COLONIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6140, 29 March 1898, Page 2

COLONIES.

■ « THE HON J. CAEEOLL'S VIEWS. PURIFICATION OF THE SPORT. [Pee Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 29. The H<m J. Carroll was entertaioed at dinner by the Auckland Trotting Club last night. Replying to the toast of Mb health Mr Carroll said he spoke as tj> the permanent position that racing occupied in the colonies. To make it the true "sport of kings," it would be necessary for the clubs to put down the spieling classes and discourage the support of those who interested themselves in racing merely for personal gain. When they enlisted the sympathy and assistance of men imbued with the feelings of true sport, racing would be placed in the position that it should occupy. The racing clubs should endeavour to purify racing, bo that they could guarantee to the public that no immorality existed in connection with their meetings. Thiß could only be done by making a careful selection of stewards, and only electing those who possessed the true instincts of sportsmen, and who would endeavour to keep racing pure. Trotting was on the wane in New Zealand. They had in many instances to trust to the inclusion of pony races to maintain the popularity of the meetings of trotting clubs. In many cases the stewards of a club did not care how the meetings ' were run, and that work was ÜBually left to the secretary and one 'or two stewards who were true sportsmen. In many instances the rest of the stewards were away from their posts, endeavouring to find out the likely winner, trying to obtain a reliable tip, Or, to Use a vulgarism, endeavouring to "snavel ■' some little profit out of the raoing. This occurred in .almost every part of the colonies. He was not speaking from hearsay. These matters had cpme under his own personal observation. _ It was the duty of the racing organisations in New Zealand to prevent a continuance of the state of things he had pictured, and endeavour to raise racing to the high position that it should occupy in the woild of sport.