THE TROTTING CLUBS' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 2419, 26 July 1900, Page 40

THE TROTTING CLUBS' CONFERENCE.

(Reported for the Otago ''Witness.) The annual conference of delegates of trotting clubs affiliated to the New Zealand Trotting Association was held in the Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, on the 17th. The deSegates pressnt were Mr P. Selig, president '(Greymouth T.C.), in the chair; Messrs W. Barnsay (Wellington T.C.), G-. Bennett (South T.C.), Hon 3. Twomey (T6m« k f iT.C), T. Duncan (Masterton T.C.), A. F. Mark iKAuckland T.C.), A. L. D. Fraser, M.H.R. lHawke's Bay T.C.), A. L. Myers .(Tahuna Wk T.C.), T. Marr (Canterbury T.C.), D. M'Lean (Ashburton T.C.), A. B. Cohen (Inangahua T.C.), G. H. M'BLafne (N.Z. Metropolitan T.C.), C. S. Howell (Plumpton Park T.C.), % H. Pollock (Nelson T.C.), R. L. Absolum ty6tahuh.il T.C.), and W. Rollitt (secretary). ,- The only affiliated clubs not represented were 2Tew Brighton and Westport. ■ The Chairman in his report commenced on thoprogress the,, sport of trotting had made during the past year, and expressed, satisfaction ,-that on the whole trotting had been raised to s k higher standard; If "ringing in" was to be 'stamped out, the clubs must exercise the 'greatest vigilance, and act promptly and tearQessly when the necessity arose. Life disqualification of- man and horse was the only xemedy. During the year there had cropped •up, more tfia-n once, instances of steT.ards -adjudicating on cases of prot«sts in races m which they were .monetarily interested. pernicious practice must be put down if the confidence of the public was to be maintained. •As showing that trotting had progressed by 2ear>9 and bounds, a table was given, showing that during the past season £36,168 had been 'given in stakes, and that £126,580 ' 10s had passed. through the totalisator at trotting meetings. In concluding, Mr Selig said: I feel it my duty to point cut that a very old supporter of trottin> has just retired from active service. 1 re*er to Mr Sydney James, who, as secretary of the Dunedin Jockey Club (a posoition <,hac ne has recently resigned), did an immense amount for the sport in former days. It was Sydney James who, on a memorable occasion, took a prominent part in an endeavour in Christchurch to set up a properly representa- , tive governing body for trotting, and it was -through no fault of his that the effort failed. It is pleasing to learn that, after 38 years service, the club tnat he has so faithfully served intend to mark their appreciation of his efforts. His successor, who, it is understood, will bs his son, Mr H. L. James, is a great supporter ol the trotting sport, which has benefited by his services as secretary of the Tahuna Park Trotting Club. ' / ■■,(.. The balance sheet, showing an actual proiit of £1 173 5d on. the year was adopted. The following proposed new rule, on the order paper, in the name of the Tahuna Park Trotting Chib, was withdrawn:— '"A meeting held for the purpose of carrying out a programme -by horses or ponies (not necessarily by a club), provided that if the total amount of added mo-icy or "stakes does not exceed £25, - it shall not be deemed a rt^ae _ meeting within the application of these rules,' 1 ■■ ' ' It was decided to alter Rule 7 in the rules of constitution as follows : —Insert after, the word "fact" in the fourth line: "such as mcorteci description in nomination, foul riding or. arriving, on which there shall be no appeal fioin Jhe stewards' decision." In the rules of trotting the following proposed alterations by the Auckland Trotting Club were carried : —Rule 55, insert after the ■word "horse," "in a trotting race." Rule 63, insert after the- word "distanced" in the last ' line, "fined." Rule 93, delete from the word "such" in the fifth line to the word "objection" in the seventh lina, and insert "such appeal, if against a decision given on the course, must be made in writing within ten minutes after the decision of the stewards has been publicly declared, and must be lodged with the secretary of the club hearing the case. In the case of an appeal against the decision of the stewards not delivered on the course, such appeal must be made in writing within 24 hours after the decision has been notified by being posted in a conspicuous place in the office of the club, or in the public press.The following new rules were also carried : — By the Plumpton Park Trotting Club: "'Any driver or rider 'speaking to any person or persons on the course after leaving the saddling paddock may be disqualified for the race in .