HECTOR GRAY'S APPEAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3032, 20 March 1917, Page 3

HECTOR GRAY'S APPEAL

REJECTED BY THE FACING CONFERENCE JITDGIA. By Tnlegrapii-4'rw Association. ChristchurcrJ, March 10. The appeal to the Boeing Conference by i!i« roll-known rider, Hector Gray, against the decision of the Auckland District Committee « refusing his application for a jockey's license has been heard. The following is tho decision of the judges s~"ln the appeal the first question to Uβ decided is whether" the judges have power to entertain it. Vi» consider that undef ' flulo 1 of W XXXIV wo have , 6«ch power, out tnat its exorcise since the conference lejected the proposal to transfer the liceiininß of jockeys from district committees to a committee of the conference is in eilect, limited to very exceptional circumstances, which do not exist in tlie present caso. \\> <lo not, however, wish to. base our rejection of this appeal solely OP the Ri-ound above stated. It apmn wiac appellant was disqualified in Kβ* Zealand for pulling a horse, that he thereafter disregarded the restrictions mvoiWl by such disqualifications that the stlnemlixry stewards recoinmcnded that ne *oo not again licensed in New Zealand, 'and that subsequently he was again <US' qualified in Australia for a similai offence. The serious view* which authorised licensing bodies have taKen ot these recorded offences is shown by tun replies Kent by them to the questions ot the Auckland District Committee. Pho committee of the Taranaki district, ill which appellant had resided, declined to recommend the issue of a license, and the Australian Jockey Club answered that it would have refused tho license if Gray's anplication had not been wit«drawn. We feel bound to accept these fnrts as evidence of the gravity with which such responsible' officials have regarded appellant's conduct, and ive therefore, if we held ourselves entirely free ia reverse tho decision of a district committee, should not consider it right or advisable to Ho so in the case before us. (Signed) Gonrec Clifford. J ; W. Abbott, and 0. S. Walkins, juages.