TROTTING CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20642, 14 February 1929, Page 14

TROTTING CLUB.

FORBURY PARK COMMITTEE. A.,meeting of the executive of the Forbury Park Trotting Club- was held last night, and was attended by Messrs B. S. Irwin (president, in the chair), G. J. Barton, ,W. J. L. Goughian, R. Telfer, J. Goldsmid, T. Elliott, John Mitchell, T. T. Ritchie, James Mitchell, A. 6. Neill, R. M. Greenslade, and James Black. A letter was received from the Department of Internal Affairs stating that a refund of. per cent, would be granted on the sum 'f £20,000 passed through the totalisat'or at the race meeting of the club on November 29 and December 1, 1928. The refund amounts to £250.

E. C. Isaacs, hon. secretary of the Otago Centre, N.Z.A.A.A., wrote stating that the motor clubs sports at For bury Park had proved a huge success. The gross gate receipts came to f «09 15s, and the club was to receive £42. oeiug 20- per cent, of the takings. The- centre asked for further use of the ground, on Saturday, March 9, for a simiuar meeting.—lt was decided to grant the use of the ground on the same terms as for the previous meeting. The chairman said that the rough bal-aoce-sbeet of the summer meeting showed that the receipts and expenditure practically balanced. He thought that the results, under the circumstances, must be considered satisfactory. Trainers’ and riders’. licenses were granted to John Simpson, jun., and James Charles M'Pherson.

It was decided that the total stake money for the. winter meeting should be £4500. The total for the corresponding meeting last year was £4BOO, on which occasion a profit of only £64 was shown. Mr T.,Fogg was appointed for the winter meeting. The dates for the winter meeting were tentatively fixed at May 9 and M. NO KNOWLEDGE OF TEAMDRIVING.

It was reported that, according to a telegram which had been sent to the press from Christchurch, the Trotting Association desired more evidence regarding the fine of £25 imposed on Townley, driver of Engagement, at the recent meeting; Townley was held to have interfered with another horse in the Trotters’ Race on the first day. • Mr Barton said that there, had been a fair amount in the papers about the press getting sufficient news from the Judicial Committee regarding its findings at inquiries. Could the chairman enlighten them on the matter?

■ e ili. (who is a member'of the Judicial Committee) said that .when a jury came back to the court after deliberating it simply brought in a verdict of guilty or not guilty. It gave no explanations’ for its findings. Mr Barton said that there was a lot of paper talk going on. ■ On account of the way tl e, papers were criticising, decent owners would not want to stay in the game very long. Mr Neill: Decent stewards won’t be in it very- long _either. Mr Barton said that a lot of cheap talk had appeared in the press. The writers wanted to put in the truth. If they put in the truth it'would be all right. It was >Hes that hurt, not the truth. Mr Neill said that they had heard several things about loose running, and questions had been asked why the stewards, had not acted. The stewards, however, were out to do their best, and they could not do more. So far as he was concerned he would be glad to be off the Judicial Committee. Mr Parton (to the chairman): Did you hear of any team driving in the trotting race?

■ The chairman: No; there was no report from the stipendiary stewards or any of the stewards of the club.

Mr Barton: It appeared in the press that there was team driving in the trott- s’ race.

The chairman: We cannot stop that Mr Black: Most of the reporters know less about trotting than the general public. That is the trouble. Mr Goughian: They are entitled to their opinion, just as much as yoii are. Mr Black: It is not a reasoned opinion —I am satisfied of that.

Mr Barton said it was very aggravating to pick up the papers and see such a lot of rubbish in them.

Mr Neill: The D.j.C. never gets such prominence. We ought to feel gratified at getting such a lot of prominence.— (Laughter.) The discussion then ended.