RACING CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9709, 11 July 1917, Page 2

RACING CONFERENCE

COUNTRY CLUB DELEGATES MEET. The annual conference of delegates representing.country racing clubs was held in the Town Hall buildings last evening. ' Mr Albert Bruce (Thames) presided, over a large attendance of delegates. The president in presenting the report of the executive said that the two important matters that had'! arisen in regard to racing was the decision to curtail the number of racing days by one-third until the close of the war and doing away with special; trains. Kvery effort had been made to contest those questions, hut without success. The executive could'not see what influence the decision oj'iho Government to curtail racing ini .the Dominion could have on the. course ot the war, but they could see 'that' otato would lose a large amount '• of revenue and at a time when revenue was so necessary, and when extra taxation was being and must ho imposed to meet the heavy war expenditure, with conscription existing in New Zealand. The executive was of the opipion that the curtailment of racing was uncalled for and was inefficient from a military standpoint. Sympathy was . expressed with clubs who had lost their permits. A general discussion took place • in regard to the reduction of racing - by one-third, -some delegates, stating there were instances where clubs had their racing days reduced from 75 to 100 per cent.r while others were less severe!;, dealt with. Tho Horojvhenua delegate (Me J.

McLoavey) said it was thought that tho reduction of racing was going to win the war, and if such was the case he thought that the conference should pass a resolution calling upon the Minister for Internal Affairs to do away with all racing clubs during tho time the war lasted. J[ r W. -I. Dickie, M.P. (Mothven) said ETs club had. received its permit since the commencement of the war. A good deal of money had been spent on improving their grounds, and it seemed to him that in tho, curtailment tho country clubs were made to suiter for tho metropolitan clubs. He fully endorsed what the last - speaker had said in-doing away with racing if it was going to win the war. Mr Short (Opotiki) proposed ITiat this association strongly protest against the method of curtailmentdecided by tho Cabinet, and that the members of Parliament for the various country districts should urge to have the matter re-opened so that the members of Parliament may nave an opportunity of discussing is.” The motion was seconded by Bruce (Waipawa). Mr B. W. Alison (Takapuna) explained the methods adopted in tho reduction of racing days, and every endeavour was made to treat countiy clubs justly. Those clubs that had lost their licenses would receive financial assistance in . order that tlie> might meet their engagements. Tho motion was lost. Mr J McLeavov (Horowhenua) remarked that delegates whoso clubs had not lost day s voted against the motion. Mr Alison said such was not tne case, as the best was done by the executive for the country clubs. Tho levy was fixed at £1 Is non.ea A h motion by Mr H. Hayr (Avondale) to the effect that no ' trainer while engaged, in training horses for payment shall start or train any horse of‘which-his wife was owner, was carU< Other resolutions carried wore that representation be made to tho. Minister for Railways in refusing to carry passengers to any race meetings; that the association enter a strong protest against tho increased charges proposed to he imposed on clubs by tne Now Zealand Racing Conference, and the appointment of permanent racecourse detectives. . , Mr A. Bruce (Thames) wa s re-elected president, Mr Finney vice-president and Messrs Hayr Alison, Evans and Paterson -members of the executive.