THE RACING CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 61, 17 July 1913, Page 4

THE RACING CONFERENCE.

The Xew Zealand Racing Conference opened in Wellington this morning,! and to such a sport-loving community j its proceedings are of general interest. It is now seventeen years since Sir George Clifford was first chosen as President, and in his report to-day J lie expresses the feeling that other' hands should take a turn at the helm I and "put fresh energy into the promotion of our important interests."! The Conference, however, is quite un-i likely to lose Sir George's services if he will permit himself to again take office, for his great ability and thoroughly sportsmanlike conduct have done much for the credit of racing, an admittedly very difficult sport to properly control. In his address the President remarked that during the past season the sport of racing has shown a vitality and a grip of popular support, unimpaired by the prejudiced and ill-informed legislation which has curtailed its scope and hampered its management. In spite of fetters, the public has shown its appreciation of the improved programmes and added safeguards, which have rendered the year noteworthy in our turf annals. The institution of the Stipendiary Committee of the Conference has verified its anticipations of its advocates by checking tendency to malpractice. The legions who find pleasure in following the fluctuating fortunes of horses and horse-owners have an intuitive perception of the 'enhanced cleanliness of their favourite pastime, but few realise:how. far this'country is ahead, of its compeers in defence, .against malfeasance To record 'some of the | differences, Sir George points out that foremost is the j elimination of the bookmaker from ac-, tive participation. He is now relegated to illegal by-paths, and no longer j obtrudes his temptations openly on the ! courses, and says the President, "it rests with us still further to curtail his baleful influence upon our owners, trainers, .and the , sportsmen of the rising generation." This at anyrate will find general endorsement. The| President continues:—-"Next I would

place our freedom from the pernicious system of proprietary ownership of courses. The absence of personal motives of winking at abuses for private gain, and the consequent devotion of all profit to the sport apart from private aggrandisement, are features of New Zealand racing unmatched elsewhere. If Clubs occasionally are accused of rapacity, no one dreams that the mistaken policy is other than well intcntioned for the extinction of debt, or the improvement of appointments. There ie nothing sordid in the: management of our Clubs, to which picked men of ability devote valuable time gratuitously for the sole purpose of providing the best sport obtainable. Where else is this universal?"'