RACING APPEALS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 7, 8 July 1938, Page 13

RACING APPEALS

PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE

"We are justly proud of the constitution of our Appeal Court, and, although there is an agitation in favour of counsel being allowed to appear, am of the firm opinion that offenders against the Rules of Racing 'a?e better advised to place themselves in the hands of the impartial judges, who spare no pains to encourage witnesses to tell them the truth," said Mr. J. S. McLeod in his address to the annual meeting of racing club delegates this morning. "There can, hewever, be no objection to an offender's having his appeal and defence prepared-by his legal adviser and committed to writing to be handed in to the judges for their consideration.

"I think it an assistance to laymen acting as judges to have a member of the legal profession as one of the appeal judges, thus providing a knowledge of procedure and the dissecting of evidence. Many of the profession are willing to act, and we usually take advantage of their services by appointing one of them."

The committee has to thank the Hon. W. Persy, MI.C, Messrs, T. H. Lowry. T % E. Coates, C. W. Tringham, R. Grace, H. R. H. Chalmers, W. \Howard Booth, H. F. O'Leary, K.C.* H. H. Green, J. W. Card, W. E. Leicester, and H. L. Nathan for ,their services as judges on appeal cases* during the year, the president said. There is no question whatever that those sportsmen who consent to act in a voluntary capacity as judges on appeal cases to the Conference always adhere to the true British legal axiom that a man is always innocent until proved guilty.