Sporting Review. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1893.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 161, 24 August 1893, Page 3

Sporting Review. THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 1893.

It cannot candidly be said that there was much business of moment transacted at the second Conference of Auckland Country and Suburban Clubs, held on Wednesday of last week (a report of which appeared in our last issue). There was certainly a good attendance of delegates, but the result may be briefly summarised as ‘ all cry and little wool.’ The chairman’s in-

troductory remarks were not calculated to advance the interests of the Country and Suburban Clubs as regards any concessions from the Metropolitan Clubs, in that the Metropolitan Clubs were at times called very harsh names, and though the first resolution he moved was passed, it was evident when another one was sprung upon the meeting that there were disturbing elements in the camp. To the first motion, 1 That a deputation wait upon the Auckland Racing Club to represent the inability of subordinate Clubs to comply with Rule zz of the Rules of Racing,’ there could be no possible objection, but when he went on to move ‘ That the deputation be authorised to request the A.R.C. to pass the programmes submitted by existing suburban and country clubs under the jurisdiction of the A.R.C. in aecordance with the resolution re added money passed at our late Conference ’ more than one member jumped to his feet to sensibly point out that this would simply mean asking the Auckland Racing Club to break their own laws, a thing which they certainly would not and could not do. The Waikato delegates were particularly strong on this point, and though the chairman tried to argue it from his own standpoint, he had all the worst of the argument. After a lot of discussion Mr A. Kidd, who represented the Rotorua Jockey Club, clinched the matter by moving, ‘ That a deputation be appointed to wait upon the A.R.C. to urge upon them to bring before the Metropolitan Conference at an early date the question of reconsidering their resolution re added money.’ This was a capital way to put it; the A.R.C., as a component part of the New Zealand Metropolitan Clubs, could, at the request of the Country and Suburban Clubs, request the other Metropolitan Clubs to join the A.R.C. in a conference to consider this question of added money. This was a fair and reasonable request, but to go and ask the A.R.C. to break their own rules —as Mr Alison by his motion practically intended —was absurd, and would simply have wrecked whatever chance the Country and Suburban Clubs had of obtaining any relaxation of the rules. Therefore we were extremely pleased to see that Mr Kidd’s motion was carried. What the outcome of the deputation’s visit to the A.R.C.’s committee on Friday was will be seen below.

The other business transacted was of little importance. Mr Alison was appointed to represent the Country and Suburban Clubs at the next Wellington Conference, and a protest was entered up against the mode of election of delegates from Country and Suburban Clubs agreed to at the Wellington Conference, the meeting maintaining—reasonably enough, we think —that if they are to have representation the selection of delegates and form of election should be left to their decision. Some slight alterations were made in the rules, and after the election of a chairman, secretary and treasurer the meeting broke up.

We were quite prepared to hear on Friday afternoon, when the deputation from the Country and Suburban Clubs waited on the committee of the Auckland Racing Club, that they had been courteously received and that the committee had promised to do all in their power to forward the objects they have in view. This was just what occurred, and it was only natural that as the A.R.C. had tabled a resolution re reduction in added money at the last Metropolitan Clubs’ Conference (which proposal was negatived) they should try and do their best in the same direction again. Of course the A.R.C.’s committee could not proceed any further in the matter than to ask Capt. Russell, as chairman of the Metropolitan Clubs’ Conference, to convene a special Conference to consider the question of added money. We doubt not that the request will be acceded to. We hope to see the question decided one way or another at as early a date as possible, for we are getting close on to spring-time and a lot of the clubs wish to frame their programmes. But as matters stand at present they are in such uncertainty as to what the law may or may not be that they can do nothing.