RACING CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1933, Page 3

RACING CONFERENCE

MR. J. S. McLEOD PRESIDENT

ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE.

DECISIONS UPON REMITS.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.

The New Zealand Racing Conference was opened to-day. In the absence of Mr. A. S. Watkins owing to illness Mr. Oliver Nicolson read the presidential report. The reports of the stewards and racecourse detectives were received. An application by R. A. Powell (Dargaville) for the remission of the balance of a term of three years’ disqualification in connection with Bronze Tray was refused. A similar application by the jockey Watson, who was disqualified for life in connection with the Royal Survey case, was also declined. An amendment was carried to the dates committee’s report that the committee reconsider the granting of October 14 and 16 to the Avondale Jockey Club in view of an objection by the Waikato Trotting Club. The Wairarapa Racing Club protested against Hawke’s Bay being again granted March 31, but the amendment was defeated. The conference unanimously elected Mr. J. S. McLeod (Hawke’s Bay) president of the conference. The meeting expressed regret that the late president, Mr. O. S. Watkins, by reason of illhealth felt constrained to decline nomination, and placed on record its sense of obligation that racing in New Zealand owed him for his many years’ devoted service.

Mr. Nicholson was elected vice-presi-dent and the following were elected to the executive committee: Messrs. L. V. Nelson (Auckland), A. C. Hanlon (Dunedin), D. E. Wanklyn (Canterbury), G. W. Beatson (Hawke’s Bay), T. E. Cocks (Greymouth), W. T. Hazlett (Southland), J. McLeod (Taranaki), J. H. Perrett (Wanganui) and E. L. Riddiford (Wellington). Mr. D. G. A. Cooper was elected a trustee vice Mr. I. G. Duncan, who had resigned. ■ In consideration of the circumstances of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club a remission of half the levies, amounting to £65, was granted. The total of unpaid levies from clubs to date was £BO6 12s Id. ' ; A special resolution by the executive committee that the dates and licensing committee conference should be abolished and that the powers, duties and functions of those committees under the rules of racing be transferred to and exercised and performed by the executive committee was carried.

The Auckland Racing Club’s proposal to delete the Bst. minimum between June 7 and August 15 was carried. The Auckland Racing Club’s remit that disqualification by a club shall not take effect until approved by the district committee. except insofar as the meeting at which the disqualification is imposed, was lost.

The accident fee remains at £l, an attempt by Southland to feduce it to IQs being defeated. The annual totalisator levy was fixed at 10-33 per cent An addition to the rules covering registration was approved as follows: On the death of any registered horse the owner at the time of its death shall within one month thereafter notify the secretary of the conference in writing to that effect.

The rule governing offences in connection with registration was enlarged to deal with a person causing false or misleading information to be given or knowingly becoming a party to the giving of such information. The restrictions on the employment of certain persons by trainers were added to with a view to including any person who had at any time been disqualified in New Zealand or any other country. A Canterbury motion that in the ease of a two-day meeting any day of . which fell in the period from September 1 to May 31 inclusive a hack handicap flat race of a not less distance than a mile and a-quarter be included in the programme for the meeting was . carried, subject to an. amendment that the distance be a mile.