N.Z. RACING CONFERENCE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15022, 17 July 1914, Page 2

N.Z. RACING CONFERENCE.

SITTINGS IN WELLINGTON.

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS,

(S._Cl__ TO "THE tress.") WELLINGTON, July 16. The Now Zealand Racing Conference opened to-day. Tho President delivered the following address: — Wo have, as a melancholy prelude to the report upon the year's events, to .wiret. the.- passing away of two of our coLeaguos long closely associated with our work. Sir Wiiiiam i-Us.ell was my predecessor as President ot tne Kacing Conference, and was a conspicuous example to us of tho best typo of sportsman, running his horses purely i'cr love of the pastime, and unable by nature to stoop below the highest, standard in every action of his life. \Vo shall miss the energetic assistance of Mr John 2>lcVay, who, for _<J years, has lieen ono of our most active member., and who never spared himself in _io promotion <_ all useful reforms and in tiie practical business oi the Conference. In conformity with the Rules, 1 have, with the consent of tho surviving delegate, appointed -Mr C. J>- Kennedy to fill this lamented vacancy. There have been an unusual number of appeals to the Conlei'eii-O judges, and wo have to thank Messrs J. »V. Abbott, W. E. Bi ti wilt, E. A. Campbell, C. (i. Dalgoty, 1,, G. Duncan, 11. Friedlnndcr, E. Goodbehero, G. Hunter, M.P.. 15. L. Lane. H. H. Nolan, C. P. Skcrrett, K.C., and O. S. Watkms, for the sacrifice of valuable time in the decision of the points submitted to them. Tho very considerable import "and export cf thoroughbred stock during the past twelve months indicates a strong desire on the part of breeders to improvo their studs, and also testifies to tho steady increase of a trade likely from tho "suitability of our climate to, attain still moro valuablo proportions. Tho success of horse, exported from New Zealand has always, from Caibino downwards, been satisfactory in pro- * portion to their numbers. In this connexion a word should be given to note the death of Carbine himself from old age. An unexampled racing career placed him definitely among the few best horses of all time; his racing triumphs have Doen crowned by the classic victories and stud successes of hi., best son, Spearmint, and his memory will always be one of the proud traditions of tho New Zealand turf. Non-observation of the rule compelling notification of tho determination of . partnership causes no little trouble, and very great danger of loss to tho negligent owner. Tho same remark applies to failure to register the name proposed for a horse. Fines in theso cases are compulsory, but it would bo preferable if owners wonld spare the executive of the Conference this unpleasant duty. Tho customary table of licensed jockey, who have had little or no riding is appended. Allowing for recent admissions and incapacitated licenses, it would still seem to be too easy- for unqualified or undesirable applicants to procure licenses. 1912-13. District No One Two Three Four Committee. Rides. Bide. Hides. Rides. Rides. Auckland ... 6 C . C 5 10 Canterbury S 5 4. 3.3 Dunedin ...81 C 1 '"reymouth 3 — — 1 — Hawke's B. 11 . 4 3 4 2 Taranaki,.. 3 _ . - _ 3 3 Wahganui 5 .2 _■ 2 2 "Wellington 5 2 2 11 Totals .. 44 24 22 25 22 1313-14. District No Ono Two Three Four Committee. Hides. Bide. Rides. Kidee. Rides. Auckland ..6 1 4 2 2 Canterbury 11 S 3 2 1 Dunedin .. _ — 2 2 2 Orevmouth 3 ■ 1 — — . — Hawke's B. 9 1 8 3-2 Taranaki ... 2 1 2 12 Wanganui t. — 2 1 1 Wellington 5 2 . 2.4 — Totals .. 41 12 • 23 . 15 10 ' JOCKEYS LICENSED. 19-3-10.1010-11. 1311-12. 1912-13. 1913-14. Mo rides B. . 69 57 41 42 1 rid© 43 25 10 -24 ; .2 2 rides . ■__ 30 ,27 - 22 19 3 ride. __ 17 18 25 16 _ rides '.'_- - IS 15 22 8 It is desirable that racing clubs should be awaro that tho District Provident or more*strictly Trust funds, axe available for the- provision of ambulance requisites, especially-for clubs at a. disadvantage in respect of finance. These funds are not decreasing, and their respective assets are ascertainable from tho audited accounts placed before you c-ach year. • -The system of stipendiary stewards has well stood tho further test to which it has been submitted. It is, of course, open to contentious possibilities, but we have been exceptionally fortunate . in Bccuring capable officers, and may congratulate oursolves on having gained manifest advantages with a minimum of friction. . The absence of any serious revelation of malpractice is a silent tribute to tho general healthiness of the sport. _ If it be asked where, under these circumstances, the benefit comes in, I would answer that the standard of excellence all round ha. been almost, un consciously raised whether in regard to the equipment, of courses, the conduct of those professionally employed, or the special care of all concerned to avoid every -n_picion of com prom isine incidents. The fact that "a chiel's amang ye taking notes," and. moreover, "a .chiel'' who travels along the whole, line, ami has power to mako his presence felt, produces moro consequences t.an the public or perhaps tho chiel himself is copnisant of. The position of New Zealand in th" world of racing is absolutely unique. Elsewhere tho bookmakers are an acknowledged part of the machine. They aro variously regulated and restrained" but influence throutrh many channels the conduct of the sport. "Here they are barred from our courses, their denlincs are unacknowledged and mostly illegal, blit the remnant of their influence is undeniably _ ernie ious. The privile.go conceded to the raein<r clubs of using the totalisator implies a duty on our • part to __ exert ourselves strenuously lo curtail illicit operations, and to minimis© in this and every other respect whatever may tend to impair the confidence rvf_ the p»ib.?r i . + .<■» purity of racing. You cannot hunt with the hare and run with the ho .nds, and I have no sympathy with those who accent from th . Leg-.bt.re the benefit, of the totalis, tor. aud ..hatter what is. at . ny rate, the snirit of the law br traffic 1 .- r •with tho bookmakers Sport._in.ib__ owners realise that danger of outside interference with their chances of success, which is the natural outcome of hc-iv-v bettine: mercenary ones may •well be saved from the delusive . ursn?. of a . im. .nnry road to fortune. If the New Zeal.. ._ rule, can b. ajterp. t. debar owners a<s well a., trainers and -octroy, from s_-_->nl.finer outside the tnts'i _itor. it will achieve the ambition of thi" Conference by civin. r.cing an elevation wVoli we can. without presum.tion. claim a< an c .amiile te :-*•- ---h. o_d. In return, the Le ,i.l_tore might weTl remove vexations or ridioiloiis fetters, such as the nndne lii_it_tion of permits in this scattered comrnnv itrv: the curious refusal to al'onp .Miration of «tartin . .rices ____..■» eve. to the odds .noted ahont. an Fn_lish Derby winner: and +."he . leealit/v of _rr__r_mtr i .vestment, for the totalisator to ?<?_.tnrieJß of clubs. - Th° unthi -kings, are ant to mrnr. the Tolomeof totalisator investment. as an evil. We,, on tHe conti-irv. h.fl «'t as a tribute to th J excellence of the -Port and to in jt_ l

