ANNUAL REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1935, Page 2

ANNUAL REPORT

NZ. RACING CONFERENCE. (Por Pres* ; Association, Copyright). WELLINGTON, July 12. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand ltacing Conference, the president, in his annual report stated

Since our last annual meeting an event of great interest has occuned in the visit to New Zealand of the Duke of Gloucester:-.' It • is. well known the particular.interest taken by His Majesty and the Royal.Faniily in the breeding and. racing Of thoroughbred horses. The Duke of Gloucester lias graciously indicated his hereditary love of the horse by donating a cup to be run for annually, first in the North Island and then alternately in the North and South Island, in a race of 1| miles for horses ridden- by gentlemen riders. He gave further evidence of his keen interest by riding in the gentlemen riders’ race at Marion. It would have been a greater pleasure had His Royal Highness been successful in winning the race. On behalf. of the Conference, I wrote expressing our delight for his gift. His Royal Highness expressed the hope the cup,would be of benefit to racing in New Zealand. It has been left in the hands of the executive committee to submit for your approval at this Conference the conditions of the race for His Royal Highness’ Cup. The excessive taxation imposed upon racing still continues in spite of the ott repeated protests of the Conference. If the Government would reduce the crippling totalisator tax to a more reasonable and just amount its revenue would surely be increased. The clubs would be able to give stakes which retain the support of owners and consequently the earnings of trainers and jockeys and the army of employees engaged. in racing would be raised to a standard commensurate with their employment. .

We appreciate the action of the Government in giving a modicum of • relief by the rebate of 1 per cent of tota lisa tor. duty to clubs up to July 31. 1G36. This has undoubtedly been .' a relief to many clubs, particularly country chibs, and xvo hope the Government will continue the rebate beyond the period'Stated. We have failed to impress the Government with the situation which exists, that taxation still 'remains excessive compared with other totalizator countries. The cost of transport by the railways to travel racehorses for. any distance prevents many owners from racing their horses far-from their home quarters. As a result of the financial crisis racing stakes are now so small, that racing has become localised.' This is not in the interests of the prestige of racing or the . encouragement of breeding high class horses. It must be obvious to all and painfully acknowledged that to-day Australia is claiming our high-class horses, as racing is cheaper there and stakes I larger. The continued loss of this type I ©f horse from our racecourses will re- 1 duce the interest of our best- sup- j porters. There is a large section of the racing public who without any thought of gain will .travel far to see contests ( between great horses. T need not re- ; imind yon of the many occasions the great enjoyment you have had i»

watching contests of this nature. I am keen therefore, that clubs should retain weight-for-age races as far as possible. Li fact I recommend this conference to adopt a rule whereby any club holding four or more days racing shall include one weight-for-age race for every two days racing held in the flat racing season.

Your are aware of the fate of the Gaming Jiill before Parliament last session. The Hon. E. R. Davis introduced the Bill in the Upper House and it met with a particularly favourable reception. The voting for double totalisator was 19 for and 2 against, and for the publication of dividends 18 for and 3 against. After this decisive attitude of approval by the Legislative Council we were justified in expecting the consent of the Lower House. However, this was not to be, and although we were satisfied that we were assured of a majority in that House if a vote could be taken, this was denied to us as previously on so many occasions with other gaming hills. We have to thanl>: Mr Davis for his determined attempt to have the Bill passed. Apparently time will not he given to Private Members’ Bills to obviate defeat by being talked out by a contentious minority in the Lower (House, although the merits of the Bill, as in this ease, received the intelligent support of the Upper House and deserved a vote to be taken. Our only chance of success appears to be to try and so impress the Government that it may see it is to its advantage to satisfy the just desires of a large section of the community to concede to them what they are justly entitled to bv the Government itself fathering the legislation. We certainly had the support of the Government up to a poniff, as the l eaders of the House expressed their approval of our desires. During the season the executive committee revoked all previous resolutions authorising totaiistor systems other than the win and place system, and the resolution permitting dividends to he paid on the first and second horse in the event of the numbers on the tota lisa tor being five or more. Owing to the diversTy of opinion as to the most satislaetery method of utilising the tota l isa tor he suggested for the purpose of discussion, that the win and place and the 75 per cent—2s per cent systems only he adopted.

