TURF PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 10, 11 July 1930, Page 10

TURF PARLIAMENT

CONTROL OF RACING MEETING OF DELEGATES TO-DAY?S PROCEEDINGS The annual meeting of delegates of the New Zealand Racing Conference was held to-day, the vice-president, Mr. 0. S. Watkins, being in the chair. Tho representatives of tho districts present wore:—Auckland Racing Club, Mr. H. O. Nolan, Dr. A. M'Gregor Grant; Auckland District Clubs (north), Messrs. L. W. Nelson, J. Dargaville; Auckland district Clubs (south), D. Fulton, W. H. Wackrow; Canterbury Jockey Club, It. A. Knight, George Gould; Canterbury District Clubs (north), G. N. M'Lean; Canterbury District Clubs (south), 11. Lowry, E. B. Newton; Dunedin Jockey Club, A. S. Hanlon, K.C., L. G. Hill; Dunedin District Clubs, N. 0. Potts, W. A. Saunders; Greyrnouth Jockey Club, T. E. Coates; Greymouth'District Clubs (north), F. 0. Hamilton; Greymouth District Clubs, (south), D. J. Evans; Hawkes Bay Jockey Club, J. S. M'Leod, H. A. Russell; Hawkes Bay District Clubs (north), D. J. Barry, J. W. Nolan; Hawkes Bay District Clubs (south), W. H. Gaisford, W. Wood; Manawatu Racing Club, (3. Louisson; Southland Racing Club, W. T. Hazlctt, Southland District Clubs, M. O'Brien, F. Young; Taranaki Jockey Club, L. A. Nolan, S. C. Tonks; Taranaki District Clubs, A. Good, J. Gray; Wanga nui Jockey Club, E. A. Campbell, C. G. Russell; Wanganui District Clubs, J. H. Perrett, J. R. L. Stanford; Welling ton Racing Club, O. S. Watkins, D. M. Fiudlay; . Wellington District Clubs (north), C. F. Vallance, W. Howard Booth; Wellington District Clubs (south), Dawkins. The first business was to fill the vacancy in the office of president, caused by the death of Sir George Clifford. On the motion of Mr. E. A. Campbell, seconded by Mr. J. H. Perrett, Mr. 0. S. Watkins was elected president unopposed'. Mr. A. C. Hanlon proposed, and Mr. George Gould seconded the nomination of Mr. H. O. Nolan, of Auckland, as vices-president of the conference. Mr. Nolan was also elected unopposed. Mr. A. A. M'Kellar, of Christchurch. was rcappointed auditor for the coming year. CORRESPONDENCE. Expressions of sympathy in the death of Sir George Clifford were received from the English Jockey Club and Australian Jockey Club. Application was made by the Auckland Racing Club for permission to use a different type of hurdle from the regulation fence, due to the unusual nature of the soil in Auckland. It has been found impossible to use ordinary stakes, and feet have been attached to the fences to keep them steady. Permission was granted. The Birchwood Hunt Club, Oamaru Jockey Club, South Canterbury Jockey Club, Ashburton County Racing Club, and Greymouth Jockey Club were granted permission to hold trotting events on their programmes. Mr. W. J. Burnett applied for remission of tho remainder of his term of disqualification, but his application was refused. Dr. C. C. Murphy also failed with his application for remission of his term of disqualification. STIPENDIARY STEWARDS' REPORT. The management and control of race meetings has been very good, and if continued on the same- high level leaves little to be desired, stated tho chsiirman of the stipendiary stewards, Mr. A. P. Wilson, in his annual report. Tho rule relating to unruly horses at the starting barrier does not' receive from starters the attention it merits. Too frequently starts have been delayed unduly and the chances of other competing horses interfered with by the non-com-pliance of starters with Part XXIV., Rule 6, directing that any-horse likely by misbehaviour to prevent a fair start shall be placed in the rear of the field. In some instances it has been apparent that starting barriers have not. been as efficient.as they should be, and on occasions have been slow to act. This requires attention from club committees, more especially whero starting points have been widened. The compilation of race cards still shows laxity at times. Occasionally names of competitors do not appear in cards, and notices rectifying the error have to be exhibited ou totalisator and elsewhere. Racing has been of a high, standard and class well represented, with tho exception of jumping events, where temporarily, at any rate, the competitors appear to have deteriorated a little. Some time back the stipendiary stewards were' requested to furnish individual reports as to the cause, in their opinion, of the frequent falls in %t races. These reports are in tho