TROTTING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160737, 25 August 1920, Page 4

TROTTING.

WAIMATE PLAINS TROTTING CLUB INQUIRY. THE OFFICIAL FINDINGS. On Wednesday evening last the New Zealand Trotting Association held an inquiry into various matters connected with the Waimate Plains Trotting Club’s annual meeting on Easter Monday last. The inquiry was conducted in Committee, and the following are the offical findnga of the Association: The Associaion finds: (1) That a well-known performer (Galindo Belle) was nominated by her trainer, but the name was mutilated in transmission to “Cyalinda Belle,” and the mutilated name was transmitted to the haudicapper, Mr H. Brinkman, who handicapped it as a maiden, and she thereby got an advantage in the handicap, but tbe nomination was subsequently confirmed in writing, and the secretary then became aware of the mistake in the name, hut did not notify the committee or the haudicapper of the mistake in tbe name, and “Galindo Belle” started in the November Handicap with the initial advantage in the handicap of Bseo in a mile and a quarter. | (2) That the starter stood with his back to the clock and facing the horses, and consequently could not see when the clock started and whether the horses got away to their proper bell. (3) That the starting was unsatisfactory, inasmuch as certain horses got away before their proper handicap time without any action being taken. (4) Thai the stipendiary steward drew the president’s attention to the bad starting on two occasions. (5) That dissatisfaction was expressed by a number of the riders on the starting generally. i (6) That there was undue delay in starting the different races. (7) That Mr H. A. Jarden acted as rehandicapper, and at the instigation of the president altered the penalty of 4sec imposed by him on Galindo Belle to 2 sec. The Association resolves; (1) That the secretary (Mr V. B. Stratton) committed an error of juc’g- j ment in not consulting his committee and advising the handicapper immediately he discovered a mistake had been made in transmitting the name of ‘‘Galindo Belle.” (2) That the starter should stand in a position enabling him to see both the horses and the clock, and in consequence of bis not doing so be was not in a position to know whether a horse got away to his proper bell or not, and should he start at any trotting meetings in the future he should occupy a position where he can see both the horse and the clock. (3) In view of the findings and of the very unsatisfactory evidence given by Mr Preston (tbe president), the club be notified that no further programmes of the club be passed whilst he is president or holds any other office in the club. (4) That Mr H. A. Jardine, in allowing himself to be influenced by the president of the club in reconsidering the penalty inflicted by him, was guilty of inexcusable weakness. (5) That the committee or stewards showed laxity in not properly appointing the rehandicapper, and their attention be drawn to this fact. (6) A'copy of the foregoing resolution be sent to tbe N.Z. Trotting Conference. (7) That the club pay the cost, amounting to <£3B 8s 6d, of this inquiry.