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RACING AFFAIRS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. There were 110 special happenings at the recent annual meeting of members of the Australian Jockev Club, the principal item being the authorization of the committee to provide out of the funds of the club the sum or 0,000 for patriotic purposes, with the proviso that in the event of the years profits exceeding the amount mentioned, the whole or portion of such surplus might be devoted o similar purposes at the discretion of the committee. Almost needless to say. there were no dissentients to this proposal and the club cannot be too highlv commended for its liberal donations to the various ami numerous funds. Naturally stakes have suffered to some extent since the commencement of the war and are to be reduced still further, but everv race at an Australian Jockey Club meeting will still be well worth winning. Last year there was a drop of nearly 0,000 as compared with the previous season, but the deductions were principally from races so valuable that they could well stand them. The chairman, Mr. Adrian Knox, touched upon the question of curtailment of racing in war time, anil remarked that it was primarily a matter for the government, and not the Australian Jockey Club. The latter body was quite willing to assist the government in any move in the direction indicated, but wished everyone to be treated alike, and therefore had no inclination to curtail registered racing unless the pruning knife was also applied to unregistered meetings. Mr. Knoxs remarks could not well be construed otherwise than to mean that unreiris-tered racing is the stumbling block to curtailment in this state, and it is not improbable that he is correct. Tin; pony people admittedly are not anxious for reduction nor do I for one moment suppose the proprietary horse clubs have any hunkering that way and it is not too much to say that in political circles in this state they appear to take precedence of the Australian Jockey Club. Perhaps 011 the score that there is something more democratic about unregistered than registered racing. In the circum- stances, the Australian Jockey Club cannot well be expected to interfere with the clubs racing under its banner, and as the unregistered clubs certainly have 110 intention of agitation for government interference with the number of their fixtures, curtailment of racing in this state is not in sight at present. Sydney Referee.
