BREACH OF RULES

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 114, 10 April 1930, Page 2

BREACH OF RULES

HORSE REMOVED FROM SHOW. NO PENALTY EXACTED.

The removal of a. horse during a show without a penalty being exacted formed the basis of a complaint ventilated at the annual meeting of the Manawatu A. and P. Association yesterday. The matter had also been discussed at a meeting of the general committee when no action was taken. Mr H. Gillies urged the strict observation of the rules wherever possible. He regretted to state that •some of the committee were among the offenders. He alleged .that a prizewinning animal in the horse-section at the last show had been removed by the exhibitor without the consent of the class stewards. As an old member he was speaking solely in the interests of the association in protesting .against the breach of the rules and no penalty being exacted. He himself had accidentally broken a rule, but immediately after the show' had found out his error and paid the fine prescribed and had returned the prizemoney. Others should do. the same. The chairman, Mr J. Linklater, M.P., after stating his conviction that Mr Gillies was. actuated by the highest of motives, said that one horse had been absent, but that was beoause it was lame. The owner had inform-' ed the chief horse steward of the matter. . 1 Mr Gillies: Not till two days afterwards. Mr Linklater: We should not carry out the rules too drastically. Mr Gillies reiterated that the procedure had been wrong. Mr Linklater stated that if he had been wrong he was very sorry indeed. He hoped that Mr Gillies would find better satisfaction in the future. Nothing was to be gained by prolonging the discussion and he wanted to say that as far as the rules were concerned the committee should not be too drastic or else they would have very few exhibitors. Mr Gillies stated that he had been exhibiting horses for 53 years and knew something about the rules. In the instance cited a meeting of the horse committee should have been called to discuss the position. Mr J. A. Nash M.P., supported Mr Linklater’s contention that they should not be too drastic. Mr Thos. Webb considered that Mr Gillies had done the right thing in bringing the matter forward. The rules should be observed. A good many of the committee did not know the rules. "1 do,” he concluded. The discussion lapsed.