CONTROL OF RACING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19372, 9 July 1937, Page 10

CONTROL OF RACING

STRICTER DISCIPLINE DIVIDEND PUBLICATION 'PROTECT TURE MORALITY' (Sj)pciiil hi (he ITcruM.) WELLINGTON, this day. "The control of race meetings by judicial committees could be strengthened if clubs appointed three of their stewards to act as a judicial committee, and patrol stewards to assist the stipendiary steward in watching the running of races, from different points round the track, and also to work in with the judicial committee and the stipendiary stewards on race days. The attitude of the stewards of the day should be to encourage the stipendiary stewards to jealously protect the morality of the turf, by holding inquiries whenever they have reasonable grounds for suspicion of wrong-doing.*' These sentiments were expressed by the president of the Racing Conference. Mr. J. S. McLeod, in his report to the conference at its opening session to-day.

"The stipendiary stewards have been instructed to bring before the judicial committee to be fined any starter who fails to carry out the rules governing the positions of horses: at the starting post. Too much latitude is given to horses which unduly delay the start of a race. and. if starters arc not prepared to be firm and decisive in their duties, the stewards must act," continued the president. "A suggestion that lines be reinstated as an alternative to suspension or disqualification of a jockey found guilty of careless riding, crossing or interference, did not meet with the approval of the executive committee, which considered that the present rule should remain unaltered. Those clubs which stili retain their judge's box placed on the outside of the race trade should alter the position of the judge so that lie is placed in an elevated position back from the outside rail ot the track.

Wcißlit-for-nf, r e Races ''Last year f suggested that every club with tour or more days' racing in the year had a duty to perform in I providing wcight-for-age races in their programmes. I regret exceedingly the abandonment of any classic race by any club. The value of weight-for-agc contests in encouraging the breeding of high-class horses must not be overlooked. The idea thai these races do not pay clubs is a wholly mistaken one. They are an insurance against deterioration in the horses bred in this country. The time has arrived when this conference must insist upon all clubs providing at least one 1 weight-for-agc race, or a race at fixed weights, on each day's racing hold on any day from September 1 to May :il in any one year. I make this suggestion because of the importance of having high-class horses as an ■ attraction to racegoers, and an cn- ! couragement to breeders. Dividends and the Tote ''The conference hopes that our j present Government will give an opportunity to Parliament to lift the restrictions on the publication of dividends, the use of the double totalisator, and the transmission of inves'tments on the totalisator, and that the Government will enact legislation which will permit off the • course belting to be diverted to the totalisator, thereby considerably increasing the revenue of the Treasury, besides enabling clubs to give adequate stakes, and at the same time counter disrespect of the law by the illegal layer of totalisator odds and his patrons. "The conference further trusts that the present charges by the Railway Department for the carriage of racehorses, to and from race meetings, will be reduced to the former basis of the return journey free, and that the existing crippling Government taxation on racing will be reduced to a more reasonable percentage. "The action of the present Government in continuing the one-fifth refund of the totalisator duty of 5 per cent has been a wonderful help to clubs, and for this concession we are indeed grateful. We have requested the Government to make this particular refund permanent, as it is vital to clubs in relieving their financial raroblems.