CONFERENCE OF METROPOLITAN CLUBS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2055, 13 July 1893, Page 30

CONFERENCE OF METROPOLITAN CLUBS.

Bell.

The following horses have made payment in the Timaru Guineas, to be decided at the Spring meeting of the South Canterbury. Jockey Club:— Timaru Guineas, of ssovs each, with 105sovs added. For three-year-olds. One mile. Mr J. B. Reid's b c Skirmisher, by Vanguard— Ouida. Mr R. Brown's eh c Gitano, by Le Loup— Gitana. Mr H. A, Knight's b g Crawley, by Apremont— Becky Sharp. Mr S. Brown's b c Errington, by Gorton—Mountain Lily. Mr G. G. Stead's blk c Geraint, by Lochiel— i Enid. Mr M. Sherwin's b c Addington, by VanguardMiss Lucy. Mr G. Mathew's eh f Busybody, by Apremont — Tell Tale.

The conference of Metropolitan Jockey Club 3 was held at Wellington, on Saturday, the Bth inst. The , representatives present were: — Auckland Racing Club, Hon. E. Mitchelson, M H R., and Mr W. F. Buckland, M.H.R.; Canterbury Jockey Club. Mr C. Hood Williams; Dunedin Jockey Club, Hon. G. M'Lean, M L.C., and Mr H. a. Fish, M.H.R.; Wellington Racing Club, Mr J ihn Duthie, M.H.R ; Wanganui Jockey Olqb Dr Connolly; Taranaki Racing Club, M. Bauctiope; Nelson Jockey Club, Mr N Gtace; Msrlborough Racing Club, Mr C. J. W. Griffiths; Greymoulh Jockey Club, Mr A. R. Guinness, M.H.R., and Mr C. M. Gasquoine; Hawke's Bay Jockey Club, Hon. J. D. Ormond, M.L.C., and Captain Russell, M H.R. Captain Russell was elected chairman and Mr F. D. Luckie secretary. COUNTRY CLUBS. A telegram from Mr Edward Saunders, secretary Ashburton RaciDg Club, was received as follows :— Conference of country clubs held at Ashburton last night. Present: 13 froni,Canterbury, 11 from Otago, two from Westland, and one from Marlborough. The following resolutions were carried unanimously, and I was requested to telegraph same to you:—(1) That an association of bonafidb country clubs throughout the South Island be formed consisting of a representative of each club. i 2) That it is desirable that New Zealand racing should be governed by a representative bcdy, and not as at present by unrepresentative bodies. (3)Thatthiaassociationisnotsatisfiedwitb. the present mode of ruling New Zealand racing, as by it the very existence of some of tbe oldest and best country clubs, whose meetings largely assist to maintain the sport, is seriously jeopardised, and a continuance of this undesirable state of affairs will have the effect of encouraging proprietary clubs, and this association of country clubs intends to resist it. It was also decided to request