hands of the executive. The conduct of the majority of trainers and jockeys has been satisfactory, but wo. regret to say there have been sundry cases of bad misconduct. Efficient control of jockeys' rooms remains lax in many instances. Persons in charge of these rooms appear to have only most hazy notions as to their duties, and thus many individuals who have no interest in the meeting are allowed to remain in an often too overcrowded jockeys' room. We suggest.that clubs issue more definite instructions as to the necessary duties of tho officer in. charge: This matter was referred to at greater length in a previous report, and matters improved considerably, but they are now drifting back to the old order. The conditions imposed by Rule 5, Part XV., as to nomination and accept-, ance for horses, are, we regret to say, not carried out by some clubs as they should be, and cases have occurred lately where horses have been started and won a stake which should have been ineligible to start and whoso names should have appeared in the forfeit list. ■ CHIEF RACECOURSE INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The Chief Racecourse Inspector, Mr. A. Ward, reported to the executive as follows: — During the year 206 persons were warned off, ejected, or.excluded at tho gates, as against ISO for the year 1928-29. Our duty primarily is tho enforcement of regulations made under section i33 of the Gaming Act, 1908. Statutory authority was given for the making of regulations, owing to the difficulty experienced by the police and racing officials in keeping in check tho army of objectionable persons which followed" race meetings. As in other countries in tho world, these people* lived, by the exercise of their wits, and became a common nuisance. They aro commonly known as "spielers," "pickpockets," "guessers," and "urgers," and racecourses were their fields of opertion. Racecourse inspectors were appointed to supervise the courses and deal with the undesirablo element. Past experience afforded convincing proof of the necessity for the present law and regulations, and so in 1921 my three colleagues and myself were appointed inspectors, and ontrusted with the duty of enforcing the law enacted for the purpose of getting rid of what had, for many years, been a nuisance. The result of the administration of

tho regulations by both authorities— racing and trotting—has been tho almost complete elimination from courses in this country of the tipster, tho spieler, the pickpocket, and criminals. During tho past year wo have not expereinced any difficulty in carrying out our duties, and no known "undesirable" has enjoyed unresticted liberty on our courses. In no other country in the world is tho racing public safeguarded as in New Zealand. Complimentary references to our racing and trotting government had been made in English and Australian newspapers, which-specially, referred to the quiet and orderly conduct of our race meetings, and the absence thereat of racecourse undesirables. These impressions have been formed by visitors from overseas, and carried to their own countries. As in former years, wo have had numerous special inquiries to make for i f.ho respective- executives upon- which reports were furnished. Also, we had in hand a personal inspection of all racing quarters whero apprentices are employed, This will form tlws subject of ;i special report when tho inspection lias been completed. We havei in no small degree, been assisted in the carrying out of our duties by tho moral and sictivo .assistance of members of the Police Force, and wo are always ready to reciprocate when the need arises. Offences com-1 mitted on courses have been of rare occurrence. An occasional layer of "toto odds" has been detected and prosecut ed, and all prosecutions for trespass have been taken up by the police. RACING DATES. The dates of race meetings as submitted by racing and hunt clubs using the totalisator for holding race meetings during the ensuing j'oar (1930----1931) were approved by the Dates Committee subject to the following amendments: —• . ■ I