-which he is engaged to drive or ride, or fined as the stewards may direcV' By the Ashburton /.Trotting Club: "That all trotting clubs shall have watrols around the trotting track to watch the running of the horses during a race." The following alteration was moved by the Nelson Trotting ' Club and agreed to: — That Eule 141 be altered, and that the words "must be paid directly into the office of the club" be struck out, and the following words substituted : "Must be paid to the secretary of' the New Zealand Trotting Association, who is ern■powered. to remove the remitter's name -from the Defaulters' List as soon as the money is ta^ery«d by him. The money so received shall be forwarded by the secretary of the association <to ~the club to whom the entrance stakes or'fees is due.' The Chairiiia-i ruled that correspondence of unafnliatecl clubs relating to application for permits could ba dealt with by the conference. The chaira>BTi and secretary were authorised to get the additions and amendments to the rales pruned. Mr iM'Haffie suggested that a formal balance sheet should be drawn up by the association for the use of affiliated clubs, also that the association should appoint its own auditors; and that disqualifications should count from, the date of an appeal being dismissed. He instanced a case in which a well-known Canterbury trainer with a large team of horses had stood disqualified until his appeal was upheld. He was of opinion the association should have power to issue permits to trainers in such cases to continue the engagements in which their horses were entered. The Chairman thought the proposal of a balance sheet to be supplied by the governing body a good orie. With reference to tile recommendations of clubs for licenses he thought, clubs were not particular enough as to the rerBons they recommended. He suggested that if it were possible applicants should ai pear In person. Mr Duncan (Masterton) referred v.ith. pleasure to the remarks made by the president in his opening address re betting stewards, and moved the following resolution, which was carried unanimously — "That this conierence expresses its gratification at the position taken ,«p by the New Zealand Trotting Association /with respect to the action of stewards who have Hbets on a race adjudicating thereon in connection with protests, and hopes the association v iwill pursue the same course in every case." •Mr" Howell seconded 'the motun, ninon was carried unanimously. Mr Duncan referred to the ai: .-ses-aiiiring out tof the present system oi licensing jx'isons end printing lists which were distributed among affiliated clubs. ' At present clubs outside of Christchurch had to take a rider's or driver's word' that he was a licensed person. -He thought the old system of issuing a ticket license to each person worked better, and to test the feeling of the conference moved the fol-

lowing resolution — "That the New Zealand Trotting Association be asked to issue licenses in similar form to that of the racing clubs, an 3 that the holder of such license shall endorse ths same the first time he rides or drives." The motion was carried' unanimously. The Hon. Mr Carroll addressed the conference, and said that the efforts they had made to regulate the conduct of the sport met with the commendation of all right-thinking" people throughout the colony. He himself had been, very pleased indeed with the work performed by the affiliated bodies in that direction. It had been a source of delight to him to note the improvement in trotting throvighout the colony, and the avidity shown in tracing or sheeting home misdemeanours or wrongdoing peipetrated on the various trotting courses. This marked an advance on the part of the authorities towards the desired goal. Mr Carroll dealt fully with the question of permits. He said so far as the Canterbury and the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Clubs were concerned, he had endeavoured to induce them to amalgamate, but with no success. Pressure had been put on Canterbury, and he was prepared to go still further, and inflict a further penalty. He intimated that in future Mr Ward would have charge of the permit department," and they would find him liberal, film, and just. The Temuka and Inangahua Clubs which had been on probation tor some time, were each i ecom'ra ended for a. totalisator permit. ( Mr Bennett moved that