the conference in Wellington to reconsider the. amount of added money to be given by the, country clubs, as this meeting of delegates considers the present amount is excessive.' It was moved by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, seconded by the Horn. G. M'Lean, and carried — "That the country clubs have representation at future conferences:" , RULES AMD REGULATIONS. On the motion ,of. the Hon. J.. D. Ormond, seconded by the'Hon;G. M'Lean, the following rules and regulations' were adopted :— Proposed rules and regulations at conferences of New Zealand jockey clubs :— 1. A conference of jockey clubs shall be held annually. 2. All resolutions adppted at a conference shall take effect without further reference to individual clubs, provided that such resolutions shall have been agreed to -by not' less than three-fourths of the total voting power present. 3. Tbe" representatives at a conference shall have power to revise and alter the rules of racing, and to make '.such orders as they may deem expedient for improving and promoting racing throughout the. colony; provided that no new rule shall be passed, • nor any existing rule be rescinded, or important alteration made without notice of such proposed alteration has been published in the official calendar at least one month prior to' the' conference at which it is to be considered. 4. All resolutions adopted at a conference shall be forthwith published in the official calendar, which shall be taken as full notice throughout the colony of all matters so published. 5. There shallbeno special number fixed for a quorum, but no business shall be transacted at any conference unless representatives of at least five metropolitan.cl'jbs. be present. 6. No representative at any conference Bhall represent more than one metropolitan club or one district of cbuntry clubs. 7. A chairman shall,,be elected annually. 8 The chairman at all conferences shall have a casting vote inodditiori to his deliberate vote. 9. If tbe chairman be absent, the represent*: tives -present shall elect a chairman for such meeting. ' \ 10. The chairman may, on giving not less than one month's notice, convene a conference at any time for the transaction of special business. . 11. The voting at conferences' shall be taken on the following basis :— The Auckland Racing Club, Canterbury -\Fockey Club, and Dunedin Jockey Club, three votes each: the Wellington .Racing Club, Hawke's 'Bay Jockey Club, and Wanganui Jockey ' Club, two votes each ; the Taranaki , Jockey Club, " Greymouth Jockey Club, Marlborough Racing .-Club, and Nelson Jockey Club, one vote, each ; the combined country clubs of the Auckland, Otago, Canterbury, Wellington, and Hawke's Bay districts, two votes each ; and the combined clubs of the, Wanganui and Taranaki districts, one vote each ;' and the country clubs of the Nelson, Marlborough, and Greymouth districts combined, one vote. 12. The expenses of conferences shall be approved by the chairman, and shall be defrayed by a levy on each metropolitan club pro rata to the voting power of each club. For the purposes of the foregoing rules and regulations the New Zealand Referee shall be the official calendar. Moved by the Hob. J. D^ Ormond, and carried — " That for the fffst election of representatives to the, conference by country clubs, all country clubs in each jlistricb whose programmes have been approved in the past year shall be entitled to vote- for representatives. The elections shall be 'conducted by the metropolitan clubs in each district, who shall frame regulations for conducting such elections. . The election. for the- combined district' of NelsoD, Marlborough, and Greymouth shall be conducted by the Nelson J.C." ' • STUD BOOK, Moved by Dr Connolly, seconded by Captain Russell, and carried — " That it is advisable to publish the ' New Zealand Stud Book ' under the supervision of the conference of New Zealand jockey clubs." - ' Moved by Or Connolly, seconded by Mr Buckland, and carried .— 1. The present stud 'book, after being revised by a board of advice, shall be the basis for compiling the new work. - - * ' 2. Only horses having pedigrees traceable to mares in the revised stud book, or horses having perfect pedigrees shall be included in future publications. • ' 3. As far as possible all errors in the present stud book shallbe rectified. 4. Printed forms for filling in particulars of pedigrees shall be sent to all owners and breeders interested. ' .' 5. Proof slips of revised book to be sent to all owners and breeders interested, and proof slips of revised hook to be sent to all owners for verification, f 6. Tabulated pedigrees may be inserted on pay mentof2gg. ",. . • • 7. The book to'be published every three years. 8. Staff: Editor (salaries) and board of advice (three). ' ,i 9. Should there be any loss on the publication such loss, shall be defrayed by a Isvy on the metropolitan clubs pro 'rata to voting power, any < surplus to be expended as may be deemed expedientat the'time., " • „ , Moved by Mr Grace,; and carried— " That a a sub committee of the conference consisting of - the chairman, and Hbns. J. B. Ormond, George , M'Lean, and E. Mitcheison be appointed, to collect information and make, recommendation to the next meeting of the conference as to the appointment of the editor and board of advice." DELEGATES. Captain Russell's motion — " That no person receiving remuneration as an official of a club shall be eligible to- act as a delegate at any meeting of a conference "— was negatived. AN INQUIRY REQUESTED. The Hon. J. D. Ormobd presented a petition from C. Diamond and F> Power asking the conference to appoint a tribunal to whom they might produce evidence to exonerate them from the charge of suspicious running for which they had been .disqualified by the Manawatu Racing Club. ' ' Mr Ormond explained that the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club had reason to believe that an errorhad been committed in disqualifying the petitioners, and had applied to the Wanganui Club to reopen the .case, but the Wanganni Club had replied that they had no power under the rules of racing to do so. Moved by Mr Guinness— 1 ' That this conference declines to go into the merits of the case, but as it is alleged that the Wanganui Metropolitan Club had not the whole of the evidence - placed before them, this conference recommends that the petition .and evidence submitted to the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club be forwarded to the Wanganui Club, with the object of inquiring jnto the -whole .circumstances, and having all the evidenpe" placed befoie them as recommended by rule 129." ' An amendment- was moved by the Hon. G. M'Lean and seconded by Mr Grace — "That this conference has no power to deal with the question." \ " . „ The amendment was carried. Ayes : Auckland, Duntdin, Taranaki, Nelson, Marlborough. Noes : Canterbury, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, Greymouth. 'the totalisator. Moved by Mr^ Williams, seconded by Mr Guinness, and carried— " That rule 22 of the totalisator be struck out, and that the following - words be added to rule .14 after the word ■commission 4 in the second line, Mees the ■ amount of the State tax,' the proposedamend- , ment to take effect on 'and after Ist August, 1893." jockeys' eees. Movedby' Mr Williams and seconded by Mr ~ Grace — '» That Svhere - the committee of a ,» jockey club is satisfied that an owner or) trainer h.as neglected or declined to pay » | jockey hia fee duly earned, they (the coinv|

