view raw text
NO MUTUELS IN ENGLAND AT PRESENT. Full Official Report of Action in the Matter hy the Jockey Club. From time to time this year, reports have been published that strong influence was being sought to bear in England, for the use of the pari-mutnels as its betting system, in connection with racing there. Possibly after the war is over, the overpowering necessity of utilizing every means of producing revenue may lead to their use. But for the present, at least, the matter has been disposed of adversely. The Racing Calendar of October 120 gives the following official statement of the n:atter: A meeting of the Jockey Club was held at Newmarket on Wednesday in the Second October week Oct. 18. There Avere present: Lord Jersey, Sir John Thursby, Mr. Arthur James Stewards, Sir "W. Bass, Lord Harewood, Sir It. W. B. Jardine, apt. Laing, Lord Lonsdale, Sir Ernest Paget, Lord "Wolverton. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Lord Jersey said there was no business before the Club except to consider the rari-Mutuel Petition referred to in the minutes. He thought the most convenient way would be for him to read to the club the covering letter which accompanied the petition, and then to ask the secretary to read the petition itself. As these were addressed to the Stewards and members of the Club, the Stewards felt they ought to ask the Club to approve any reply which might be sent. Lord Jersey then read the covering letter, which was as follows: G2, Pall Mall, London, S. W. To the Stewards and Members of the Jockey Club, Care of Messrs. "Weatherby and Sous, 15, Cavendish Square, "W. Gentlemen We have the honor, on behalf of the signatories, to bring to your notice, and to respectfully request consideration of the same, the accompanying copy of a petition of breeders, owners and trainers in England and Ireland in favor of the introduction on race courses under your jurisdiction of the pari-mutuel system of betting. Reasons for the drawing up of the petition will be found duly set out. To them may we be allowed to add a few words of further explanation. "We should not have ventured to trouble the Jockey Club with a matter of far-reaching importance, which must necessarily in the first instance be the concern of the state authorities, were it not that we desire, in the first instance, to enlist the sym-pathic co-operation of the administrators of the British turf. We ask for the pari-mutuel on three v.maJu grounds that its introduction will provide Irevenue for assisting breeders and owners in the form of added money and premiums, for assisting state light horse breeding, and that it will assist in raising the moral tone of racing. In seeking signatures to the original petition we found the greatest enthusiasm and support in jfavor of the principle among those having any tnke in the breeding, owning and training of the llwroughbred. Refusals to sign were the very rare exception, and we therefore submit that there is in existence a very strong widespread and weighty opinion in favor of the pari-mutuel for this country. ,We trust the members of the Jockey Club will recognize the existence of this opinion, as reflected by the representative signatures, by giving a sympathetic reception to the petition. We may further add that we have been induced to proceed with this petition at a time when the ination is in the throes of war by the knowcldge ithat there exists at the war office a hope that tracing as. in France may be utilized in the future afar assisting in raising national horse breeding from its present alarmingly serious state. The war office views the depletion in the horse supply of the British Isles with grave concern, as shown by Lord Kitcheners letter on the subject to the board of agriculture when Lord Middletons committee on National Light norse Breeding was appointed. "We maintain also that revenue from the pari-mutuel would go far towiirds reducing the constantly growing burdens on those who, as owners and breeders are mainstays of racing. May we lay stress on the fact that the petitioners have no wish to embarrass the Jockey Club by their action. Their sole object is to make known to the stewards and members the strong feeling which actually and really esists; and, should the time arise for the pari-mutuel to come into the region of practical politics, or should the Jockey Club seek the assistance of the State in its favor, the fact will be on record that the vast bulk of considered opinion and invested capital is behind the suggested reform. The petition with the original signatures was, we regret to say, stolen from Mr. E. Kennedy in Ireland, but a faithful record of the signatories was kept and they have been attached. "We beg to thank the stewards for accepting the petition, and trust they and the members of the Jockey Club will give it that consideration which, we respectfully suggest, its importance demands. We have the honor to be, Signed, Yours very truly, "William Nelson, "Walter Gilbey, H. S. Persse, Edward Ilulton C. Fetherstonhaugh, Peter FitzGerald, E. Kennedy. The secretary read a copy of the pari-mutuel petition of breeders, owners and trainers to the stewards and members of the Jockey Club. Memorandum. The original petition was lost at The Cur-ragh, Ireland, when in custody of M. E. Kennedy, but a careful record of the names was kept and is vouched for. To the stewards and members of the Jockey Club: Those who have attached their signatures to this petition are, it is claimed, representative in every sense, apart from members of the Jockey Club of the general body of breeders, owners and trainers of the thoroughbred; and they have done so in the belief that the stewards and members of the Jockey Club will accept the fact as evidence of a widespread, influential and pronounced feeling in favor of the introduction to English race courses of the pari-mutuel system of betting. Recognition of the principle and its practical adoption are urged on the following main grounds: a That revenue accruing from approved deductions on the gross volume of betting would enable stakes to be increased and substantial prizes for breeders to be established. b That part of such revenue would also be available for the State for stimulating that declining light horse breeding with which the thoroughbred is inseparably associated. c That the principle in operation could not fail to have healthy and moral benefit for horse racing. The signatories believe that the time is singularly opportune for bringing" this question to the notice of the Jockey Club; and, while recognizing that it is one which must pass outside the mere limits of the breeding and racing world, they nevertheless suggest, with the utmost respect, that its national importance more than justifies