RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18461, 26 July 1923, Page 4

RACING.

SIGNATURE DESTROYED. INJURY TO ROUND BONE. [BT TELEGRAPH. ASSOCIATION.] " • GISBORNE, Wednesday. Signature, who was n greatly fancied for the Gisborne Steeplechase to-morrow, was destroyed this afternoon. The horse suddenly went lame after training work this morning and on examination was found to havo injured the round bone and later was shot.

RELIEF FROM TAXATION. ADVOCACY OF ACTION. [bt telegraph,--press association.] DUNEDIN, Wednesday. At the annual meeting of the Dunedi.i Jockey Club, Mr. L. C. Hazlett said if some . relief from taxation . was not forthcoming this year some racing clubs would have to go out of existence. The club would 1 not be able to go in for a schema of improvements at Wingatui .while the imposition, of the present heavy taxation continued. Ho thought the time had arrived when they should assert themselves, and ho suggested that the question bo put to candidates for Parliamentary honours. They had taken matters too quietly in . the past, and it looked as if an. attempt was being Tr.ado to crush them out of existence. "Mr.' Lough, treasurer, said the regrettaVa fast was that the club hid not previously had a better yea- or better racing, and revenue had come in remarkably well. Under the circumstances the club might reasonably have expected to have earned a very handsome profit, but the Government took £24,000. He denied that taxation did not come out of the club's finance but from the pookets of \ the public. Ho thought the Government now saw the " handwriting on the wall," and relief must oomo shortly, for, unless something was done, racing clubs would ,bo wiped off the slate. • Mr. A. C. Hanlon was re-elected president.

COUNTRY CLUBS IN TOWN. REPLY TO CRITICISM. - fBT TELEGRAPH.PIIES9 ASSOCIATION.] DARGAVILLE. Wednesday. At last night's meeting of the Dargaville Raoing Club, Mr. F. J. Dargaville. chairman of the Auckland Provincial One-day Clubs, which recently ran a successful pooling scheme and raced on metropolitan courses, took strong exception to remarks recently made by Mr. 0. Bidwell in connection with country olubs racing on metropolitan courses. He especially resented the remarks: "That members of these" clubs must bo poor sports when they had to race on metropolitan courses'to keep their clubs going." Mr. Dar»avilJo pointed out that the scheme had been approved by the big clubs' in the district, by the Minister for Internal Affairs/ and by the Racing Conference, and had been the means of keeping several clubs from closing down. Mr. Bidwell was mistaken when be .said members of the country clubs mentioned had not assisted personally, as he knew that .in nearly all olubs members had assisted financially. The Dargaville Club in particular hadmany such members, who had stood behind -it financially when they were up. against it.

DARGAVILLE RACING CLUB. A FINANCIAL RECOVERY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] DARGAVILLE, Wednesday. * The eleventh annua! meeting of members of the Dargaville Racing Club was held lastnight, Mr. F. J. Dargaville presiding over a large attendance. The balance-qheet showed that the finances were in a satisfactory . position. "v The chairman, in his report, referred to the great success of the pooling scheme, in which the club had participated. The _Dargaville Club's share amounted to nearly £1000. This had enabled the club to carry on. The club had come through a perilous time, but, thanks to the help of members/ and the pooling' scheme, it was now on its feet, and, with the prospect of a two-days' meeting next year, the future -looked much brighter. The election of officers resulted as follows: Patron, Hon. J. G. Coates; president, Mr, VDonald Finlayson; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. 1 O'Dowd, G. N. Hayes, F. Hodges, and H.; Kimber; stewards, Messrs. G. Mitchell and A. J Finch; treasurer, Mr. F. O. Peat, A recommendation was passed asking the stewards to consider ways and means of making the course freehold. -