improved cleanlin__. It further testifies that we have succeeded in withdrawing spocu ; alio.ii from I_. mnoce.'it channels. "Uatnlilins. 'i. the catchword ot our opponent-. Those who u_j it *o liippauuy snould bo compelled to dofino it, and winch of thorn would fail to bo entangled in tiio not of his own definition ii ho make, it wide enough to catch us. 1 will give you mine A "Gambler' is ono who unjustifiably squanders money or time which his duty bids him to spend otherwise. Asbuming that a man has made provision for his just debts and all proper comforts for hi. dependent., how can he do better than give himself and his family the wholei -Oino open-air relaxation of the racecourse? Why i_ his modest venture upon, the tota.isator a worse act than his previous day's purchase of an ox or an ass, to re-sell at a profit? Is it as bad as the continuous excitement of tho rise and fall of .took shares, or the prevalent bartering and exchange of properties at inflat.d values? In truth, the average investor on the totalisator is not gambling in any true sense of the word. lie". enjoying a healthful, mental and physical recreation, which .en:ls him back to the work of the world a more useful citizen. Men may err In i-.cess in thus, as in every imaginable pleasure, but the ii-gli-ible minority who do .o are rather restrained tha-i enccura.ed by the very nature of the totalisator. Let the next man who slanders us a,s gamblers .tart oil by telling u_ the exact meaning he attaches to tho award. The lamely increasin. nttondar.ee nt race meeting, further ntt._ts the growing popularity of racintr as at present conducted in* the Dominion. This <'P-prc-iation is larr. Tv founded on the confidence create.] by the continuous policy of the Conference, and it refit? with us —the law-makers of the noblest recreation of tho people, the enjoyment if which is free to all —to be true to our tni-t by purein. it of every unworthy element, and attracting to it the unstinted .import of all honourable men. STIPENDIARY COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The report of tho Stipendiary Steward-. Committee stated that, in its opinion, the management ar.d conduct of race meetings, with very few exceptions, had been excellent, the improvement in that respect being very decided. The appointment of judicial committees, better control of jockeys' rooms, drawing tor post positions, prohibition of attendance at tho starting post, ambulance arrangements, employment of racecourse detectives, etc., had each materially added to the better control of race meetings. With regard to racecourse detective., tho committee was sorry to state that many clubs had not yet" realised the importance of securing efficient mon for the position, and the question of the advisability of handling the appointments in some way, so that the work could be carried out systematically, was ono that the Conference might consider. There wero apparently still a. great number of undesirable persons frequenting race meetings, and nothing placed the sport in . more false position than the presence of such persons on racecourses. Racegoers did not appreciate being pestered .by guessei., pickpockets, Ivook makers' agents, etc. However, tho committee was pleased to state that many clubs were making overy endeavour to have this class excluded from their courses. During the season there had been a great amount of money judiciously spent on racecourse appointments, arid there was a healthy rivalry amongst racing clubs in this respect. In the committee's opinion, the appointments on racecourses in this Dominion would bear favourable comparison with racing clubs in any part of the world. The stipendiary stewards had reported that the racing during the season had been fairly free from malpractice. Thoy had, on "borne-few occasions, had to ■recommend,- disqualification, but considering tho largo number of meetings attended, the proportion was a very low one. • During.the season there had been no caseof deliberate foul riding, but there had been a large number of cases of interference in running, a large proportion of which Was, in the.committee's opinion, due to tho short stirrup. Many of the jockeys rode far too short, and, inconsequence had not got proper control over their mounts. Tho committee had appointed Mr It. O. Duncan at tho beginning of the season in place of Mr D. W. Gibson, and bad cause to congratulate the Conference on the efficient work of the stipendiary stewards during the season just drawing to a close. The committee added that it had received from the stipendiary stewards many complaints as to the prevalence of illegal acts on the part of bookmakers, and had repeatedly called the attention of tho authorities to this important matter. So far,-, no great success had i attended these representations, but it was hoped that in the near future ! some real effectiveness might be given to tho provisions of tho law restraini ing offences of this nature. The report was adopted, and the following wero re-appointed the Stipendiary Stewards Committee : —Sir George Clifford, the Hon. W. H. Herries, Messrs W. E. Bidwill, H. Friedlander, E. R. Guinness, P. Miller, and R. H. Nolan. DATES OF MEETINGS. Tlio Dates Committee reported that it had approved tho dates for race meetings, subject to tho following exceptions :— Otal .i Maori Racing Club to be granted 2_t_ and 29th September. South Canterbury Jockey Club. 15th and 17th October, and 15t_ and 17th April. Auckland Racing Club. 2-th and 29th December, and Ist and 2nd January. Gore Racing Club, 10th and 11th March. Masterton Racing Club, 18th and 19th -larch. Marlborough Racing Club's dates to remain sth and 6th May, as at present. The Gisborne Racing Club's objection to the Napier Park Racing Club's Juno dates was not upheld. *" CARRIAGE OF HORSES. Sir George Clifford said that he had had a good deal of correspondence with the Railway jDepartment on tho question of the carnage of racehorses, and he was pleased to say ft considerable improvement had been effected. REQUEST D_X_iNE_>. Mr Avmes (Timaru) petitioned tho Conference for a reopening of the Oxenhope case, in which ho and the horse Oxenhope were disqualified for two years for deliberate pulling. The Conference decided that the petition be not acceded to. THE CAST ALIA CASE. The Avondale Jockey Club wrote asking the Conference to reopen tho Castalia case, a. they had not had an opportunity of being heard, Tho question was whether the Appeal Judges nad jurisdiction to decide that _ certain moneys attached to the Avondale Stakes __cufd be awarded to a particular person as being the breeder of Castalia. The Conference agreed that the matter should be referred to tho arbitration of the former judges. CONSIDERATION OF REMITS. Tho following were among tho c_ief remits discussed: — As thero was no fixed quorum for meetings of District Committees, Mr P. Miller on behalf of the Dunedin Jockey Club, moved that five should form a •quorum. This was agreed to. " . The president moved that the term •'race meeting" should not include' competitions or races at hunt, polo, or military sports! meetings, provided that all horses starting af such meetings respectively are owned and ridden by members of kindred bodies or _s_ociations, and that the prizes are trophies and not money. Mr Herrias moved that the word "hunt" be emitted, and this waa carried. The opinion was expressed that matters should be left as they were, and, on a division, tho proposal waa negative_.

