OTAGO SPORTING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9151, 10 July 1890, Page 7

OTAGO SPORTING.

Dunedin, Juno 30.

Mr Stead’s last letter on the handicapping question closes the correspondence for the present, so far as I know. I expect that it will be simply received; if, indeed, a formal acknowledgment has not already been made. But lam not at all sure that the last has been heard of this dispute. I think I mentioned last week that some people here are, or were, inclined to take the affair a step. further. This may, perhaps, be done even yet—not that there is likely to be any proposal to disqualify Mr Stead and those immediately connected with him in the quarrel. That suggestion is not now under consideration, so far as I have heard. If anything further is done it will, I think, be in the direction of endeavouring to relieve Mr Dowse from the anomalous position in which he is placed. „ Public feeling here is strongly condemnatory of Mr Stead’s attitude, and the Club are being told by their friends that, they should do, all that is possible to secure either a formal withdrawal of the charge of want of integrity, or the production of every shred ,of evidence in existence as to the truth of that charge. These representations fall on listening ears—in respect to, at least, a portion of the Club’s Committee—-and, though I cannot pretend to exactly foretell the consequences, you need not be surprised to find the question reopened in some shape or other. Public opinion demands that the Club should stand by “ our Geordie ’’ until he is proved to be a knave. Public opinion may be wrong, but even those who think it is wrong will bo slow to blame a Club for loyalty to an officer whose honesty seems well able to stand any test to which it can he subjected. The Dunedin Hunt Club’s Eace Meeting which is to all intents and purposes one of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s own fixtures in all but name, is fixed for Sept. 12 and 13. The added money will be£7oo, an increase on last year’s amount. The Committee of the D.J.C. have voted the Hunt Club a donation of £IOO, the same as last year. At this meeting we are to have a new departure in regard to trotting races, and one that will, I am sure, commend itself to all who desire to see this branch of the sport purified as far as possible. The Club have decided that the time of each horse shall bo taken separately. This implies as strict a system of supervision’as could be desired. I can assure you this is quite necessary. The timing itself will be of little value, but'what will be of use will bo the observations of the timista as to whether horses are trying or not. The next necessary step will be tor the Stewards to proceed on their own motion against a few of the “waiters,” and make an example of some of them, instead of lying back until one of the persons concerned makes a complaint. I am morally sure that one trotter at least would have been disqualified if objection had been taken on the . score of crooked going in a previous race. At last week’s meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Committee a letter was received from Mr Tenfold, stating that for the coming season the Canterbury Jockey Club intend to close their entries at 4 p.m., and asking the D.J.C. to co-operate. It was resolved that the time of closing at 10 p.m. bS-adhered to, and that the C. J.C. be informed that the principal reason for this decision is that the North train arrives at 9 p.m., and if D.J.C. entries closed at 4 p.m. it would practically mean the day before for soma owners, and many entries would be forgotten and lost. ' The want of a uniform custom in regard to the treatment of stable lads and jockeys has been evident in the consideration of the cases of tho boys King and Lardner and others. Boys are engaged under all sorts of conditions, and the different stables have pay-days of their own, thus causing disagreements as to the relationships between the boys and their masters. To obviate this to some extent the D.J.C. have appointed Messrs J. Cook and H. Driver a Sub-Committee to draw up a form of agreement between employers and their stable boys or jockeys. It is urged that a signed agreement of this nature put before metropolitan Clubs would speak for itself in case of dispute between employer and employee. Wellbehaved boys will themselves regard this as a move in the right direction. Mr H. J. Smerdon is elected a gentleman rider for ithe purposes of the Hunt Club Meeting. The D.J.C. have not yet decided to finally adopt the rules of the New Zealand Trotting Association. It is proposed to do so, I understand, but before coming to a decision on the subject the Club would like to consider the rules and also those of the Victorian Trotting Club, copies of which have been received. Messrs Fleming, Dowse and Taggart are appointed a Sub-Committee to report on the subject, and I expect we shall very soon hear what these gentlemen have to say. It is resolved that in future the training fee at the Forbury shall be £1 for each horse from July 1 to June 30 in the following year, and that no reduction be made for horses said to be training for one meeting only. The usual allowance of one week tree for horses coming from a distance before each meeting is to be continued.

A very important resolution was passed at the last meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club’s Committee, attended, I may remark, by a full muster of all members in town, the only absentees being the Hon G. M'Lean (in Wellington), Mr J. Mills (in England), and Mr W. L. Philp (away in the North for a holiday). It is in these words;—“That the Hon G. M'Lean and Mr Driver be appointed delegates of the Dunedin Jockey Club to attend the Conference proposed to be held in Wellington on August 15, with instructions that the Committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club are unanimously of. opinion that there is no necessity for the formation of such an institution as a New Zealand Jockey Club, and will not allow any combination of representatives from other Clubs to interfere with them in the mariagement of their own affairs.” You will notice in the first place that the words used are perfectly simple, easy to be understood and emphatic; and, secondly, that the D.J.C. evidently anticipates proposals which would have the effect of reducing the Club’s jurisdiction over its own affairs. You will not require from me any comment on the subject, but I may assure you that there is a feeling abroad that the D.J.C, will be better off if left to itself; that were any confederation to take place, it would lead to the subordination of our interests to those of other centres; and that there is substantial, if not absolute, unanimity in the Club that the Committee are taking a proper stand.