TROTTING CONFERENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXII, Issue LXXII, 10 July 1917, Page 5

TROTTING CONFERENCE.

BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON, July 10. The annual conference of representatives of Trotting Clubs was held at Wellington to-day. Mr Rowe, president, in an address, dealt at large with the question of racing during war time and particularly with the view taken by their Association. He emphasised the patriotism of the racing men. Racing and trotting combined had contributed to the war not less than £306,000 in gifts, _ and approximately £400,000 in taxation, and was prepared to make still further sacrifices even to the cessation of racing if necessary. They had accepted the demand of the Government, but thought it had been unduly hard on the trotting. Still he thought that the restriction of sport was, from a revenue point of view, like killing tbe goose that lays the golden egg. He dwelt on the necessity of horse breeding, and made the prediction that the cessation of racing, even temporarily would practically mean the break-up ot the breeding industry. Referring to the work of the Association, he said the system of stipendiary stewards had worked well, but the Emilius case and other considerations made necessary a revision of the rules, and a draft would come before the Association.