With th« 3 object of beii-g able to calculate the j-h :• ::se case of -i dead heat, .Mr Hunter moved that the meaning of the word "'winning" should include a dead heat for first place. After discussion, during which it was stated that the matter was already defined in tho rules, the motion was withdrawn. On behalf of the Canterbury Jockey Club, - Ir Buckley moved that an alteration bo made to rule 6. part 4. by the substitution of the following words for others-.—"The programme of every meet- ! ing from September Ist to June 6th inclusive,-., hall include two flat races per diem of not less than one mile; the programme of every meeting from June 7th to August 31st inclusive, shall include at least one maiden or hack steeplechase, and if such programme includes ono or moro flat race., there shall be one flat race of not less than one mile and a quarter. This.was lost. The Hawke's Bay Jockey Club moved to have the amount won by a horse before he is barred from hack classes raised to one race of £150, or in the agtrregate. £400. The president thought the aggregate was far too high, as it would keep horses in hack company that should be in open company. TI«oy would also have more meetings which would absolutely be confined to hacks, anil that would be discouraging to people who were trying to breed the best horses. Mr Alison moved that £300 be substituted for £400, but this was lost. After further discusion, the motion was adopted unanimously. Mr Hunter moved: "Any person who shall v.so for his horse n name forbidden by these rules, or which has been formally disapproved by the president, or which has "not. prior to starting, been registered with the secretary of the Conference, shall be fined not less than 1 soy nor more than 20 soys by tho president, and the tine shall be paid to the secretary of the Conference, and, if unpaid, shall bo deemed arrears." Tlio motion was carried. It was agreed, on the motion of tho president, that in case of a domestic bereavement, an owner shall, if previously authorised in writing by the president, bo allowed to run his horse in the iiamo of another person for a period not exceeding four months.