RACING CONFERENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 162, 11 July 1930, Page 12

RACING CONFERENCE.

VICE-PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. TURF'S IRREPARABLE LOSS. TRIBUTE TO SIR G. CLIFFORD. (By Telegraph.—Special to the "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference opened here this morning. The vice-president, Mr. 0. S. Watkins, presided, and opened Ms address by paying tribute to the late Sir George Clifford, who, for a long period of years, was president of the Conference. "By the death of Sir George Cliffordr said the chairman, "we have sustained an irreparable loss, the loss of a man who, for 34 years as president of this conference, devoted himself to the task of raising the character and status of racing Dominion. We shall miss his wise foresight, his counsel, and his great administrative ability. Those of us who remember the conditions existing on the turf many years ago realised the urgent need for reform. The future historian will say that with the need for reform there came the man —Sir George Clifford. "It is not inappropriate at this juncture to recall the names of the other distinguished men who, for the love of the, sport, and the welfare of racing, gave their services to the 'conference without fee or reward. Sir William Russell was chairman of the first meeting of delegates from metropolitan clubs, in 1889, when the conference was formed. The Hon. Sir George McLean and the Hon. J. D. Ormond also acted in that capacity. Among the delegates of early j'ears are found the nataes of Sir Edwin Mitchelson, Sir George Hunter, Sir Francis Bell, Sir Robert Nolan, Hon. L. Walker, Hon. E. W. Alison, Hon. 0. Samuel, Dr. Earle, Messrs. G. G. Stead, E. E. Guinness, H. Friedlander, E. A. Campbell, W. E. Bidwill, and many others. It is gratifying to note that the colours of our late president, and other well-known colours of earlier days, are still in evidence on our racecourses.

Inestimable Services. "In July, 1925, the racing, jockey and hunt clubs of New Zealand presented Sir George Clifford with a souvenir in recognition of his inestimable services to the New Zealand turf. In reply, he wrote as follows: —'It is entirely beyond my power to express to the racing and hunt clubs in New Zealand my feeling in response to their unanimous offering to me. The public statement of my gratitude seemed to me wholly inadequate as an acknowledgment of so exceptional a tribute. The cordiality and friendship it betokened has touched me more than I can say, and emboldens me to convey to thttn individually my heartfelt sense of their kindly appreciation of whatever I may have been able to achieve towards carrying out their aspirations of the improvement and cleansing of our great national recreation. Wβ have succeeded in removing from our racecourses the parasites who follow racing with entirely selfish motives; we have abolished proprietary clubs, which divert their profits from the advancement of the sport; we have secured to it the funds provided by the public, and by owners so far as the excessive demand of the State permit; we have established an impartial court of appeal, open to all for the investigation of grievances. We have gained for our trainers and riders the purging of their professions from those who discredited them. In all these and other

ways the confidence of the public has been ensured, and so long as the racing clubs of the Dominion are animated by the same experience as heretofore, so long will the confidence exist and increase. 5 "This is a record we must try to maintain," said Mr. Watkins. The high estimation in which the turf in NewZealand is held, both at home and abroad, is a great tribute to our late president and those associated with him in the early days of the conference. It remains with us to maintain that position, and to guard most jealously against anything which may tend to weaken the authority of the conference, or to diminish the general respect and usefulness which it now possesses. Staunch Supporters Lost. ■ "By tie decease of Messrs. S. Bradley, C. E. Elgar, J. B. Reid, J. F. Reid, John Marshall, B. It. Guinness, P. Miller, T. E. Upton, R, Allen, and 0. R. Wise, we have lost staunch supporters of racing in this Dominion, not only as breeders and racehorse owners, b'ut also for the voluntary and valuable services rendered by them from time to time as representatives on this conference, and as stewards and members of committees of racing clubs. During the season just drawing to a close there have also passed away Messrs. J. 31. Johnston, H. L. James, W. Hall, and T. Quealy, who, for long periods as secretaries of clubs _ they represented rendered signal .service to the sport.

Satisfactory Administration. "We have to thank Messrs. H. 0. Xolan, J. H. Perrett and W. McA. Duncan for their services in acting as judges on appeals lodged with the conference. It is pleasing to record that during the year only two appeals were dealt with by conference judges; this suggests that the administration of racing in this Dominion is satisfactory, and has the confidence of the great majority of those concerned in the sport. "In February of this year the United Press Association, Limited, of New Zealand celebrated its jubilee. The late president sent the following message: — 'I desire, on behalf of the New Zealand Racing Conference, to convey to the members of the association hearty congratulations on the attainment of its jubilee, and to express high appreciation of the reliable and enterprising service which the association daily renders to the Dominion.' I feel sure this message expressed the feelings of every representative of the conference. Stud Book. <c Volume XL of the New Zealand Stud Book will be published this month. It will be the most complete record of the thoroughbred stock of the Dominion that we have yet had, and I think it fitting, at this-meeting, to record my appreciation of the whole-hearted zeal with which Mr. A. H. Bristed has accomplished a difficult task. He, however, is not content, as he believes there are still some thoroughbred ma-res whose foaling records he has been unable to obtain. To me, too, it seems # that the late president's repeated appeals to owners of brood mares to make complete returns have failed to elicit response from a considerable number of breeders. A reliable stud book is of the very greatest imporance, both to the 'man who owns racehorses and to the man who breeds them. I am satisfied that the time has come when the New Zealand Stud Book can no longer be ignored by the New Zealand Rules of Racing. Provision should be made requiring from a breeder prompt returns of the year's record of every mare he owns, and notice of any transfer or sale. With support from the conference granted, the compiler would find his labours lessened, and the stud book would contain a more complete record than is possible under present conditions. "I am pleased to state that the work of the licensing committee meets with general approval. It is the desire of the majority of trainers and riders to maintain the tone of their professions on a high level. They appreciate the determination of the licensing committee to insist that all should conform to the required standard.

Character of Apprentices. "The stipendiary stewards continue to render valuable assistance to local officials. "The work of the racecourse inspectors is producing gratifying results. This year we have added to their duties by requiring them to inspect and report upon all registered apprentices, with a view to ascertaining full details of each lad's character, general habits, rjding tuition received, lodging, etc. The employers have expressed approval of the innovation. I suggest that owners and licensed trainers should inquire more carefully into the character and suitability of persons before employing them in their racing establishments. "The trustees of the accident fund view with grave apprehension the large number of claims presented during the year, many of them, I am afraid, attributable to careless or incompetent riding. I am of opinion the penalties imposed for foul or careless riding should be sufficiently severe to bring home to the culprit the gravity of his offence, and act as a deterrent in future. It is hoped some practical scheme may be evolved, whereby the tuition of apprentices can be made more effective."