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STIPENDIARY STEWARDS IN AUSTRALIA. Though the South Australian Jockey Club has at last decided to follow in the footsteps of the Australian Turf Club, the Queensland Turf Club, the Victorian Racing Club and the Western Australia Tivf Club as the premier racing institutions of Ijf other states with regard to the appointment of ittipendiary stewards, the committee of that important club does not evidently intend that those appointed are to bo Invested with too much authority. Anyhow, it is proposed to alter their totalizator rules so as to invest the powers in connection therewith at present given to the stewards in the committee. It is also suggested tlint all racing clubs within the metropolitan area should in like manner revise their rules bearing on the totalizator, and give the fullest publication to same. Perhaps the recently appoiutetl stipendiary stewards to the South Australian Jockey Club, who take up their official duties on January 1, have no objection to be relieved of any responsibility connected with conrsc betting. Put why should the committee lie so apparently anxious to saddle itself with a liability that it has up till now been satisfied that its honorary officials should shoulder. If the latter were equal to handling the affairs of the totalizator, surely those who are to depose them are not to be considered any less capable of dealing with what is, after all. the controlling influence of racing under all systems, viz., the betting. If the stipendiary steward is to be given a fair opportunity of proving his superiority over the honorary official, of which no doubt can possibly exist, a limitation of authority such as that suggested by the South Australian Jockey Club should certainly have been avoided. Speculation under the totalizator system may not control the doings of owners and others to the same extent that It does in places where the machine is not installed, but the fact still remains that betting contingencies arc the controlling influences of all racing: and this being so, why should such be under the immediate supervision of anyone but the stewards themselves? Sydney Referee.
