LATE SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11949, 7 March 1917, Page 6

LATE SPORTING.

NELSON JOCKEY CLUB,

[Vu.w Piiess Association]. RICHMOND. March 7

Tho Nelson Jocksy Club's annual mooting was hold to-day 111 t\ weather. The going was gnod and there was a largo attendance. Results:- - TRIAL STAKES. May morn Imaribbon • • • ■ ~ Black Knight . • • • f Gallivant, Arihin. Piuono. Certify, Colonv-Sergeant and Knight Juan vsc-ie scratched. Time Imiii .16 3-:>*>er. MAITAI TIIOT, of SO sovs: t\vo miles. Dillon, 2lsw • • Nad a K.. 'J3see . ■ • • Bobby B. , 10,w . ■ • r 3 Chaporono was scratched. Time on)in 7 2-oscc. KELSON GUI', of 300_sovs. About, otic mile and a furlong. [Toollap. Bst 91b • - * ' Tango, Bst Ulb • • • ** Rose Pink, 7st 61b . • • Prince Delaware, Block Ada and Want also started. Time lmi" 5b sec. HOPE HACK WELTER HANDICAP, of 100 .sm\-- Seven furlongs. Pcrriei, B*t 81b . . • - ' Kukri, Ost 31b • ?. Amifcvs Bst 13lb . . . • Elation, "\Yliisporer and 1' loreiK'O, were scratched.- Won bv two and a : half lengths. Time—lmin 2'J 2-osoc. |

NEW ZEALAND TBOTTIKG ASSOOmiiuN.

A niee-ting of the Xow Zenlnncl 1 lu '" j tint; Association wjks held thi* niter- ; noon: prescnt-Mc*™ P. Selig (proM< - j ent). H. W. Kitchinghum. ±i. V . ; W.'H. Denton, K. W. Short, 1- I- j liitehie and W. J. Hopkins. I Mr Short referred to the waste .«» ; time each meeting in hearing the »»n- ; utes read. He moved that' a B . v l )( 0 j copy of tho minutes s-honld he. fonvanl- : ed to eaeh member of iiie hoard, ijie adoption, of this course tvouid effect of keeping absent members l-uuy posted regarding the business. . \ Mr Hitch ie "seconded the motion, j which was carried. I F. Holmes, juu., v.rotn .regarding the ; action of tho stewards oJ the Vorbuiy ! Park Trot-ting Club in censuring him | for oareiess rkstng. He complained. that j lie was .not called before the stew-ai'its to answer any charge, hut only as ;> witness in a. charge- against- another

rider. It was decided io send a copy or the letter to the club.

The Xew South Wales Trotting Association wrote staling that it had l endorsed the disqualification of A. Marker and the mare Lewi Patch, A letter was read from the Now Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club stilling that the decision of the stewards in. the K-miliu.s cfl.se war. arrived at on the evidence, and that they were not influenced by the statement of Mr T. H. Davey. the chief stipendiary steward, that the question of intention did not concern them. The chairman said the case was in many respects like that in which tin* same stewards fined the driver of Electrocute. £2O for careless driving. In the Emilius case, however, the evidence of the .stipondiarits and the patrol steward showed that Caprioe.io'.s chance of winning the race -was affected by the interference.

Mr Nicoil said he sympathised with M'Donnell, the owner of Emilins. who bore a good reputation ;is a driver.. Eon! driving was a very serious blot on the snort, however, and the association .should hesitate before it declined to support a club iu attempting to put the practice down.

Several members expressed the opinion Mint. the. penalty imposed was altogether too severe, especially in view of the fact that it seemed to be admitted that tlie interference was not deliberate. Mr Short- considered that the penalty was too severe. He moved that, ns on the evidence before the association the cross was not deliberate, and did. not affect tho result of the race. M'Don--110-1! should be fined CoO and ibe cluh instructed *o nay the stakes to Emilius. Mr T. T. Bitehie seconded the motion.

After further discussion, ilie motion was carried.

to send out. contract rrangs of shearers. Mr Frostiek a.sked if the hoard could he assured that Mr Rutherford would .see l.hat everything necessary would bo iloiio in Anniri regarding-sol-dii'Vs' farms;. .'ir Rutherford jeplied in the- affirmative. Mr M. J. Dixon said (liar be could not see how Mr Huthprford's scheme, suitable. l : or sheep country, anild be worked in an agricultural district.. .If the skilful i'anncr wctp taken away il was like, taking the key of the arch. Where a form was dependent, on the skill of a farmer, iliac farmer .should. bo allowed to carry on. Mr Frostir:U said that. Mr Rutherford had never .suggested that his scheme would ha applicable to all classes of forming. If every member of every essential industry wore prompted there would be few .soldiers available.

Mr J. Starry approved of.Mr Rutherford's proposals, bat ,«,aid that ho did not think tho ischeme could work in his own district (Southbridgo), where the farms were small and mixed. Personal effort of tho owner was worth that of four hired men, and no hired man put in charge of a properly could, be expected to do as well as the owner could, (hear, hear.) Mr Stony referred to the prices offered for land at a recent district auction .sale- and said that the effects of recent developments were beginning to he realised. Men were being taken out of the district in such number* that larmiers could see little prospect of the grain being harvested, oven if they put it in. They wished to be patriotic. Mr Storry quoted one case of alleged hardship. Mr Frostick said that if a good farmer were exempted another man would have to take his place. Was it possible to get two men beyond military ago to take tho placo of the farmer quoted? Of course, the question of money nftist not be considered. If such men could produce what the othof man did, was it not that man's duty to go to camp, and the others to take, his place? That was where tho local committees could do good work. Ho must add that if the farmer'died, tho farm would still be carried on.

Mr Andrew said that other tilings beside grain had to be considered on a, farm. Teams could only be kept going by labour. Farmers were diffident about employing boys. He knew! of a recent case where a horso worth £SO was lost, through an accident with a barrow, which a boy was using. Mr W. J. Jenkin gave the commissioner facts concerning the working of his farm, and said that inferior labour had prevented him putting in full crops, and, so far as he could see, it wouldi be worse next year.

Mr D. Jones said there cotold he little doubt of the shortage of farm labour. Ho had urged four months ago that the Imperial Government should bo asked what was more wanted, production or men. If men were more essential than food, farmers would have to rearrange their system of farming, and, despite losses, meet the new position. There could be little doubt that production was going to decrease, but if that were not going to affect the war, farmers could' go about their arrangements more light-heartedly.