THE RULES OF RACING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 74, 31 March 1897, Page 3

THE RULES OF RACING.

Tub laboura of bbc sub-committee appointed at the lasb Racing Conference bo revise the rules of racing are now completed, and I gather from bhe M New Zealand Reforee " of the alterations tbab have been effected. The eub-commibtee was not empowered to frame new rules ; it waa merely a ravisienary board to remodel and amalgamate the presenb code in force. Dnder the heading " Starting," ib is proposed to do away with those now in force and substitute those taken from the English code. One of those rules states what constitutes a starter, and will pievenb hardship on owner* whose horses, having passed the scales, have meb with accident that prevented them taking part in the actual race, while backers have seen their ii.yeß._nei.t9 lost without having had the .afciafaction of a run for their money. Presenb rale 43, dealing with the responlibility of owners as to the weights to be carried by their horses, is slightly amended, and it v proposed that parb of it read "provided that in case of doubb an ewner may state the facts to the stewards, and call upon them to decide upon the weight to be carried by his horse." The iub-committee propoao anew rule which states "All winnings shall be paid over within ten days after the conclusion of a meeting, unless an inquiry or probeeb affecting them shall be pending." The rule regarding entries it haa been deemed desirable to amend to read as does the English rale. The rules in relation to Homonclaturo have also been somewhat amended to beon all fours with the English rules, and the fee for changing a horse's name is nob to be imperative, but may be imposed. In the matter of dead heats some slight amendments are suggested and an addition, "the same jockeys need not ride," mado to one of the clauses. Tha section of the rules respecting corrupt practices is now more precisely stated, and made somewhat fuller, and ib is proposed to delete altogether thab portion of the rule under bhe heading " Registration of Trainers," etc., empowering bhe issue of owners' permits. In the rules re colours, ib is proposed thab the imperative fines in connection with bhe running in wrong colours be mado permissive fines. In the rules of totaliaator the alterations bo be noted are-rule 9 to read:—"Rule 10. If tbo final result of a race should be a dead beat in which only one home ia backed, (be holders of tickets on the home backed will receive the wholo dividend," and whab has hibhsrto ba9n understood bub nob expressly stated is conveyed in " Rule 22. Under no circumstances whatever shall »ny further moneys be accepted or investments permitted after the botalisabor has oneo been officially closed." The alteralions and amendments made by the subcommittee will be forwarded to bhe various Club Committees for consideration.