N.Z. RACING CONFERENCE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 138, 17 July 1914, Page 5

N.Z. RACING CONFERENCE.

OWNERS AND BOOKMAKERS. Press. Association. WELLINGTON, July 16. When the remits were being considered at the Racing Conference to-day, Sir George Clifford moved that the following new, rule should be added to Part XVI.: "And by the entering of a horse every person having or subsequently acqijiring an interest in such horse shallow deemed thereby to undertake, neitKer directly nor indirectly, to make any wager with a bookmaker in connection with such horse or any other horse in the race" in'which .such hoase' is entered." Sir George Clifford said that this was : by far the most impor r tant resolution that had been submitted. Xi was most desirable that they 1 should do everything to show that they complied with the law in spirit and in act, and if they among themselves tolerated batting with bookmakers and "permitted those subject to the control of the conference to do it, there might be very fair roomifor, complaint that the conference was not acting as it should .do in the direction of assisting the Government to suppress the evils which the Government thought it was most desirable they should legislate against; They all knew it was a most serious obstacle to the purity of the turf when jockeys and trainers and other people connected with the. turf were liable to be influenced by market considerations;and "by those outside the scope of ordinary turf operation who had no legitimate interest in what was going on. He knew that the objection would probably be raised that they could not control the general public, and that therefore there was no reason why they should control owners who were providing the sport for the public. The, general public were controlled and limited in operation by Act of Parliament, which made certain restrictions. The conference should go further and show that it was determined, as far as possible, to obey the spirit of the Act. It would be of advantage to owners themselves. Owners should set an example to refrain from speculations outside the totalisator, which gave the best and certainly the most circumscribed means of investment,-and the public knew that owners had no ulterior motives and no reason other than running straight on the day of the race.

Mr E. W. Alison opposed the motion. He said he did not think they could prevent betting with bookmakers. The conference would find that owners would bet and set the rule at defiance; therefore it would become worthless. The president had said that the question would be raised as to whether they could control the general public. Then why control the horse-owner? He was only part of the general public. If the Act would not prevent betting with bookmakers, then a rule of racing would not do it, and they did not want. to encourage owners to be >. deceptive. It would be a very great mistake for the conference to pass the rule, as it would be set at defiance, and would create a state of affairs that would not be desirable. * Sir George M'Lean, Messrs Vavasour, Samuel, and Hugo Friedlander supported the motion. Mr Buckley said he thought the motion was going too far, and would only lead to trickery and deception.. In reply, Sir George Clifford said that if the conference did not carry the motion the delegates would be guilty of the greatest hypocrisy, and a great deal of their expressed desire for purifying the turf would be more or less a veneer and a sham. It was absolutely necessary that they should do something to convince the public that they, the guardians of racing and representatives of the clubs, were unanimous in their desire to put down abuses. Of all the abuses he knew, betting by owners, trainers, and jockeys was the greatest and most dangerous. They had been warned»by the Government not to allow it, and they looked to the conference for assistance. It was said that the conference could not catch the owners. He hoped there would be no necessity, for if they passed the resolution they would be imposing a moral obligation on owners and among honourable men that would be far more, serious than being caught like schoolboys. That moral obligation would restrain them, and would have an effect on the public generally. The public would follow the example of the owners, and it would be a help to get rid of the parasites which were in their 1 midst. He hoped that the motion, would be carried, and that prominent clubs would not vote in a way that would be so deleterious to the interests of racing. The motion was carried by 29 to 4. TRAINEES AND JOCKEYS NOT TO BET. Later on the conference decided that it should be an instruction to licensing bodies to require from all licensed trainers and jockeys an . undertaking neither directly nor indirectly to make any wager with a bookmaker while so licensed. QUESTION OF APPEALS. The Eacing Conference resumed this morning, the president, Sir George Clifford being' in the chair. Part XXI. of rule.B, dealing with.appeals, was recast, and, as adopted by the conference, gives any'aggrieved person a wider scope for appeal. On the motion of Mr H. Friedlander, a committee was set up to enquire into the whole question of the shortage of

competent jockeys, and report to the president within six months. - vOn the motion of Sir Geo. McLean, seconded by the Hon. O. Samuel, Sir Geo. Clifford was re-elected president amid applause. In responding, the president said he would have been very glad to be relieved of office, but felt that this year was to be a year of change, and it would be inadvisable to take aboard a new pilot.