RACING CONFERENCE. GENERAL BUSINESS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1909, Page 7

RACING CONFERENCE. GENERAL BUSINESS.

STATEMENT OF The opening , prooeediags-of ti-hengesTj Zealand' Racing- Conference- are published on page two of this^issoe. After the president (Sir George Clifford) had deMvered his address, which was heartilyrapplauded, he.made-a^brief. reference to- the financial position. The ■-receipts far the year totalled £1121 '7s lid, including f£23(Mss from the sale of stud books. The credit, balance stands- at £233 7s 4d, the deposits to credi-c of the Accident Fund totalled £85ftO, and there-was a further 6uin of ££o6 in the bank. During last year there had been very few fatal accidents. Tii one ease the relatives of the deceased refiused to accept anything from 'the fund but bare general expenses. It .would be a matter for consideration whether -the burden owners had to bear "could be lightened. The*statement-of accounts was approv-, cd. RACE DAYS. The Dates Committee presented a lengthy report. It was pointedwut that in regard to applications for -Additional or new toialisator permits tyo~ permits were available. The dates of/ race meetings were approwd, subjeetHo the following exceptions : — Martofci Club to alter dai.es from 2nd and 3rd September to Island 2nd September, subject to the presidents anproval. Horow&enua Club's, dates to be altered t^» Bth and 9thjSeptejaibei\ Ger/ldme Club to. have 30th/Septein« ber and Ist October. TJiat the Dann&vh-ke Ramug Club's d-ytes for the Spri&jg Meeting be disproved, and thsrt.-the cJub be recom--/mended to race on 17tly an d 18th' Nov- ' ember, or to revertHo /he corresponding dates on which t&eir meeting was held last season. That the Mvmawatu Racing Club's Summer Mee^ng be held on 27th and «sbth, and a.-da<y prior to those days. lhat the JS-elson Club be permitted to amend lfa dates from 13th and 14th January to/20th and ,21st April ; but if in the future, owing to the alteration of Easter, these- dates should clash with those of any neighbouring club, the Nelson Club, w ° u^ iiave to make a fresh selection- J lhajc, the Taranaki Jockey Club, retain. 16th and 17th February, and that the, Woodville District .Jockey Club bo gvsmted 23rd and 24th February, as by zjarrangement. ' In considering the objection of the -< Napier Park Racing Club to the .dates i selected by the Masterton Racing Club, the committee recognised that the alteration of the date for Easter had placed I 'both clubs in an .unfortunate position, and unless the Mastorton Club <-ould I select other suitable -days, which did not at present seem feasible, tne conimiLbee recommended thafc.the dates as selected be granted.; but the dates so granted were only for the/ensuing season. That,, if desjjssd, the Manawatu .Racing C!-ub be permitted to change the dates/ of the Autumn meeting from 12th a*d, 13th Agril to 13th and 14th. April. . The president, said it .had been alleged /what the ,{Foxton .Racing .Club was in--Tihe rules of racing by allowing a paid official (the caretaker) to run. 'horses at its nieetinge. It was further ''alleged, that the man in question waa paid off before t>he meeting and re<engaged .-afterwards. Er-entuully it was lagreed that unless the Foxton Club 'furnisfced a satisfactory explanation of the tfilegution, or an assurance that She •practice would be discontinued if it did exnb, the .club's permit would be withihftld. Mr. D. J3ui«k (Manawatu) moved that ■"the club he represented should be grant*ed an extra meeting for winter. The anqfcion was duly seconded," but it was defeated by an overwhelming majority.. The report was adopted. 'NOTICES OF MOTION DISCUSSED. 'It -was resolved that metropolitan ■/clubs should .be urged to discourage ia 'every way the use of sharp-edged shoes fon horses. A. motion- to make the appointment of ''judicial committees by stewards compulsary instead of voluntary, as at prese-nt, was lost by 26 votes to 12. {STIPENDIARY STEWARDS. - Mr. R. H. Nolan (Taranaki) moved a ■•proposal making it compulsory for each metropolitan club to appoint a stipendiary official whose duty it would be to j attend all race meetings within its district. He said he could not understand any one obpeefcing to the principle, which he had now advocated for several years. Mr. H. M. Speed (Wanganui) seconded the motion. Club stewards were not, he said, # sufficiently familiar with thfl horses. Mr. W. E. Bidwill (Wairarapa) said he had always been an opponent of eti,pend.iary stewards, but he had changed Ms mind. (Hear, hear.) In some cases now, club stewards were anxious to gefc through «a meeting without a protest. A stipendiary steward would become aa expert in his business. It was time tha conference took some action. The public were crying out for the appointment of stipendiary stewards*-. As crooked running took place at metropolitan meetings as did in the country districts. Sinca bookmakers were granted a legal status matters concerning the conduct of meetings should be reported upon by such, an official to the conference. He had pleasure in supporting the motion. Mr. Goodbehere ' (Feilding) moved as an amendment that the conference should j affirm the principle of the appointment ' of stipendiary stewards for the whole of the totalisator clubs oi the country, that Mich appointments be made by tho conference, and that- a committee be set up_ to draft regulations for such appointments, and report to the next conference. Mr. H. Friedlander opposed the motion. It was a reflection on the stewards of Country clubs. He hoped i*| •would be withdrawn. Mr. John ill'Vay (Ilawkes Bay coun<try clubs) said he had always been in favour of stipendiary steward*!. There was no doubt that if stipendiary stewards were appointed things which, were done now would not be attempted. Mr. Nolan undertook to withdraw hib motion and to accent 'Mr. 'Goodbchere's amendment The president said he believed that 99 per cent of the horse-owners aimed to 'win races. There weie others who desired to win a race, and in addition ■money improperly got afi an adjunct to the stake. He was afraid, however, that the debate had run on such lines that the •public would get a vwy wrong •"impression of the conduct of the turf. 'Personally, he would remain neutral on the question before the conference. Mr. 'Buick (Manawatu) agreed that it •would be a good thing to have a stipendary steward., Since the advent of the bookmakers the ' appointment of stipendary stewaa*ds had become absolutely necessary. The motion was in the interests of honest horse-owners 'Mr. J. iF. Hartland ('Auckland) said that the sooner the suggested step was taken the t>etter. The motion was carried on the voice®, tuid the president and Messrs. Friedlander, Nolan, Bidwill, and Goodbehero were appointed a committee to act. ■> LONG-DISTANCE RACES. Mr. Geo. Hunter (Hawkes 'Bay) moved an alteration to the rule which compels clubs to hJive a race of at least one mile on their- programme each day. Tho mover- sought to*increase.xttj«^disten.cb >,