Tn order to overcome frivolous objections hv clubs the executive committee Ims decided that no club shall he consulted as to whether it lias any objection to a date being altered pro--1 vided there is a clear week between the altered date and that -of another club. In other cases the president will exercise his powers under Rule 77 (2) and if he is of the opinion that any other club would be prejudicially affected by the proposed alteration he will give that club an opportunity to object. Only under special should alterations in dates be permitted after they have been approved by the Conference. The executive committee has carefully reviewed the question, of reducin'* the amounts of the hack qualification and has brought forward for your oonsideration a resolution to reduce the amounts from £2.50 and £'soo to £2OO and £4OO respectively. The effect of this amendment, if carried, will be a 7,0,0 - s T >e<? Hy removal of a good horse

into races in open company and thus give the moderate hacks a fjuickfjr opportunity of earning their keep. Owing to the confusion caused where clubs use the word hack in the title oi a race and make conditions for the race which conflict with the interpretation of hack in the rules of racing, steps have been taken by the executive to notify all clubs that when the word hack is used in the title of the race any conditions other than hack conditions cannot be appended in such a

case. It was his firm intention not 'to grant any exemptions to clubs from complying with the provisions of Rule 231 (1) in regard to the amount required to he given in stakes, unless for very special reasons. He hoped clubs whose financial position justified them in doing so will sec the importance of increasing stakes as much as possible. The president is empowered to grant exemption on the recommendation of the district comittee to any club holding a meeting in the period from May 1 in one year to August 31 in the next succeeding year inclusive, from including ’ in its programme at least one maiden or hack or hunters’, or hack and hunters’ steeplechase. During recent years clubs have been freely granted exemption but. acting in conjunction with the executive, all district committees and clubs have been notified that in future such exemption will only be granted under special circumstances. We hope bv a rigid enforcement of the rule to arrest the decline of the jumping horse in this country and to ensure that ample provision is made for the jumping horse and rider. Quite a number of clubs could assist in this direction by the inclusion of hurdle races in their programmes in place of the Handicap Flat Race at 9 stone minimum in which only recognised jumping riders are’eligible to ride. The state of the General Trust Fund shows it is iu a reasonably sound position in spite of heavy claims. The advantages of this fund must be appreciated by all owners and their employees. Since its inception in 1903 claims tota.ling £94,983, 17s 2d have been paid. The stipendiary stewards still continue to do good work. The judicial committees of clubs are realising that it is no longer sufficient to fine or caution or to suspend for one day 01 1 for « week any rider found guilty of interference in tlm r.lining of a race. I lu* detei mination ol the Cixeoirjive committee to enforce appropriate pen-, alties for interference in the running of races is having « good effect. Inspectors render valuable '.services in the interests of r 11 racegoers and their work is appreciated by all who are concerned in the welfare of racing. W’iume XII . of the N.Z. Stud Mooli was published last August. He reminded breeders of .their duty t-> m Gfyßhe, keeper ot the stud book of the foalings and .overings of mares each season, in order to avoid exclusion of the mare j from the stud book, and the refusal of I registration of the mare’s progeny fori racing purposes. A reminder was given to owners who have colours registered that during | August they will he called upon to re-I register their colours upon payment of 1 a fee of I.os. Every five years re-re- j gist!ation of colours . is iieoessarv ! During the last year attendances at. I

race meetings have increased and racing generally has made a considerable upward tendency from the sad state of affairs that has existed. The improved financial position no doubt has encouraged people to spend more on the sport they seem to enjoy so immensely. We hope this state of affairs will continue until we return to the prosperous position of a few years ago.