COUNTRY RACING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 248, 14 July 1921, Page 6

COUNTRY RACING

CLUBS MEET IN CONFERENCE A MISUNDERSTANDING REMOVED The annual meeting of the New Zealand Country Racing Clubs’ Association was held last evening. The president, Air. A. Bruce, was in the chair. The chairman mentioned the fact that during the year the associations efforts to secure reiiandicapping instead of field penalties had met with considerable success. A deputation from the Trotting Asso-' ciation waited on the meeting in explanation of the misunderstanding that had arisen in connection with the negotiations leading uj> to the promotion of .the Gaming Amendment Bill. The deputation was taken in committee, and after considerable discussion the conference passed a resolution accepting the explanation of the Trotting Association and regretting that the misunderstanding had. arisen. Subsequently the annual report was adopted after all references therein to the alleged breach of faith on the part of the Trotting Association with reference to the Gaining Bill had been ordered to be deleted. On the motion of the chairman, the < meeting affirmed that where the report of the Racing Commission (which has not yet been made public) makes a recommendation that any of the clubs affiliated v with the association should be wiped out, tho association pledge its hearty support to prevMit such injustice being done. A motion was carried protesting against the Finance Act of last session whereby clubs using the totalisator are required to pay info the Treasury all totalisator fractions. Some discussion took place when tire chairman moved a resolution expressing the opinion that racing clubs were quite competent to deal with the question of appointing racecourse detectives, and desired to oppose the proposal that they should be appointed by tho Racing Conference. An amendment was moved endorsing the proposal that the detectives should be appointed by the Racing Conference. The amendment wns lest on the casting vote of the chairman, and the motion subsequently carried by n narrow margin. On the motion of the chairman, seconded bv Mr. Jowell, the conference revived: "That club’ are entitled to receive a portion of the percentage deducted from totnli’-ator investments, and suggest that tho Rulo’ of Racing he amended, nnd in lieu of tho not proceeds being devoted to stakes that tho compulsory limit be fixed nt 75 per cent., or that tho amount paid in income tax nnd local taxation be allowed io bo deducted from the amount received from totalisator investments.” Tt wns resolved to ask for the carriage of brood marcs free one way on the railways. Officers were elected as follow President, Air. A. Bruce (Thames); vice-presi-dent, Mr. D. J. Evans (M’estland); executive. Hon. E. W. Alison and Air. ML T. •Tcwoll. ns representing the North Island, nnd Messrs. J. H. Finney and J. Kennedy (Geraldine) ns representing the South Island.