Ho one and a-quarte* '-miles. Several delegates spoke stoangly in approval, ibat Ctt~» v«6e being taken, the- proposal Was lost ott^the three-ioaiiths majority principle, tie voting being — Ayes 22, noes >16. The conference adjoaiaed for lunch tt thfe stage. GALIOPS v. TROTS. When ibis conference resumed, the president/- Deported that delegates representing the Trotting Conference had waited on him with a request that the Racing Conference sfeanld' give over five-of ite tofcalisafor permits to the trotting ■ authorities on the ground that the five- permits in question were originally allocated for trotting. The conference decided that it could do noft&ng in the ttatter. - THE B3ESARCH CASE. The Auckland. Metropolitan Committee recommended that the life disqualification imposed on Harris, in connection jwith what is known as the "Hiarai;ch case" should be re-viewed with a view to remission. — The question was referred* to & committee of three to -be appointed* by the president. STERPLECHASING. Mr. Geo. Hunter (Hawkes Bay) moved that it should be compulsory for all clubs to include at least two sfceepiechase events om each racing day during the.! season 7th June to Ist September. Mr. R. .E. M'Rae seconded the motion. Mr. E. W. Alison (Auckland) moved' an amendment-that it he compulsory for all clubs tb include at least one maiden steeplechase at each meeting during the season Ist June to Ist September. Dr. Thomas (Timaru) seconded the amendment. The Hon. J. D. Ormond declared that stpeplechasing was deteriorating. The steeplechaser was a very valuable class of horse. The experiment of running a trial steeplechase at Hawkes Bay on the same day that the big steeplechase .was run had been eminently successful. The president said that only six obibs vould be a"ffected by the amendment, and most, if nst all of them, at present included a maiden steeplechase in their ' programme. Both proposals were* rejected on the three-fourths principle, the voting beir ■"—' 7 "r, 25 : against. 15. (Proceeding.)