THE CLUBAN

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1400, 22 February 1917, Page 10

THE CLUBAN

The death of the Hen. Sir George McLean, M.L.C., long time chairman of directors of the Union Steam Shipping Company, and a men of affairs, identified with the social and commercial life of Dunedin, and of many enterprises, a statesman and sportsman, was announced on Saturday. Born in 1834 in Scotland, the deceased gentleman had entered well into his eighty-third year, and had led an active and strenuous life from the time he came to Australia in 1852 and to the Dominion in 1863, when the goldfields of Otago were creating a deal of attention. It was not until the year 1880 that he took an active part in racing, and as an owner and breeder of thoroughbreds it may be said that he started the following year, and has had the Warrington Stud going for over thirty years, breeding some good winners.

His business acumen and mature judgment caused his services to be in much request. First as steward, vice-president and president (for thirty years) of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and their representative on almost all the New Zealand Racing Conferences up to a few years ago, it will be understood that he rendered great service in turf matters. It is in a racing connection that we saw a great deal of him and, indeed, have followed his racing careel from start to finish. His first horse, Voltigeur, never won a race and was very moderate, but in partnership with Sir Hercules Robinson, who was Governor of New Zealand, he soon became a conspicuous figure, really jumping right into the game, as Sir Hercules had raced a number of horses more or less successfully during his governorship of New South Wales in the famous Zetland spots, where there was a decided feeling that the gubernatorial head of the Mother State should not follow racing pursuits. During his term of ofiice in the Commonwealth, however, Sir Hercules made an after-dinner speech in defence of racing, one of the best on the subject that it has been our lot to read. He was welcomed to New Zealand, and was often referred to as our sporting Governor, but he left the management of his interests in the horses to Mr. McLean, and though it was not of long duration it lasted until some time after his departure from New Zealand. It may here be mentioned that it was to his judgment that we were indebted for the selection of a number of thoroughbreds that did good service at the stud in the Dominion at a later period.

The Robinson-McLean partnership was not without successes, for Lady Emma, who was brought over with Legerdeman and Gitana, won the Great Autumn and Easter Handicaps in 1881, the Dunedin Cup, Jockey Club Handicap and Forbury Handicap in 1882, while Legerdemain, who afterwards became ancestress of lots of winners, also won for the company. Gitana did nothing of note, but became a useful stud matron. For Sir George, who went on racing on his own account, Lady Emma kept on winning, and added the Forbury Handicap in 1883, the Provincial Handicap, Dunedin Cup and D.J.C. Handicap in 1884 to the successes earlier achieved. When she won her first Dunedin Cup there was plenty of betting on the race, and, indeed, it was the chief betting race in New Zealand. Though Mr. McLean was a non-betting man, a commission was effected at an average of 20 to 1, and it was related by his then trainer, Jimmy Kean, to the writer, that the then Mr. McLean was persuaded to accept 100 to 5 of the amount, and this was perhaps the largest sum ever risked by the deceased sportsman, though he won; indeed, Kean never heard of him having another bet. Like many more non-betting owners, Mr. McLean became an advocate of the totalisator, which was started going on New Zealand racecourses at the time he started his racing career.

The Zetland spots have been carried with varying results since up to a few years back, when Sir George

retired. Lady Evelyn (a good twoyear old, ancestress of Bisogne), St. Clair, Dilemma, Pampero, Maremma and others carried them with more or less distinction, some leading events in Otago and Canterbury being won by the horses named, while Euroclydon, Blizzard, Blazer. Vladimir are other noted performers that were bred by Sir George but raced by others, and the stv.d of mares included quite a number that have been noted winner producers. Amongst those racing in recent years, Art, the last New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Race winner, is a conspicuous one. The deceased was a great stickler for the country clubs, and for those in Otago ‘n particular, and there were occasions when at the Racing Conference the delegates found him their very staunch advocate. In their chairman of directors the .Union Steam Shipping Company of New Zealand had a strong man. He was a typical Scotchman. When on a visit to the great Wairakei Valley some

years ago he was heard to remark what he could have accomplished for his company if it had teen possible to harness the vast steam power going to waste there.

