RULE BY RACING CONFERENCE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26877, 1 November 1952, Page 8

RULE BY RACING CONFERENCE

HOLDING OFFICE IN TROTTING CLUBS APPLICATION OF BAN WITHHELD (New Zealand Press Association) NELSON, October 31. A ruling that all financial members of the Nelson Jockey Club, whether holding office in the Nelson Trotting Club or not. were eligible for election to the jockey club committee, was given bv the president of the jockey club (Mr V. Cox) at its annual meeting last night. The meeting passed a motion opposing the rule designed to prevent officials from holding office in both clubs. Mr Cox said he had been advised by the secretary of the Racing Conference that the new rule had been held over. Mr G. Renniston contended that men holding office in the trotting club were not eligible for office in the jockey club, but the chairman said he was quite sure of his ground. The secretary of the conference had advised him by letter dated October 2 that the new rule debarred men from holding dual office, said Mr Renniston. Mr Cox: My information outdates that.

xT^ r Mcßeath. secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference, made the following statement to “The Press last night:— “The executive committee of the Zealand Racing Conference decided at its meeting on October 24 that it would not convene a special meeting of the conference to deal with a notice of motion from the Canterbury Jockey Club that rule 14 (3) be rescinded. The committee also resolved that no action be taken against any club not complying with the provisions of the rule before the next annual meeting of the conference”

TROTTING CLUB 1 AT GERALDINE - Four Stewards Not | Reappointed r . - “MAY FIND THEMSELVES . DISQUALIFIED ” 2 (From Our Own Reporter) GERALDINE, October 31. ; •>, n I ”®? nbe rs of the comtait-tee of 1 * p eraldlne Racing Club Who have 1 T™.?- as <-~s t? w ards to th e Geraldine 3 1 rotting Club will not be reappointed 3 "R dotting meeting on February vS’r \ 9 i? 3 ’ as a °f a decision made 1 .th® comhuttee of the Geraldine Trotting Club last evening ; ™ 1® se ? r etary (Mr L. D. McKenzie) [ explained to members that the New . Zealand Racing Conference had at the , last annual conference brought in a rule which debarred officials of a . racing club from acting as stewards I op members of the committee of a trotI ting club An attempt had been made • to rescind this rule, with the result that . the chairman of the Racing Confer- ; ence had said that no action Would be taken against clubs which infringed ! tnis rule, providing their race meetings were held before October 31. It had been decided that the executive committee of the conference would meet on October 24 to consider the metter in the light of the opposition to the rule which had been expressed. He had been in touch with the secretary of the Racing Conference bv telephone said Mr McKenzie, to find out whether it was now in order for me trotting club to reappoint racing ciub officials. Mr McEeath, the Rac- ’ i * Conference secretary, had exolained that it was not intended to : mee ting of delegates to ieal with the motion to rescind, but i mat no action would be taken against ; hose clubs which acted contrary to 1 ♦ «5 ule u P fil the matter was decided 1 ax the next annual conference in July. 1 “Certain Amount of Risk” ; On the face of it, said Mr McKenzie, it appeared in order to reappoint racing club officials, and when he exoressed this opinion to Mr Mcßeath ne was informed that there was a certain amount of risk involved, because ' it was by no means certain that the rule would be rescinded, as it had y iJ? een Vef v difficult to gain a three-fifths majority. Mr Mcßeath’s own opinion was that it might not be carried and in that case officials who m the meantime had contravened the rule would be ineligible for re-election i as office-bearers or to the committee. , As the four members of the racing ‘ club committee might find themselves tomaticaHy disqualified in July next Mr McKenzie said, their reappointment might embarrass them if they accepted the post without knowing the facts. •

The chairman (Mr M. A. McLeod) expressed concern at losing the services of men with such wide expertence, and he agreed with other mempers that the club would, by reapnointin? them stewards, place them in an embarrassing position. It was agreed that the secretary write to each member concerned exPmming the reasons for not reappointing them and expressing the committee s regret at finding it necessary to make thi< decision.