CAPTAIN RUSSELL ON SOME TURF TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1172, 17 August 1894, Page 23

CAPTAIN RUSSELL ON SOME TURF TOPICS.

At the annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club, held last week, Captain Russell made a capital speech. We make the following quotations from the report published in the Napier Telegraph : —He said that a conference of the racing world of New Zealand had been held in Wellington to consider Sir Robert Stout’s Gaming Bill and Sir Patrick Buckley’s Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill. The conference was remarkable in being the first occasion on which the whole racing world was represented. Heretofore the conference consisted of only the delegates of metropolitan clubs, but at this one the country clubs were well represented, and their delegates gave great assistance by taking part in the discussion. The effect was to disabuse the minds of many that the metropolitan clubs acted in opposition to the country clubs. Those representing the Hawke’s Bay country clubs were Messrs McVay and Gray, who took quite a leading part in the discussion. Sir Robert Stout’s Gaming Bill had practically become law, it having only to go through the Upper House, where ha (Captain Russell) understood it would meet with slight opposition. This Bill, he hoped, would put an end to the totalisator shops and what were known as “ walking

totalisators.” It was proposed to reduce the number of licenses in New Zealand by one-third, but it would not come into force until next year, so as to allow engagements already entered into to be carried out. The conference carried a resolution that in view of this becoming law the delegates to the next conference bring up a report showing the reductions in the licenses proposed in their several districts. In Hawke’s Bay twenty-one licenses were issued last year, and this number would have to be reduced to fourteen.' It would come hardly upon some of the clubs who were least advanced in their accommodation, but a meeting of the metropolitan and country clubs was to be held, and

then the whole question would be gone into, and every endeavour made to prevent any injustice being done to the country clubs. The Bill introduced into the House by Sir Patrick Buckley provided that no action should be brought in any court of law for the recovery of any sum of money or valuable thing alleged to have been won by way of stakes or prize on any event relating to any horse race or other race, fight, game, sport, or exercise. That measure was drafted for the specific object of preventing any such cases as that of O’Brien v. Stead coming

into a court of law; but he (Captain Russell) thought every racing man must almit that the present system of government would scarcely do all that was necessary in regard to settling disputes of this kind, and the conference considered that if the power of appeal to the law courts is thu3 taken away, it was desirable that a substitute be provided in the form of a New Zealand Jockey Club. It would needs be of so high, a standing as to leave no room for question as to the fairness of the decisions arrived at. The feeling in Parliament was very strong in favour of reducing racing, and he would like to point out that it behoved everybody connected with a club to insist that everything in the management of the sport was carried out on proper lines, and that stewards should be perfectly familiar with the rules of racing. There was also a strong feeling amongst a certain section in favour of the abolition of racing altogether, and he could assure the meeting that unless the clubs kept their racing in perfect order their would be further restrictions put upon it.

Secretaries of racing clubs are reminded that illustrated cards and programmes can be printed at the New Zealand Times office at two hours notice. Customers will find it the cheapest printing office in the Colony. Auckland, August 14.

A private cablegram received here states that the racehorses Stanmoor and Wickford, which were recently taken from Auckland to Sydney, have been sold. At a meeting of the committee of the Auckland Racing Club Mr A. Buckland was elected president, and Mr George Cutts starter. The committee went through the programme for next season which will be submitted to the general committee for approval at the next meeting. The first Spring Meeting was fixed for September 15, when £3O less in stakes will be given. Disqualifications were removed from the jockeys Moberley and Whitelaw. Napier., August 14.

At the annual meeting of the Napier Park Racing Club, the balance - sheet showed the total receipts to be £5127, and the expenses a little more. The bank overdraft had slightly increased, owing to the totalisator tax, amounting to £360. The amount given in stakes was <£2755.