For a long time we have not heard of any pronounced attack upon the totalisator in New Zealand, but last week the Auckland brought up the subject of curtailing racing, arid one of the ministers went so far as to say that it should be discontinued altogether during the progress of the war. We all know that the out-and-out opponents of racing would have it wiped out, war or no war, were it in their power to do so. To them racing is a Nazareth out of which no good can come. We are aware that some racing men have been seriously considering closing down their stables, and that some clubs in the South would discontinue if they were sure of being reinstated with permits, and there are one or two in the North Island of the same mind, but in each instance it can be said that these clubs are not having a good run financially, and they fear that matters may become worse with

them. The owners have vaiying reasons. They cannot all devote their time now to the sport, or would find it more profitable to employ it in other ways, and theii money, too. Some are losing their trainers and riders, which is unfortunate, and are dropping out for that reason. Truly patriotic reasons are doubtlessly influencing some, but altogether we do not imagine that there are many advocates for discontinuance.

Let those who feel that they should not be racing during the war, or that they can employ their time and money more advantageously for their own and country’s good, get out by all means. If there is thought to be too much racing, and that it is so distracting to eligible men as to keep them from giving their services to their country, or to help them in dodging or trying to dodge their responsibilities, let it be curtailed. Conscription is going to clean up the racecourses of men who have no ties wlr.ch are suffi-

ciently urgent to keep them from doing their bit, but no section of the community has done more than lovers of racing, football and outside sports to keep up the strength of our reinforcements, and the “wents” and the “sents” who have followed the sport of racing would, if we judge right, be the last to see those who are left behind getting a living out of the game, and those who cannot go and who are getting pleasure out of the sport, deprived of either. There are no “kill-sports” amongst them, and the dog in the manger feeling does not exist with them. There can be over-racing at any time, but the fact that the attendances are larger than ever at the majority of New Zealand meetings, that revenue from entrance and acceptance fees and from the totalisator is more bouyant, must not be taken as evidence that the people have given themselves/over altogether to pleasure and not to work.

The money spent in racing must nearly all come out of the products of the earth, and the exports of this country and the increased receipts therefrom are reflected at all places

of amusement. The Government are receiving quite as much profit in the shape of taxation from the totalisator turnover as the majority of the clubs are, and a good deal more than some. There is an' enormous amount of capital employed in the breeding, rearing, depasturising and development of horses for racing and trotting in the Dominion, and a very large number of persons also that cannot be utilised for service in the war. Are all these breeding enterprises and those connected with them to be made to suffer needlessly? Are trainers and their wifes and families and horsemen and their dependents to be deprived of their livings simply because a section of the community think they are not engaged in a legitimate business. This war in which we are engaged will be won all right, but it is not going to be won by closing down amusements of any kind. Are the advocates of doing so prepared to help those who would be thrown out of employment—and they inclue many thousands besides the trainers and horsemen—to meet obligations to those who are near and dear to them? There are in training in New Zealand every year some thousands of horses, and in their breeding and preparation from foaihood to a racing age and after it, would not be easy to readily compute the amount of money expended in wages and in other ways. Many thousands of peunds sterling per week are certainly spent in that way, could we but see the pay-sheets of those that foot the bills.

The horse-breeders in some parts of the Dominion have been showing great faith in the future of racing, and have been importing largely of thoroughbred stock from England, where it has become necessary to curtail racing very largely, and only during last week, at a conference of the country clubs of the province of Auckland, it was recommended that in order to beep up the standard a number of thoroughbred horses should be imported from England by the combined efforts of the various provincial racing clubs, as private enterprise cannot always be found to make the necessary expenditure. There were no voices raised against the project ■ —except one or two on the score of expense, which their clubs were not in a position to shoulder. By all means let the settlers get the use of recouperative and good blood if possible, and it does not matter through what agency the business is done. The Government cannot do it just now; they have not even gone on with the £4OOO voted for annual expenditure in subsidising good horses available for the use of settlers. If the combined efforts of the clubs can do what is sought, so much the better. Let it be so, and let it be done without delay, while good horses are available at reasonable prices. There is no time for much parley. ** * , When the question of employing racecourse detectives came up for consideration at the Conference of Racing Clubs in Hamilton last week, some of the delegates expressed themselves rather freely on the subject, and it was clear that some of the clubs were adverse to employing men specially for the purpose. The cost to small clubs has always been a big consideration, but there are very few clubs that really cannot afford to pay if they feel inclined to engage men. The racecourse detective is regarded in some parts of the Dominion as very necessary, and there are clubs that would not think of trying to do without such officials. One delegate probably surprised others when he remarked that there had been reported instances of clubs paying men to keep a certain class off courses, while the very people who it was expected would be deterred from putting in an appearance had managed to square the officials and get there just the same. No motion was tabled in connection with the future appointments for the Auckland province, clubs being left to act as they might think best.