three permits ac gianted to the Auckland Trotting Club. The motion was seconded by Mr Duncan, and carried unanimously.' Mr M'Haffie moved that the v, hole of the unaffiliated clubs be placed on probation for 12 months, and can, at the end of that time, apply for a permit in the usual manner. Mr Howell seconded the motion. Mr FraseV vas in favour of the deputations from Blenheim and Auckland being heard by the conference. After discushion the motion was carried unanimously. < In leply to 1 Mr Fraser's remarks, the Chairman stated that he was of opinion the deputations of affiliated clubs should be received after the permits had been allotted. This was seconded by Mr Bennett and carried unanimously. Mr Bennett moved that the following clubs be granted the same number of permits as last year: — Ashburton (two), Greymouth (two;, Masterton (one), Nelson (one), Tahuna Psrk (thiee), Otanuhu (two), Wellington (two), South. Wairarapa (one;, and Westport- (one). The motion was seconded by Mr M'Haffie and carried. Mr Fraser's motion that the Hawke's Bay Club be granted two permits was negatived, and an amendment that Hawke's Bay be granted one permit was carried. ! Mr Marr moved that the Canterbury Trotting Club be granted three permits. Mr Benl.ctt seconded the motion pro forma. The motion was negatived. An amendment, moved by Mr Mark, and seconded by Mr Duncan: — " That^it bo a recommei'dation to the hon. Colonial 'Secretary that he should grant one permit to the Canterbury Trotting Club for their August meeting on the following conditions— i.e., that'' the meeting be, held on the 'New Zealand Metropolitan Club's course, and that the members of the said Canterbury Trotting Club agree to amalgamate with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club as soon as possible after winding up its affairs after the meeting," was put to the meeting and carried. The Inangahua Trotting Club, which had been on probation for the past two years, was unanimovisly granted a permit. \ In the absence of the New Brighton Club's de'egate Mr M'Haffie siDoke in favour of the club getting its usual permit. He, however, considered the accommodation provided for the public was inadequate. The motion was lost. An amendment by the Hon. J. Twomey: — " That the Colonial Secretary be recommended to grant one permit- to the New Brighton Trotting Club, conditionally that they provide proper accommodation for the public," was carried. The Hon. J. Twomey moved that the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club be granted three permits. Mr Duncan seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. The Plumpton Park Club was granted two permits, the same number as last year. It was moved by Mr Kamsay — " That the Wellington Trotting Club be granted three permits." This was seconded by Mr Marr. Mr Pollock (the Nelson delegate) made a speech strongly in favour of the motion, which was carried unanimously. The Southland Trotting Club was also recommended for a permit, should there be one available. » ' The Chairman spoke of the good work the ' Colonial Secretary had done for the sport of trotting. He had much pleasure in moving the following resolution: — " That as this is the first meeting of the conference since the Hon. Jas. Carroll relinquished the control of the department that issues ..he totalisator permits a hearty vote of thanks be recorded on the minutes for his valuable assistance to the sport." Mr Howell seconded the motion, whicn was carried unanimously. ' Mr Mark moved that Mr Rollitt be rea-p-pointed secretary of the conference at a salary of £50 per annum. The motion was seconded by Mr Bennett, and carried unanimously Mr Myers moved that Mr Selig be reappointed chairman. The motion was -seconded by MiMark, and carried unanimously. ' It was decided that the next conference be held in Wellington. This concluded the business of the conference. ~. The permits recommended were as follows : — At ckland Trotting Club 3, Ashburton 2, G-rey-ir.outh 2, Masterton 1, Nelson 1, Tahuna Park 3, Otahuhu 2, Wellington 3, South Wairarapa 1, Westport 1, Hawke's Bay 1, Canterbury Trotting Chib 1 (for their August meeting, provided that it is held on the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's ground, and on their agreeing to amalgamate with the Metropolitan Club as soon thereafter as possible), New Zealand Metropolitan Club 3, New Brighton 1 (conditional on better stand accommodation being provided), Plumpton Park 2, Temuka 1, Southland 1.