The Press Thursday, July 9, 1925. Sir George Clifford and the Turf.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18429, 9 July 1925, Page 10

The Press Thursday, July 9, 1925. Sir George Clifford and the Turf.

The Winter Meeting of the Wellington Racing/ Club, during tho currency of which the New Zealand Racing Conference holds its annual general session, -was made especially interesting this year to the supporters of the Turf by the honour paid to Sir George Clifford, who for thirty years has been President of the Conference. During that long period tho sporj of racing in New Zealand has had its ups and downs, and in recent years lias passed through very difficult times, and it has been very fortunate in .having as its guide and leader such a sportsman as the President. It is hot our" place to add anything to what was said of the President in the addi'ess from the ninety-five clubs or in the speech delivered by Mr Charles Skerrett, particularly as the general public knows and ajjpreciates the ; immense service of Sir George Clifford to the sport of racing. In tho course of his report to the Conference, Sir George says that so little progress has been effected in the removal of the penalising disabilities under which racing/ has recently laboured, that he is tempted to reiterate much of what he said in his report of a year ago. Although in some respects the Gaming Amendment Act of last session recognised the propriety of some of the requests made by the Conference, the fundamenial disabilities *&a∈ and for a time appeared to faatd been increased in one particular. The main disability is the enormous toll levied by the State upon the Clubs. As in 1923-24, the taxation taken by the Government remains about £475,000. During' the war and afterwards the Clubs' contributed very liberally by voluntary contributions to the.Treasury, and they are now entitled to ask that the promises of relief which have been given to them should be honoured. When it is remembered that this huge Stint is the levy upon a valtiabl& Open-air recreation, which, M Sir George Clifford says, is beneficial to the physical and moral health of the community, one cannot but regard it as a tax absolutely penal in character. Although the enemies of the Turf are numerous and noisy,, we have not yet understood that the Government aims at the extinction of the sport or even 'the partial suppression of it through tinction of Clubs by financial pressure. Another the removal of Avhich is. asked for by the President, partly in the interests of the Clubs, but mainly on the grounds of common sense and common honesty, is the absurd state t>f the law regarding the publication of dividends and the telegraphing of iTivestments. - It is doubtful whether there exists one single rational creature, even amongst the opponents of racing, who does not understand that the restrictions amount merely to an endowment of the bookmakers. That these blots upon our gaming- legislation Bave'not been removed is due to the willingness of the bigoted opponents of racing to work hand in hand with the professional gamblers, who have means of influencing members to obstruct ameliorating legislation until provision is mado for the recognition of bookmaking as a lawful and laudable profession. It is doubtful whether the uncertainties of the political situation will, permit of the introduction of measures amending the Gaming Law this session, but Parliament will probably occupy itself with many less useful and ne'eessarv undertakings. A new disability-is. discussed by Sir George Clifford in his reference to the apparent inclination of the Government, through the responsible Minister, to interfere with matters properly under the jurisdiction of the Conference.' As he points out, the Conference is not an nmateur or arbitrary body, but is the result of many years of thought and labour by men who have no interests to serve except the perfecting of the general administration of the Turf. Even-one therefore who is interested in racing cannot but share the apprehension with which the Presidezit regards any attempt to substitute for internal administration of the Turf an autocratic control by a political officer. , A Minister wishing so to interfere with what has hitherto been regarded as the function of the Conference ought to get himself on particularly strong ground before moving. But in the case to which Sir George Clifford apparently refers the Minister was without that support for his action. Fortunately the report of the Dates Committee and the speeches which, were made upon' it yesterday seem to show that the trouble between the Minister and the Conference has been settled on a basis which makes unlikely the occurrence of a, similar

difficulty. In the thirtieth year of his presidency Sir George Clifford can see the sport in a strong and healthy condition, and, as he himself puts it, an example to the -world. It has its enemies, criminals and law-breakers on the one hand and on the other hand well-meaning- but prejudiced and uninstructed people out of touch with the realities of humanity and experience. It will never get rid of these, but if its administration remains sound and good it can safely rely upon the support of the sensible and rational majority of a healthy and intelligent nation.