AGAINST ADMITTING PRESS TO INQUIRIES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31101, 2 July 1966, Page 6

AGAINST ADMITTING PRESS TO INQUIRIES

Submissions were made to the Committee of Inquiry on behalf of the Racing Journalists’ Association advocating the admission of the press to all inquiries and appeals, both at district committee level and before appeal judges. However, at the actual sittings of the committee the request for admission to judicial inquiries on race days was not pressed. “One of the grounds of complaint was that at least in some localities the reporters ,have difficulty in getting any information from chairmen of judicial committees, dub officials, and others,” the committee said. Much wag made of the fact that the public were entitled to know immediately v gll the

facts leading up to the Imposition of penalties or disqualifications, and that this objective -could only be obtained by giving the press free access at least to all appeal hearings. “We do not consider that thia request should be acceded to. “Good press relations are, of course, essential, but we think that this is a matter that should be dealt with at the level of club administration and not at conference or executive level. “The committee sought Legal advice on certain representations of the Racing Journalists’ Association, and felt, on the advice given it, that it should not depart from the above comments on admission of the press.”