RACING CONFERENCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 187, 8 July 1938, Page 5

RACING CONFERENCE.

SUCCESSFUL YEAR REVIEWED. PRESIDENT’S ANNUAL REPORT. WELLINGTON. July 8. “Generally, racing clubs during the season have met the most successful period for many years past. The increased stakes have been a great help to all concerned, but I fear the future if racing clubs are to be burdened with much higher costs in the upkeep of their courses ami general expenses of race meetings,” states the president of the New Zealand Racing Conference in tile course of his annual report, presented to-day. “The recently-formed New Zealand Racing, Owners’, Breeders’ and Trainers’ Association has received official recognition by the executive committee. Arrangements have boon mado for any remits and recommendations by the association for (he welfare of racing and breeding to ho submitted in the first place to the executive committee, which will, after due consideration, decide what further action should be taken in connection therewith. It is, of course, open to the association to approach clubs direct on domestic matters, hut questions of policy require to he submitted as aforementioned. The New Zealand Jockeys' Association has also received official recognition by the executive committee, and similar arrangements have been made for the reception of matters brought forward by fhat association as is the case with the Racing Owners’, Breeders' and Trainers’ Association. FLAT RACE HANDICAPS.

“At a later stage of the proceedings of this conference you will be asked to support a resolution, submitted by the executive committee at the suggestion of the well-known handicapper, Mr J. E. llcnrys, and after consultation with the various district committees, which provides that at any meeting held from September 1 in any year to May 31 in the next succeeding year, inclusive, the minimum weight for the two principal tint race handicaps on each day of the meeting, shall be 7 stone, but for any other tlut race handicaps in which an apprentice jockey is entitled to claim the allowance the minimum weight shall not be less than 7 stone 71b. This means that the minimum weight of 7st. 711). would not apply to the following races: The two principal fiat race handicaps on each day; every other handicap flat race of the value of not more than £250 to the winner, which is not a race for two-year-olds only, two and three-year-olds only, in which only apprentice jockeys are eligible to ride, or a high-weight handicap. “It is claimed in support of this suggested amendment to our rules that if the minimum weight of 7st. 71b. is adopted only in races in which apprentice jockeys can claim an allowance it will not only encourage owners and trainers to put up apprentices to ride, but that it will be much fairer to horses handicapped on the present 7st. minimum which, of course, cannot claim any allowance It is obvious that at the smaller meetings there would bo more races per day with the 7st. 71b. minimum than at the larger meetings where the stakes arc of greater value than

£250 to the winner,” states the presidnt. “I consider the proposal to be far more equitable in every way than raising the minimum weight in all flat race handicaps from 7sl. to 7st. 71b. The objections to the latter were voiced by me in my re-

port at our last annual meeting. One other resolution which you will bo called upon to consider is for the provision of at least one weight-for-ago race (or a race at fixed weights according to age) at any two-day meeting which falls within the period from September 1 to May 31 in any year. The value of such contests in encouraging the breeding of high-class horses cannot he overlooked. The attraction to racegoers of this class of race is also important, and clubs should realise tlmt the idea that these races do not pay is a mistaken one. This type of race

was formerly frequently on the programmes of clubs earlier in the racing year.

“Since our last meeting, racing, jockey and hunt clubs have been brougli under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act by Act of Parliament. Our endeavours to point out the reasons for the noninclusion of the permanent and casual employees of raeig clubs in any union have not so far been successful. The amalgamation of the Takapuna Jockey Club with the Auckland Racing Club is a matter upon which we congratulate the committees of both clubs. There are some other clubs which could with ad-

vantage follow this load. “I feel it incumbent upon this conference to express its appreciation of the services rendered to racing so wliolclieartcdlv over a. long period of years by Mr E. ‘w. Alison, president of the Takapuna

Jockey Club, and for 32 years a representative on the conference for the Auckland district clubs and for many years a delegate on the Auckland District Committee,” states the president. APPEAL COURT.

“We have to thank lion. W. Perry, M.L.G., Messrs T. H. I.owrv. T. B. Coates, (,'. \V. Tringbam, R. Grace, H. R. H. C'iiahners, W. Howard Booth, 11. F. O’Leary, K.C., 11. 11. Green, J. W. Card, W. E. Leicester and 11. L. Nathan for their services as judges on appeal cases. 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. We are justly proud of the constitution of our Ap peal Court, and although . there is an agitation in favour of counsel being allowed to appear, I am of the firm opinion that offenders against the rules of racing are better advised to place themselves in the hands of the impartial judges, who spare no pains to encourage witnesses to tell them the truth, which otherwise may be endeavoured to be obscured and thus revert against the appellant. There can be no objection to an offender 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 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 and 'wo usually take advantage of their services by appointing one of them. “During the current year death has deprived racing of the services of Messrs A. Alexander. A. Good, E. Goodbehere. C. Louisson. J. W. Nolan. G. L. Rutherford, C. E. Twist, 11. Poland. W. G. Nightingale, and G. N. McLean.