RACING CONFERENCE

Otago Witness, Issue 3514, 19 July 1921, Page 41

RACING CONFERENCE

r R MSI DENT ’ S R EPO RT. WEIJ.IXGTOX. July 14. The Racing Conference opened to-day. In the course of the presidential report for the 1920-21 season, Sir George Clifford Enid that the racing season now ending has been conspicuously marked by two incidents —the appointment of a commission to inquire into the allocation of totalisator permits, and the passing of an Act of Parliament to suppress the evils attendant on the operations of bookmakers. Whatever comparisons might bo drawn between the standard of racing m this dominion and elsewhere, ottr superiority in two outstanding conditions was indisputable. First of all, no racing club could be licensed here if it had even a remote taint of proprietary inteiest in its constitution. Secondly, speculation was legally restricted to a method of incontrovertible fairness, which also tended to check individual excesses. By these means all the profits made by racing clubs were held in trust solely for advancement of the sport, encouragement of owners and breeders, and well organised provision for the public. The contributions of our supporters had been thus diverted to their natural uses from the pockets of superfluous shareholders. Every penny so earned after payment of our heavy burden of taxation was now- spent in perfecting our appliances or raising the value of our stakes. That was the material result of the ex ceptional merit of our system. Beyond this the zealous attention of the executive of every racing club is devoted to its welfare, regardless of personal criticism or gam, and a sportsmanlike spirit is festered in the community, which is the best antidote to any prejudiced hostility. The legal banning of the professional layer of odds was a long stride in this direction. The totalisator fulfils all the requirements of the keenest sportsman, engineers no plots, seduces no jockey or stableman, while it silently represented to investors the true odds created by their aggregate wisdom or unwisdom. The bookmaker, on the other hand, retained .a higher average commission with prices cramped by a limit which the machine cannot impose. On these often-expressed grounds we have welcomed the adoption by Parliament of the policy consistently advocated by the conference. We have patiently striven to build up a national sport, of which every sane citizen may be justifiably proud, exempt from the pernicious excrescences of older countries. Our gratitude to the Government is somewhat clouded by the ungenerous exactions levied upon ns in petty charges. Our taxation during the season is unduly onerous, as may be realised from the subjoined figures:— Totalisator tax £193,817 12 7 . Dividend tax 178,524 4 7 ; Tax on stakes 4,911 11 11 Tax on receipts, etc. ... 5,056 9 11 j Amusement tax 9,114 1 4 Land tax 2,297 15 6 Income tax 5,654 3 4 Fractions 88 9 0 Total £404.464 8 2 Local rates paid , £4,713 14 0 “We loyally accept these obligations,” continued Sir George, “as part of. the ungrudged price of a victory which saved the British Empire. We do, however, feel that obstacles should not be placed in the way of those who help in earning our share of that price. The exorbitant rates charged by the railway for carriage of the essential horses are a serious deterrent, while even the rebate of return fares allowed on some other live stock is denied to us. Even more unjust is the confiscation of the totalisator fractions, which arc the property of the investors, and if not utilised otherwise by their consent should be returned in some shape to them, while the absorption of dividends unpaid within seven days must cause widespread resentmej't. In instances where totalisator investments are withheld pending objections and appeals, such a chum is not. only monstrous ...but ridiculous. The maintenance of the present practice would undoubtedly be preferred, but if not, there is no reasonable pretext for refraining from paying out dividends to the nearest sixpence above or below the accurate dividend.” After dealing with several matters connected with the conduct of the sport, the President said :—“We have evidences in all directions of the growing popularity of racing, and it is, as it always has been, the function of the Conference to render it worthy of the support bestowed upon it. One step towards this end must he the enforcement of regulations for the exclusion of that army of und--sirabies who flock wherever crowd.- assemble. They are not there to participate in the provided attraction, but as beasts of prey to defile the fair gathering You will probably agree that with duo precautions there should be more reciprocity between clubs in regard to persons warned off their courses. At present men debarred from attending races in one district have undisturbed access outside that area. These evils can be best grappled with by special detectives conversant with the wandering class they would he called upon to deal with. Our ( irrcspondence with the Minister of Justice ot! this important point will indicate how far we can proceed at present, and give hope for still more perfect methods of coping wit li these external evils. The stakes now offered afford some set off to successful owners for the heavier charges, which embarrass them at every tern, but ail cannot lie winners, and it therefore behoves clubs to reduce nomination and acceptance fees to the lowest prudent limit. The erection of enlarged grandstands and totalisator houses and of stabhug and aecornmodat ion for horses and tin-ir attendants is now simplified by tile v. ithdr.iv.al of edicts prohibiting such operations, and their resumption cannot, be better titled than after the successful meetings most clubs have recently experienc'd. ' lie deplored the absence of umbel.tire requirements on some courses, and applauded the assistance given by the Accident Fund to injured jockeys and trainers, and concluded by pointing out that • tlv future of eeing in the dominion is looking undeniably bright. \4 c arc shaking oil most of the shackles impeding our i -a dorn from abuses not inherent in our < 'institution. In their absence prejudices, i.the-rwi.- gi i .undies.-. must vanish, arid we can. unhampered, offer to our patrons c-t-an and healthy recreation. Admiration of the horse, the enthusiasm of the contest, ... 1 .. and the good fellow - ship pervading the v.icc'nnrse ate the best, known tonics for the jaded toiler of the Workshop, the office, or the farm. A grow-

