CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2284, 9 December 1897, Page 33

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By M. Quad. The delegates on the South Island Trotting Association representing Lancaster Park, Canterbury, New Brighton, and the Plumpton Park clubs were ab etit from the meeting held last Wednesday. Apologies from Messrs M'lntyre (Lancaster Park) and Howell (Pluinpto'O were the only ones received, and no secret is made of the fact that the others absented themselves as a protest, because they considered that fair play would not b"e given to their clubs by the association. They agree that the local clubs have always been badly , treated by the association, and that their presence could do no good, as no matter what they proposed or advocated, they would be outvoted. What the outcome of the trouble will be it is not easy to foresee. It is said that the four clubs named will secede from the association, and then attempt to form an association to govern Canterbury trotting alono. As a whole, the South Island Trotting Association has done really good work, and I am not inclined to agree with the contention 'that fair play cannot be obtprtned at the association's deliberations. In some instances mistakes have been made, and glaring ones, too, but almost equal errors have frequently crept into stewards' decisions. To correct these latter tho association was brought into existencp, and few trotting men will be found who will not admit that the association has occasionally decided correctly. It would be easy to quote the cases brought before the association, and to prove how beneficial to the sport its judgments have .sometimes been. No one will be hardy enough to say that the Electioneer case was not properly adjusted by the association, or that it did not do t> c same thing in connection with the Annie Rooney appeal. Th* Honest Wilkes

trouble was another subject fairly thrashed b*| by tho association, as wa< that in connection witfc the Homeward easo and The Count disqualification. I have frequently praised and often condemned the association's decisons, and have fairly tried to do justice to all concerned with ita deliberations, and my sole reason for mentioning the businees transacted by the association ia to show that it is not quite so bad as many aie pleased to imagine. Most of the cases touched upon above were heard before the last conference of trotting bodies. At that meeting the representation was extended, and from that time the association's deliberations have not been of so useful a nature. This is undoubtedly paitly due to the new blood imported into the association, several delegates knowing absolutely nothing whatever about trpttiug, and how on earth they have the presumption to deal with matters on which they ara utterly ignorant passes my comprehension. As individuals thoy are probably all that could be desired, but unless a man has some knowledge of the subject he undertakes to discuss he should not be asked to accept a seat on the association. It is argued that it is not absolutely necessary for a man to know anything of trotting to bo able to judge correctly on tha evideuc3 submitted, but can a man grasp the evidence adduced ou a matter he does not understan! ? Would any trotting dispute between private individuals be submitted to the arbitra.tion of men who knew nothing of it? Why P every sporting man, knows that in such a case a man with knowledge of the subject Tinder dispute would be selected. This being an "incontrovertible fact, why shonlcl not the same conditions apply to the members 'of an association who frequently have the disposal of men's charac^." ters in their bands-**o say nothing of money coasiderotions? lam not surprised that local clubs , growl at the composition !of the association, and I fancy their correct" cmise would have been to try and improvetfcat com position rather than secede. lam entirely iv touch with the Canterbury Club ,in the Bed of Stone ease, as on ' the rules the club is undoubtedly right ; but whether seceding from the association will benefit trotting I have very grave doubts. Tbe four locil clubs may succeed in persuading the Colonial Secretary that the formation of a Canterbury Association will improve trotting here, and should the idea ever bear fruit I hope the sport may benifit ; but before such a radical change can be effected there are many rocks to climb, and future difficulties will be innumerable. Canterbury is -strong enough iv trotters to run its own meetings, and it i* this strength which has prompted the local cluba to tnlk of secession. More money is given by them iv stakes than all the outside clubs put together, yet the delegates of tho latter can easily out- vote the representatives of the four. If a Canterbury Association is formed, it may mean that any horse trotting under its rules will n,ot be allowed to compete at meetings held under the lules of the present association; but this contingency has no terrors for the members of the local clubs, simply because it is held that Canterbury can cater for the wants of all its trotters. I can only hope that something will be done whereby an amicable settlement of the difficulty will be arrived at, and trust that all concerned will strive their utmost to that end.

