UNIFORM HURDLES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3254, 26 July 1916, Page 49

UNIFORM HURDLES.

THE HEIGHT OF OBSTACLES. ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD. The desirability of having- hurdles of uniform height and construction was: vKjged on the New Zealand Racing Conference by Mr Y\ 7 . T. Hazlctt, representing Otago district clubs, who moved that " All hurdles shall be 3ft 9in in height, with a top rail of Baltic pine 9in by 2in, and. when set, the upper edge of the top rail shall bo not less than 3ft 4in or more than 3ffc 6in from the surface of tho ground in. which it is set." Mr Hazlett said that in many cases in tho past big frauds had been perpetrated and glaring swindles worked by reason of hurdles that were lower than they should be. There were cases whore caretakers had been squared, and after a race the hurdles were taken up almost before, the riders had weighed in. If the now rule he proposed were passed the stipendiary stewards would bo able to see that tho hurdles were of standard -height. The Hon. 0. Samuel (Tarnnaki) objected to tho making of a hard and fast rule of racing on the matter, while agreeing to the desirableness of some uniformity. A rule might cause endless complications. It was pointed out in the course of further discussion that racing clubs_ had already been circularised on the subject. The President (Sir George Clifford) said that in many parts of the country very flimsy hurdles wire erected, and they constituted a grave menace. He did not think it would bo advisable to insist, by way of a rule of racing, on a special hurdle, as there would be always tho danger of races being declared void and other complications. He suggested that all racing clubs should again be circularised, asking them to agree to the use of a form of hurdle to bo specified with a view to uniformity. While agreeing to the president's suggestion. Mr Hazlett said that at present, to his knowledge, great fraud's were going on in connection with the height of hurdles. The president and Messrs Hazlett, Nolan,' and Alison we're appointed to draw up a circular to bo sent to the various clubs.