Racing Conference.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXI, Issue 8834, 14 July 1905, Page 4

Racing Conference.

By Telegraph. Wellington, July 13. The Conference of New Zealand Racing Clubs opened this morning. Sir George Clifford presided. In his annual report the chairman said that most of the clubs, during the year, showed a healthy rivalry m the provision of good sport, while there was no deterioration in the class of horses attracted. There had been laxity on > the part of some clubs in issuing jockeys' licenses. No less' than 162 jockeys had been licensed in less than six months, and of these 50 did not ride at all, while forty unlicensed jockeys rode unchallenged. The accident fund was stated to have stood the increased demands. The allegation of abuses on the turf had been persistently and recklessly made by anonymous slanderers, and occasionally by ill-informed or prejudiced men in high positions. These charges were mainly the outcome of imaginative ignorance, but it was the duty of the Conference to correct whatever abuses arise and render corrupt practice too difficult or dangerous to be attempted with impunity. In this connection, he urged the Conference to consider whether the ownership of horses by bookmakers was consistent with the maintenance of public confidence in the sport. Correspondence was received from the Australian Jockey Club and the jockey clubs of South Africa agreeing to reciprocate with the New Zealand Conference regarding disqualifications. The Conference then proceeded to the consideration of the new draft rules.

The annual conference of repi'esentatr n s of the New Zealand Jockey Clubs opened at the Chamber of Commerce to-day. Sir George Clifford presided. It was resolved that rules be numbered consecutively and not as sent out. A proposal that unpaid entries and acceptance fees should not be collected through the unpaid forfeit list was negatived. Motions to divide the Otago racing district and to establish a metropolitan club at Gisborne were lost. Considerable discussion took place on a motion to give country clubs' representatives the same voting power at the Conference as Metropolitan Club representatives. The motion was negatived. Mr M'Crae (Taranaki) moved a resolution in favor of visiting stewards being appointed by Metropolitan clubs to visit and report on race meetings held in each club's district. The motion met with little support, and was lost on the voices. It was agreed that the maximum number of race meetings held by any club in one season shall be four instead of five as at present. Motions to increase the stakes for horses eligible to compete in hack events were withdrawn in some cases and negatived in others. The rule, therefore, remains unaltered. It was unanimously agreed that no horse shall be eligible for entry for any race until it is a yearling. The following new rule was adopted to take the place of rule 36: "Two-year-olds shall not run prior to October Ist in any race exceeding five furlongs, nor prior to December Ist in any race exceeding five furlongs, nor prior to March Ist in any race exceeding six furlongs, nor either before or after that date in any handicap for which a horse over three years old is eligible." It was agreed that the minimum top weight of 9 stone in handicaps should not apply to two-year-old events, and that the penalty for employing an unlicensed trainer be compulsory instead of optional. The following new rule relating to licensed jockeys was carried on the voices: "No jockey's license shall be granted to any person under the age of 21 years, unless he be in the regular employment of a racehorse owner or a licensed trainer, or has not ridden in 20 races in the previous year, or is in the employment of a licensed trainer."