A MUCH NEEDED REFORM.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 959, 23 July 1908, Page 5

A MUCH NEEDED REFORM.

At the Trotting Conference on Tuesday the president brought up the question of appointment of stipendiary stewards to attend race meetings. The need for such officers appears to be regularly urged, he said, and at timed it has been forcibly brought home to those who have a genuine interest in the sport that a step in this desired direction must be taken sooner or later. No matter how well-intentioned and hard-working the honorary stewards may be, they often lack a necessary knowledge of the rules; hence their decisions on points of trotting law are sometimes far from satisfactory when called upon to adjudicate. Should the appointment of stipendiary stewards ever be decided upon, the service of those appointed (I mean men of ability and capable of carrying out the duties of such positions) should be valued not so much by their advice and'work in detecting breaches of the rules as by the assistance they would render to the honorary stewards, and by their influence and presence at race meetings in suppressing any attempts at corrupt practices.