STANDING OF RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14690, 26 May 1911, Page 9

STANDING OF RACING.

THE OWNERS' INTERESTS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORREBPOXDENT 1 t 9

CußtSTCiit-itcii, Thursday.

In his address at the annual meeting of vhrf Canterbury .Jockey Club this afternoon the Chalr-i man (Mr. A. Boyle) said that he would refer toj matters touching on the standing of racing dur-i ing the past season. Taken as a whole, the] season had been devoid of any special cause ofj complaint as regards the conduct of racing, butt there had been a feeling that the safety of tliaj owner had been more or less in jeopardy owing,, to the incompetence—bo stronger expression; could be used those licensed to ride.. As to' incompetence, there could be no shadow of a> doubt that want ofjpducation and opportunity] were the principal tAgpns. " I have tor years advocated the giving of races for apprentices, only," he said, " ami on the one occasion thaw my suggestion was adopted by the Canterbury. Jockey Club it met with unqualified success. I have the greatest hope that the conference will this year see it« way to legislate in this direction. The common opinion that jockeys are largo, bettors, anil practically have the control of thy decision of races, means, if true, that the most' stringent measures tire necessary. It is. a well-; known fact that all sportsmen are almost, in-;, variably apathetic in regard to the protection of' their rights as individuals, and have not been. 1 sufficiently alive to the importance of organisation and co-operation where their interests tire concerned. The opposition—the . faddist and narrow-minded section of the communityare ever on tlie alert to drive another nail into the coffin of legitimate sport. Evety embezzlement by young men is almost always quoted cvgrthmhuk» the result of lietting on races, whereas in the major number of eases racing has nothing whatever to. do with the crime. For the purpose, therefore, of protecting the interests of sport, in general, the Sporting League—which, I believe, has lately; been started — have the support of every club in New Zealand—not. only racing clubs, but' cricket, football, and all clubs upholding the' legitimate spost of the people. The eve of a general election will soon be upon us,' continued Mr. Boyle, " and united' action and well-organised methods to assist im returning to Parliament representatives that can lie relied on to protect and safeguard the just liberties of the sporting world should Ik> taken' in no half-hearted manlier. Defence, and not defiance, is an excellent motto. The former becomes a real necessity in these days of narrowminded ideas and smug hypocrisy, I should' like to state clearly and emphatically the position the Canterbury Jockey Club intend to take, up in regard to those who are in the habit of betting with the bookmaker as against the totalisator—the legal method of speculation. It is their firm intention to proceed against nil offending in this way in the same manner as against bookmakers, the penalty' of the law being' the. same for both ' backer' and ' layer." 1 need hardly remind all sportsmen that" ill supporting the machine they are directly not only assistingthe racing clubs of New Zealand to give better stakes, but, also are speculating through the only medium the laws of their country allow."

Tiro pony Ked Lupin was shipped back to New Plymouth by the Karawa yesterday.