolden Loop arrived on Tuesday morning, Pleiades and Sandy Paul coming down by the same train," and the first named looks well. ITe will be ridden by J. O'Shea to-day and is expected to run prominently. Of those engaged minor races, Merrie Frank. Bonnie Boy, Leonta, TTautere and Golden Water appear to lack nothing as regards fitness. The weather is overcast and not altogether promising at time of writing.