The nominations received for the Christchurcii Racing Club's meeting are much better than was generally expected. There ought to be a good meeting nt New Brighton on December 16, the anniversary of tho province. ■ Bracelet, nominated for tho Christchurch Racing Club's meeting, has be<«i at her owner's place at Springfield i>ince the C.J.C. meeting. Mr Cassidy tells me 'the filly has come on wonderfully ~ siucc the race? at RiccartoE. ■ '.

Some ugly rumours- were eUrreirt laet week with reference to local contestants at the Wellington trotting niseting. It i 3 said that one animal was nominated in two names, the- one with the discarded name necessarily- being a non-starter. I'ho animal had never started before.- • Unfoitutrately one name was heavily* supported, hero, but tha unimal was accepted with in the other, -which local backers knew nothing about. Tho brute won, but the peculiar tactics 1 adopted did not enrich ths perpetrators thereof, as the dividend was email.

As was but logical, the South Island Trotting Association declined to pass the programme submitted by the Canterbury Trotting Club. ' Mr Mace tells me that th« wh^le of his horsflw ia training are doing well. By the way, I might mention that this gentleman had the misfortune to lose a valuable Newfoundland puppy, recently imported from Melbourne, through v tram car running over it. Mr V. Harris is naturally much incen&ed at tho handicapping of his horse Epaulet in the Weilrnfftou and Auckland Onp3. It is quite* possible that he will ask th« Wellington Club for. an explaaatioo. Should ho do so it will he interesting to know on what grounds tile handicupper handicapped Uniform and Epaulet. Ia the St. Andrew's Handicap, run over, one mile and a-quiirter on the Forbury, Uniform carried 9.12 and defeated Epuulet 8.4, covering the distance in 2m in llsec. Ia the Wellington Cup, one mite and a-half, Uniform is handicapped at 9.3, ICpaulet 8.5, the latter thus having to meet Uniform on lOlti worse terms-for being beaten. So far as the distance id concerned. Uniform can undoubtedly stay as well as Epaulet. Surely this ia an unpardonable mistake? Epaulet was also badly treated in the Auckland Cup. It is evident that Mr Evett considers that Epaulet has been run stiff, for on uo other basis could ho make such a handicap. One hundred to eight" was accepted hero on Saturday that fit. Paul would win the Auckland and Uniform the Wellington Cup. Bookmaker's are not anxioui to do business evtn at that price. In speaking to Mi- V. Harris with reference lo the mo*ey paid by him to the secretary of the C.J.C. on behalf of Bisley.-it appears. that he was not altogether to blame in the matter. He admits! that his action, viewed through.the Bed of Stqne-" case, might be open, to grave criticism ; but lie tells tue that before- h.e paid- the moaey ,Mr Wauklyn assured him that the procedure was quits correct, and indemnified Mr Harris's position. The two last lines under the uupaid forfeit list in the official calendar read 3 :— ""Note.-- Names will not bo erased from the ab >ye list unless th» amount is paid direct to the secretary of the metropolitan club of the district." For the Ashbiuton meeting on Thursday I fancy tho following animals should run well :— Open Welter, Weary ; Racing Club Handicap, Belligerent ;Pony Ease, Botfly ; Spring Handicap, Cunuoashot ; Mying Handicap, tfUngefinaei' ; Kolmar Trot, Back Oats. I clip the following from the Lyttolton Times : " The monthly meeting of the South Island Trotting Association was held in the City Hotel last evening ; present— Mr P. Selig, president (Greyniouth), in the chair, and Mes«rs L. M/vers (Tihuna Park), J. Ohadwick (Nelson), A Walker (Tahuna Park). W. G Garrafd(Ahaurxv), I<\ Fucha (Southland), L Matson (proxy for Mr JM'Lean, , Ashburton) and J. F. Grierson (Greymouih). "Apologies for absence wore received from. Mesw-s C. S. Howell (Plumpton Park) and M'lntyie (Lancaster Park). "The I'imaru Trotting Club forwarded the evidence upon which it had disqualified O. M'Kionon and W. Bebbington for 12 months for having pulled their horses in order not to win the Farewell Handicap at the club's Spring meeting. The horses The Joker and Son had also been disqualified for aix months. It was decided to write back and ask for full particulars. "Permits for trotting events to be decided at the following places were passed :~Mount Somera and Spring-burn sports.JDeceniber 27 ; Otautau races; Waimea, December 18; Qufenstown, January lj Waikouaiti, December 16 January 1 ; St. Batbans, December 16 ; Tuapeka, January 1; Heddon Bush, December 29; Cromwell, January 12 and 13 ; Gore, December 27 and 28 ; Wyndbam, Jauuaiy 1. "An application from the Heathcote Sports Committee to hold five trotting events at/ s, gathering to be held on December 23 was refused, the delegates deeming it inadvisable to, sanction the holding of Buch meetings within the radius covered by affiliated clubs. " The application of the Canterbury Trotting Club to have the programme for its meeting, to be held on December 27 and January 1, passed came up for consideration. In connection with this matter a letter was read from Mr J. King 1 , who stated that as it had been rumoured that th« Colonial Secretary would not interfere with the association's ruling in the Bed of Stone dMBCtj

