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PROPRIETARY CLUBS IN AUSTRALIA. , Proprietary racing clubs are not generally approved and, in view of the fact that their expenditure is not proportionate to their receipts, this is not surprising. They take altogether too much out of the pool, but, so far as Sydney is concerned, the trouble now would be to get along without them. It is all very well for their opponents to clamor for their suppression, but the question naturally arises as to whether such a happening would benefit breeders, owners and other directly interested in racing. It would, if certainty attached to bona fide clubs taking the place of the proprietary bodies, but in Sydney that might not coine about in connection with registered racing, and would be almost out of the question in respect to unregistered sport. As-sumiiig the days allotted proprietary registered clubs in the metropolitan area were cut out, the Australian Jockey Club would probably take some of the vacant dates, but insufficient to supply the requirements of the large numbers of owners who are racing in Sydney; while the suppression of proprietary unregistered clubs would fall heavily upon many hundreds who, in various capacities, now look to those bodies for a livelihood. 1 am quite sure it will be urged that that is no excuse for the continuance of the existence of clubs which cater for horses that, as a whole, have proved unequal to paying their way at registered meetings. Still, it must not bo overlooked that unregistered racing benefits breeders, as it finds them buyers for many ponyish yearlings, and also conduces to the sale at fairly high prices of horses which, owing to their inability to quite get six furlongs, would be of little account for registered racing in this state. The suppression of proprietary clubs failing their replacement by bona fide clubs in the metropolis, would lessen the demand for racing stock, and that would lie productive of a big growl from breeders when they found they were sufferers by the alteration. It may be contended that a marked reduction of metropolitan racing would lead to increased purchases for country sport. Perhaps so, but not at prices pleasing to breeders, owing to the smallness of prizes at most of this states country fixtures. The installation of the totalisator would improve the position at country meetings; but, rather inconsistently, many opponents of proprietary racing are equally opposed to the machine, notwithstanding that in New Zealand it enables even small towns to distribute prize money to an amount that makes laughably insignificant the stakes given at many important towns in New South Wales. It is undeniable that we could do with less racing in and about Sydney, but until it is certain the needs of owners can be met in more desirable fashion it seems ,a waste of time to talk about the suppression of proprietary clubs. As matters stand, they approach a necessity in Sydney; but that fact does not justify a grab-all policy, and it is not too much to say that each and every one registered and unregistered could well afford to exercise greater liberality in prize money. Pilot in Sydney Referee.