That Taranaki Hunt Club bo granted 30th August in lieu of Oth September; that Otago Hunt Club bo granted 13th September int lieu of 6th September; that Geraldine Racing Club bu granted 25th and 27th September in Urn of 25th and 2Gth "September; that ?._jnrlborough Racing Club be granted "7th and 28th February in lieu of 3rd and 4th October; that Poverty Bay Turf Club be granted 30th October and Ist November in lieu of 23rd and 2oth October; that Waikato Hunt Club be granted 27th October; that Waikato "Racing Club be granted 15th and 17th November in lieu of 25th and 27th October; Banks Peninsula Racing Club be granted Ist November; that Otaki Maori Racing Club be granted 10th and 11th October in lieu of 11th October and 6th December; that Taumarunui Racing Club bo granted sth and 6th December; that the application by the Oamaru Jockey Club for 2nd and 3rd January be not granted; that Waipapakauri Racing Club be granted 24th January in lieu of 10th January; that the dates of. the Thames Jockey Club bo not approved ■ unless that clubs pays its outstanding levies by 31st instant, and if the levies are not paid by that date the two days' racing of the club be allotted to other clubs. If the levies are paid by 31st instant tho Thames Jockey Club be granted Bth and 10th January in lieu of 22nd and 24th January; that Wanganui Jockey Club'be granted 19th and. 21st February in lieu of 12th and 14th February; that Woodville District Jockey Club be granted 25th and 26th February; that Dannevirko Racing Club be granted 11th and 12th March in lieu of 25th and 26th February; 'that Westport Jockey Club be granted 28th and 30tU March; that Masterton Racing Club be granted 10th and 11th April in lieu of 17th and 18th April; that Waikato Racing Club be granted 18th and 20th April in lieu of 24th and 27th April; that Whangarei Racing Club be granted 30th April and 2nd May. •' ALTERATIONS OF RULES. Mr. George Gould proposed that the majority by. means of which resolutions at the conference are passed bo altered from three-fourths to seven-twelfths. The motion was lost by 34 votes to 14. The remit which suggested the alteration to the rules that the stipendiary stewards be given v a seat on judicial committees with equal powers with the honorary stewards was practically withdrawn. 1$ was amended to reduce the size of judicial committees on race days from five to three honorary stewards. After desultory discussion the remit was defeated. There was some discussion of highweight events, which are now set apart entirely for hurdle race and steeplechase jockeys. These races are primarily to provide employment in the flat-racing season for those jockeys. It was decided to leave tho rule dealing with these races as it stands. Mr. J. S. M'Leod spoke " favour of a greater provision of apprentice races in order to give the younger riders more opportunity to gain experience. It was decided to make the rule apply to clubs holding three or moro meetings each year of two days or more. These clubs will be required to put on one raco for apprentices on their programmes. Mr. Gould spoke in favour of the lengthening of distance of races. His proposed amendment was that the average distaneo of races at any race meeting should be not less than seven furlongs for all flat races'. He stressed the growing public interest in trotting races run over longer courses, races which prpvided the public with more entertainment. He deprecated the number of purely sprint events on racecourses, events which were most unpopular with the public, and causing loss of patronage. Several speakers supported Mr. Gould and stated that the principle embodied in his motion was kept in view, yet owing to domestic arrangements of clubs they were unable to vote with him. The average distaneo of races of some clubs was only a fraction under seven furlongs. If juvenile races were excluded from the motion, some of the North Island delegates would then be free to support the southern ciubs. The motion was lost on the voices. A remit by the Wanganui district clubs was carried fixing 9st as tho lowest weight in any flat race between 7th June to 15th August inclusive. It was decided that apprentice jockeys should not be entitled to claim allowances in high-weight handicaps. A new rule was agreed upon prohibiting a trainer from giving any information regarding any horse placed under his or other trainer's eare to any person other than the owner or trainer of the horse. Authority was given for a starter to separate unruly horses from the rest of the field at the starting post by means of hurdles placed on the outside of the field. A proposal by the Taranaki Jockey Club that any club or person interested in an appeal should be entitled to be represented by a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court was rejected. (Proceeding.)