CONTROL OF RACING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 102, 2 May 1930, Page 12

CONTROL OF RACING.

STIPENDIARY STEWARDS. WIDER POWERS SOUGHT. CONFERENCE MAY DISCUSS MATTER. In view of recent happenings it is stated that there is good reason to believe that the next annual meeting of the. New Zealand Racing Conference "will be asked to increase the powers of stipendiary stewards. The present system of judicial committees is considered to bo too unweildy, and it is stated that there has been some trouble in getting judicial committees together for the holding of inquiries, and sometimes meetings have had to be held without a full quota. Another reason that is being advanced for the change is that some members of the judicial committee are not too anxious to inflict punishment on an offender, and if they do, then they only desire a nominal penalty imposed. Further, many members of -:he judicial committee are stated not to be too anxious to offend good patrons of their meetings by inflicting a penalty on them for a breach of the liules "of Racing, and it is seldom that members of a judicial committee notice what really leads to inquiry concerning the running of a horse in a race. It will probably be found that the proposals for the appointment of judicial committees will be on the lines of those adopted in Australia. Three stewards form the judicial committee. When there are two stipendiary stewards present, then they are assisted by one, Avho is appointed by the ehib. If one stipendiary steward is present, then two others have to be appointed to act with him, and they become the judicial committee. Those appointed must be con;petent and willing to act. They need not necessarily "bo a steward or a member of the committee of the club. If a stipendiary steward is not in attendance at a meeting, then the three persons appointed by the club become the judicial committee, i The increase of the powers of stipendiary stewards in New Zealand would U> welcomed by. a large majority of the racing public. These officials do not bet and have no interest in any particular horse, owner, trainer or jockey, and, further, they hold their office on \heir expert knowledge of the sport. People who take risks under the present system would not be inclined to do so if a similar system to that in yogue in Australia was ill force in New Zealand.