he bad applied to Mr Rafctray to know if the club intended to pay the dividend as instructed by the association. Ho was a ticket-holder on Bed of Stone, and was. leaving Christchurch. Mr Eattray had replied that the club would not p»y out.

" The Chairman said that in view of the circumstanceshe had felt that he would be stultifying himself and the association if he had passed the club's programme, and he had therefore held it over for that meeting, when the delegates could decide upon it. " Mr Myers asked if the club had paid its affiliation fee. " The secretary staled that it had not, nor had any of the local clubs raid the levies due by tllfem in the Schoolgirl caeo. " Mr Myers said that with regard to the Bed of Stone case the club was defying the association, but in any case its programme could not be passed ,-while its liabilities to the association were in default. "After some discussion, Mr AVaiker moved and Mr Matson seconded— 'That the Canterbury rTrotting Club be informed that unless it complies with Rules 4, 13, 14, 21, and 22 of this asfot-iation none of its programmes can be passed by the association.' • . " Rule 4 has reference to clubs being compelled to abide by the decisions of the association ; rnle3, 13 aud 14 refer to payment of affiliation fee», and 21 and 22 to forwarding to the association correct Sbalance sheets, which Mr Matson stated had not bscn done by the Canterbury club. "The motion was carried unanimously. " The secretary was instructed to apply to the clubs whieh>liad not paid their levies in the , Schoolgirl case requesting payment oi the same. "Mi Chadwick.moved ami Mr Gariard seconded : 'That tliis 'association ftgrets exceedingly that ; any affiliated club .should nave failed to conform to the ruling of the ass ciation, and that it had become necessary to pass the foregoing resolui ions as to the non-compliance with the rnles of the asadc«atiou formed to govern trotting throughout Hew Zealand. 1 "The motion was carried unanimously.

" The granting of licenses to the following was confirmed :— T. H. Coilett, A Duncan, W. Greig, J, M'Gregor, A. Hammond, W. Hiuten, jun., W. Jameson, G. L. Lane, James Moore. W. M-iber, C. Neville, T. N. Paton, J. Steven. F. Watson, J. Smith, J. M'Quilkiu, T. W. Price, jun., G. Ruwell. J. M'Elwce, D. M'Mahon, George Cave, and F. Stewart.

"A motion was carried unanimously expi easing the regret of the delegates at receiving the resignation of Mr M'Namara, delegate to the Titnaru 'AYotting Club."