Turf Topics.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11664, 25 January 1901, Page 3

Turf Topics.

The Ha, wlce's Bay Herald publishes the following arti'jle, which speaks for itself: — The tendency nowadays in this Democratic colony is to break down monopolies in. every direction, and to enable a larger proportion of the community td share in the benefits arising from industry aad enterprise, where only a few enjoyed the,m before. There is a monopoly in the racing past:me, and it consists of a rule by which every club in the colony is obliged to advertise its programmes in the N.Z. Referee, at Christchurch. This is probably the mo9t arbitrary piece of racing legislation that has ever been imposed upon any people. It has been tolerated for some years, bnt if the North Island clubs work together there is no reason why it should be endured very much longer. Taking the Hawke's Bay district for example, we find that small clubs like Porangahau, Rissington, Wairoa, and others have to publish their programes at Christchurch, in the official calendar, regardless of any benefit they may derive thereform. It 'caunot be presumed for a moment that such clubs get any advantage. by having to compulsorily spend money in this way, for in every instance the success of their meetings depends on the publicity given to them by the local papers. Hence, why the monopoly is ma : ntained it is hard to explain. What applies to Hawke's Bay applies with equal force to Auckland, Taranaki, Poverty Bay, Wanganui, Rangitikei, Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Wellington districts. The Taranaki Jockey Club has, we notice, taken this question in hand. At its last meeting the large cost of advertising the programmes and other notices made compulsory by the Racing Conference was commented upon, it being held that the outlay was quit« out of proportion to any benefits that had accrued. A suggestion was made, and favourably received, that an effort should be made at the next meeting, of the Conference to take away the monopoly now enjoyed by the Referee, or at any rate to permit Northern clubs to advertise in papers that have a far larger circulation in this island. That an official racing calendar is needed for this colony is generally admitted, bnt a publication on the lines of those issued in the sister colonies would probably be qnite as satisfactory and much less costly to individual clubs. There, no monopoly is given to any newspaper, nor is a hardship imposed upon small clubs by an arbitrary regulation. In taking the initiative in this matter the Taranala Jockey Club is serving a good purpose, and it will , have the sympathy and support of many, of the smaller racing clubs which at the present time are suffering by the maintenance of the monopoly. .That all the racing clubs of the North Island should have to heavily subsidise a paper published in the South Island is a great injustice, especially seeing that in the majority of instances the clubs depend for publicity of their meetings on the local journals, and thus an unnecessary outlay is involved in the subsidy. It is time that the North Island clubs made, their voices heard on this, question. Gipsy Queen has been scratched for the ■ Taranaki Cup.