mittee) shall place the name of 1 such owner or trainer on the forfeit list, and it shall not, be removed until such fee has been paid into the secretary of the jockey club."— Negatived. N ADDED MONEY. Moved by the Hon. E. Mitchelson— " That rule 22 as agreed to at the conference held on the Bth September 1892 be rescinded, andthat the added money to be given by any club holding one meeting in the year shall not be less than £100, two meetings £200, and three meetings £500 per diem." =• An amendment was moved by the Hon. J. D. Ormond— "Whereas the working of the rule providing that the use of the totalisator should be regulated by the stakes provided has not reduced the number of race meetings, whilst it has in some cases operated harshly on oldestablished genuine' sporting racing clubs, it is nowresolvedthatthefollowingbe substituted for rule 22 ;— The number of race meetings in New Zealand at which the totalisator maybe used in the racing seas6n 1893-4 shall be as follows :— No metropolitan club shall hold more than four meetings; no suburban club shall hold more than three meetings ; no country club shall hold more than two meetings; no metropolitan meeting shall extend over more than three days ; no suburban or country meeting shall extend over more than two days. _Wherethe totalisator is not used at least £50 of added money per diem must be given. The number of race meetings" during the ensuing season at which the totalisator may be used shall be 171, allocated as per table." — The motion, and amendment were negatived. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Buckland moved— "That no delegate shall be eligible who represents a club whose profits are divisable amongst the members thereof." On it being pointed out that. under clause 2 of rule 22 no programme could be approved of by a club whose profits are divisable amongst the members thereof, Mr Buckland withdrew the motion. . Mr Buckland moved— "That rule 38 be' amended to read : *No horse shall carry less than 7.0 in a handicap on the flat*.'"— Negatived. Mr Buckland moved— "That rule 39 be amended to read: 'At any'meeting held on any date from the Ist June to the Ist September the lowest weight in any race on the flat shall not be less than 9st.' "—Negatived. Captain Russell moved, and it was carried— " That 300 copies of the judgment ' Robinson • v. Town and* Suburban Racing Club' be printed and distributed amongst the clubs." The Chairman pointed out that the rules with regard to added money, percentage on nominations, &c. had been contravened in several programmes approved by some metropolitan clubs, and it was resolved that the secretary write to these clubs calling attention to these matters and asking that an explanation be forwarded to the next conference. ' LIMITING THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS. Moved by Hon. J. D. Ormond and carried— " That this conference desires to represent to the Government that Bteps were taken by a former conference to reduce the number of meetings at which the totalisator could be used, and that the number of days' racing was reduced last year by 28, but that the action of the conference has been impeded by thewse of the totalisator having been granted to meetings the promoters of which had failed to comply with the conditions provided by reducing the number of meetings; further, the conference calls attention to the growing use of the totalisator at trotting club meetings,' many of which are run by proprietary clubs for the benefit of individuals, and the conference respectfully beg the aid of the Government in limiting the use of the totalisator in future." Resolved— "That the chairman be asked to write to the Government in terms of the above resolution." GENERAL. Resolved— "That the cost of printing the last edition of the 'Rules of Bacing' and the expenses of .the conference be defrayed by a levy on the metropolitan clubs pro rata to voting power." __^____ —— _