ing appreciation of this prescription is the best safeguard for the prosperity of one of the most beneficial pastimes of the people. Xot only is it a refreshment to the spectator, but its ever-varying incidents afford relaxation to the leisure hours of many a distant student of its problems. May u be ever so, bringing its benefits to every citizen who learns .n enjoy its relief. The Stipendiary Stewards’ report stated that racing generally had been on the up grade in the past season. 1 i had unproved, especially in, tee - e.,-e oi iwo-year-olds. The other weigiit-ior-age class had been limited, but many handicap horses represented high class and performed most consistently. The class of jumping- horses had not had many promising recruits added to its during the season, an many of ihe minor and maiden events file fields mid frequently keen much too .Urge, necessitating at times the running oi Sudi races in two divisions. That course, however, was only possible where the programme was limited to seven events. Borne provision should be made by the conference or the racing clubs to deal with the situation. Mr F. Earl, K.<J. (Auckland), stated that at the present time fields -were getting unwieldy to the point of danger, and the only possible remedy was to secure an alteration to the Act. The Hon. O. Samuel said there was no chance whatever of increasing the number of days. He thought ill was desirable that the present restriction of -the number of races in one day should be modified, to avoid accidents, and he moved in that direction. Sir George Clifford said that there would ba no harm in representing their case, and Mr -Samuel’s motion was earned. A Dunedin proposal to reinstate the right to use assumed names was defeated. It was resolved that no race should be run over a distance of less than five furlongs, and also that programmes should noil include more than one race per day of a less distance than six furlongs for horses three years old and upwards. A Dunedin remit to have a fixed hour for the closing of all entries was considered, and, with the proposed hour altered from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the motion was lost!. A motion to alter the minimum weight from 6.7 to 7.0 was again before the conference, and was heavily defeated. It was resolved that if a handicapper cannot be present aft race- meetings, the stewards shall appoint a deputy. An Auckland remit was carried that the minimum weight for steeplechasers be 9.0. : It was resolved that any person betting for or witih a jockey may be lined, smspended, or disqualified. It was decided that if any ticket be purchased on a horse which does not weigh I out the stewards may order the amount } paid on the purchase of the ticket to be rej funded on the production and delivery of j the ticket, but no refund shall be made i when the horse on which the ticket was • purchased was weighed out. It was resolved that racecourse detec- ! tires be appointed by a conference of the t committee thereof. It was further resolved | that the committee shall determine the re- : numeration to be paid to the detectives for their services. The amount required for -tliis purpose shall be pi'ovided by the metropolitan and totalisator clubs by the payment of a levy not exceeding £2500 in all for the 1921-22 racing year, to be levied on clubs on the gross totalisator investments during the preceding year. It was moved that all licenses be granted by the Licensing Committee of the conference and issued by the secretary of the conference. Sir George Clifford spoke of it as an essential reform, which would be a big help in getting at the undesirables. The proposal was adopted, the committee to consist of the president and one representative from eacli district committee, and to come into operation a year hence. Sir George Clifford was re-elected president.