THE OPPOSITION TO THE METROPOLITAN CLUBS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 25

THE OPPOSITION TO THE METROPOLITAN CLUBS.

The following letter has been sent to the Cromwell Jockey Club, in reply to their letter of the 17th of July. A copy cf the same has also boen forwarded to all the clabs that have sent in circulars Btating that they have endorsed the Cromwell Club's action. Dunedin Jockey Club, Dunedin, July 30, 1889. The President Cromwell Jockey Club, Cromwell. Sir,— Referring to, the correspondence with your club relative to the amount of Btakes which jour club is obliged to give before my club can pass your programme, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your last letter, dated 17th inst., which has had the careful consideration of my committee, and I am instructed to express regret that your club should have thought it necessary to write in the tone of the lettpr above referred to, or to take the action therein indicated. My committee recognise to the fullest extent the importanceof protecfcingand assiatingold-esfcablished club 3 like yours, and being aware that many of your members are gentlemen of intelligence and large experience in racing matters, are surprised to observe that you refuse to admit the position that circum- | stances have forced upon the various pacing authorities throughout New Zealand, but, on the contrary accuse them of arbitrary action in carrying oiifc rules which you well know they were obliged to adopt. You are also aware that the representatives of my olub made every possible effort to have £150 per diem fixed as the minimum amount to be pa!d in stakes by clabs holding two meetings in the year, so as not to interfere with your own and other similar clubs. We were, however, for the time over-ruled, and had to submit with the hope of being able to get the rule altered at no distant date, as it would be as manifestly impolitic and improper for us to imagine that we could race on lines independent of other metropolitan clubs as it is for your own and other country clubs to ignore the authority of your district tribunal. In England and the Australian colonies— indeed, in all racing communities, it has long since been found necessary to establish tribunals with absolute power to frame rules and regulations for the conduct of racing within the district over -which they have jurisdiction, such as the great English Jockey Club, the Victoria Racing Club for Victoria, and the Australian Jockey Club for New South Wales. All of these governing bodies (however, desirous" to do | so) bave found it impossible to frame rules, fix date ! of meetiags, and pass programmes without causing dissatisfaction for a time, or until it can be put right, iif found advisable in the interests of racing ; and I would point out that in every instance where cluba or racing companies have attempted to act independently of the racing tribunal of the district they have in the end been obliged to submit. I need only instance the protracted struggle between the powerful and rich Rosehill Bacing Club and the Australian Jockey Club, in which the former had finally to give way. In New Zealand the creation of such a governing body was for a long tinio delayed owing to the fact of there being so many centres, combined with the existence of the totalisator. It, however, became necessary in the interests of legitimate racing that an effort in that direction should be made. Several conferences were held between the representatives of the larger clubs, and finally the present rules and regulations were adopted, and various club 9 made metropolitan tribunals within their respective districts, all with equal powers, and the decisions of any one of them recognised by all tha others, bo long as they were within the adopted rules and regulations. v There are periodical meetings of delgates from the variouß clubs for the purposeoFaltering anything that may oeem necessary and proper. Such a conference was arranged (some months ago) to be held at Wellington on 31at of the present month, and thia club will be represented by Its president (the Hon.Geogre M'Lean) with instructions to get certain amendments maae In the rules, particularly that which effects ths amount of stakes to be given by country clubs like Cromwell and others, and my committee

are very hopeful of being able to Ret the rules altered in the direction of .'proposals thafc will be made by its delegate. ' I have at some length detailed the position of racing throughout New Zealand, so that the action of this olub may not be misunderstood, and my committee will continue to watch over the interests of racing in its'district, and always be prepared to receive courteous suggestions or recommendations from any club under its authority, but they cannot , for a moment admit that their action will be influenced by any attempt at such threats as contained in your letter under reply; If it is unable to obtain at once any alteration it may think desirable, it will not destroy tbe present relations and good faith existing between tbe various metropolitan clnbs. My committee trust you will now realise our respective positions as racing clubs, and our responsibilities connected therewith, and in future avoid a style of correspondence which is both unfair and unnecessary, and not likely to assist the object in view.— l am, Sir, your obedient servant, ■ Sydney Jambs, Secretary.