THE RACING CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1158, 20 June 1912, Page 7

THE RACING CONFERENCE.

Judging by the way different clubs are sending along remits to the Racing Conference, the delegates who meet in Wellington will undoubtedly have a lengthy agenda paper to get through, and their deliberations will

doubtless have a far reaching influence on racing in this Dominion. Appended are a number of the more important remits. TO CURTAIL SPRINT RACING. The Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club are moving for a new rule that “No horse three years old and upwards shall start in any handicap run over a distance of less than six furlongs,” and it is to be hoped it will be carried. At the request of the appeal judges, the chairman is to move “After the word ‘stewards’ in the sixth line strike out the remainder of the rule and insert the following words in lieu thereof: ‘On the following matters shall be conclusive and not subject to appeal, viz., (a) short weight,, (b) a cross or jostle, (c) a start in front of the post or on a wrong course or before the appointed time, (d): an obvious pull.’ ” The Wanganui Jockey Club also wants some information, for they ask that the New Zealand Racing Conference be asked to give an interpretation of the words “an obvious pull” where they occur. The rules bearing on the question of fact have caused a lot of uncertainty, (and something definite is badly wanted. The licensing question is beingbrought forward by the Wellington country clubs, who move “That all licenses be granted by a Licensing

Committee of the Conference, and issued by the secretary.” The Wanganui Jockey Club want added “.-That no stable servant be employed in any racing stable until he has first applied to a Metropolitan Committee for a license and same has been granted. There shall be no fee charged for such license.” , STIPENDIARY STEWARDS. The Taranaki Jockey Club is championing the appointments of .stipendiary stewards, and the following new rule is proposed to read : —“At each annual conference a committee, to be called ‘The Stipendiary Stewards’ Committee,’ shall be electeded, with power to select and appoint not less than two persons to act as stipendiary stewards at race meetings; on such terms, with such powers and subject to such conditions as the committee may, by laws and re-

gulations (which they are hereby authorised to make) prescribe. Such by-laws and regulations shall, when signed by the chairman of the committee, be transmitted to the secretary of the Conference, and notified, and shall thereafter have equal force and effect as if they were by-laws and regulations made by the Conference itself. The committee shall consist of five persons, who shall select a chairman, and may delegate to him all or any of the powers of the committee other than the power of appointing stipendiary stewards, and the power of making, rescinding, or verifying by-laws and regulations (hereby conferred on the committee), and the chairman may exercise such delegated powers as if they were hereby conferred on the chairman in the same manner as they are hereby conferred on the committee. In the event of no stipendiary steward being able to attend any. race meeting a substitute stipendiary steward may be appointed by the committee or its chairman to act at such race meeting, and in respect of such race meeting shall be deemed for all purposes a stipendiary steward. The committee shall determine the remunration to be paid to the stipendiary stewards for their services, and the amount for the purpose, and in order to carry this ruje into effect, shall be provided by the totalisator clubs, in proportion to the gross amounts received by them respectively by way of investments on

the totalisator during the preceding year, with regard, so far as the committee may find expedient, to any change in the number of days on which the totalisator is used by any club in the current year. The amount payable by each club shall be fixed by the committee, and be paid to the secretary of the Conference who shall apply it as the chairman may from time to time direct.’ CROUCH RIDING. The Taranaki Jockey Club has given notice of motion for the adoption of the following new rule: —“The stewards shall not permit any jockey, when riding in a hurdle race or steeplechase, to adopt ‘the crouch’ or ‘Sloan’ style of riding.” Occasions arise when it is a case of saving people from themselves, and the crouch style of riding by jockeys, it can be validly contended, furnished one. Probably the crouchers and their advocates will be able to successfully ward off an attack in fiat events for some time to come; but there will, no doubt, be some solid support for the TXC.’s motion in regard to jumping events.? With the new rule indicated above added, that will mark a commencement in an attack on a craze that has, there can be little doubt, a deal to answer for on the score of deterioration in rase riding. MINOR MATTERS. Among the numerous notices of motion to be dealt with by the Racing Conference next month is one by the Greymouth country clubs, which is

to the effect that where a race meeting is limited to one day the distance of any flat race shall not exceed one mile. What possible good the inclusion, of such a rule can do to the cause of racing it is exceedingly difficult to see. It is just conceivable that it might increase the totalisator returns but far too much consideration is given to that already. The Otago country clubs are anxious to have the following rule added, to the racing code: —“No horse shall be deprived of his hack status by the aid of second or third moneys,, through the disqualification of ’.the second or third placed by the judge.” The same clubs are also to the fore with another, which would provide that in calculating penalties “only the amount advertised to be paid tothe first horse shall be considered.” The object of these motions is, of course, to preclude the possible recurrence of cases such as that with which Rose Noble was concerned. They would provide a desirable safeguard against an owner suffering per force of circumstances over which they had no control, ahd it is probable they will be approved.

MASTERTON TURNED DOWN.

The Totalisator Minister was fairly outspoken to a deputation from the Masterton Racing Club that waited on him to ask that the one day’s-

racing out of four they had lost asa result of the recommendations of the Racing Commission. be restored. He said if the matter came into his hands it would be his desire to see that these clubs had one day’s racing at least restored. He would not seek to increase racing in such a case as that of Masterton, where the Racing Commission had left the club three days. "My advice to your club,” continued the Minister, “is to be satisfied and thankful for what the commission has left you.” So far as I am concerned I cannot give you any hope that I will be the means of restoring the one day of which you have been deprived.”