its careful and l-lose consideration. They furthermore believe that an expression of approval, emanating from the governing body of the English Turf would be sympathetically received by the State authorities, and would certainly facilitate to a large degree the acceptance by the State of the principle of the pari-mutuel. In this confident belief, therefore, and in the hope that the stewards and members of the Jockey Club will give to the subject the consideration which its importance Justifies, the signatories to this petition have appended their names: Here follows a list of names. Lord Jersey, continuing,, said that of the signatories to the petition, about n hundred raced in England and about twenty-five in Ireland; it was therefore undoubtedly a very comprehensive list. He did not, however, propose to ask the club in any way to discuss that evening the merits of the pari-mutuel system of betting. The stewards had given the matter very careful consideration, and they were strongly of opinion that, with due respect for what was suggested in the petition, the time was certainly not opportune for such a discussion. It was evident that the signatories thein- Continued on second page. NO MUTUELS IN ENGLAND AT PRESENT. Continued from first page. selves recognized that this was a question which would involve legislation. It was also clear from their covering letter that they appreciated that it was possibly not exactly the moment to bring the matter forward. .Was it likely that the state authorities would, at a time like this, undertake, or even consider, a scheme which would undoubtedly promote a great deal of adverse criticism, and meet with very strenuous opposition? It was quite clear that their desire at the present time was, as far as possible, to avoid any legislation of a contentious nature. That had already been shown by the way in which certain other proposals for adding to the revenue of the country had been met by the authorities. Surely it would be most unreasonable on the part of the Jockey Club even to ask the government to consider such a question as that at the present time. He also felt that this was certainly not the moment to bring turf matters into needless prominence, especially in connection with betting. lie ventured to suggest that to invite any consideration of a question like that under existing circumstances would be deliberately to play into the hands of the opponents of the turf. It was felt, and very rightly felt, that the government should, as far as possible, concentrate all their attention on matters immediately connected with the successful prosecution of the war, and for those reasons the stewards could not recommend the Club to associate themselves at present in any way with a proposition such as that now laid before them. In saying that, he thought the members should make it clear that they did not record a vote adverse to the system of pari-mutuel betting, but he suggested that their attitude should be entirely non-committal, and that they should inform the signatories that they would be prepared to discuss that question, or perhaps it would be better to say they should not decline to discuss that question, should they the signatories on some future occasion wish again to draw the attention of the club to the matter. He added that in view of the fact that the signatories had courteously approached them in the first instance before taking their petition elsewhere, it was only right very briefly to review the main points of their letter. They apparently asked the club to consider this question for three reasons: Firstly, they suggested that the revenue accruing from a percentage on the gross volume of betting would enable stakes to lie increased and substantial prizes for breeders to be established. There was no doubt that statement was correct. That was evident from what occurred in other countries where the system was in force. The same applied to the suggestion that revenue would thereby be available for light horse breeding. The immediate question, apart from other considerations, was whether that means of obtaining revenue would meet with general approval. They went on to say that the principle in operation could not fail to be of healthy and moral benefit to horse racing. It was not quite so clear what was meant by that. It would certainly be very interesting to hear the arguments which influenced the signatories in arriving at that conelnsion, and to learn from them the relative morality of, say, Chantilly and Long-champs as against Epsom and Ascot, but they could defer that pleasure till some future occasion. They the signatories explained their reason for selecting this particular time by quoting the support which the war office had given, and rightly given to racing as the mainstay of breeding, but he was convinced that, while it was absurd to pretend that betting was not an accessory of racing, yet at the same time it would be most unwise for the Jockey Club to suggest to the state authorities that the continuance of racing alone was not sufficient for maintaining the horse-breeding industry, and absolutely to invite them to associate inseparably betting with racing as a necessity before horse breeding could be established on a sound basis. He suggested to the club that it was open to question whether they would be well advised in supporting such a proposition at any time, and that it would if the members Would permit him to say so be especially undesirable to put it forward at a moment like the present. For those reasons he asked the club to give their approval to the following letter suggested by the stewards as an answer to the petition: To Sir Wm. Nelson, Bart., 10 Hill Street, Berkeley-square, W. Dear Sir, I am directed by the stewards of the Jockey Club to reply further to your letter the receipt of which I acknowledged on Aug. 20 accompanying the petition of breeders, owners, and trainers addressed to the stewards and members of the Jockey Club, asking for an expression of approval of their, desire to introduce u: system 6f pari-mutuel betting to the racecourses of this country. I am to inform you that the stewards laid the petition , before the Jockey Club at the meeting fin Oct. 18, and that, after careful consideration, the members present unanimously agreed With the stewards in believing that this is not an opportune time to put forward a proposal on which such widely divergent views would undoubtedly be expressed. They are glad that you recognise that they could not introduce such a system on their own responsibility or authority. They appreciate your consideration in coming primarily to the stewards and members of the Jockey Club, and since you courteously ask for their opinion they trust you will allow them ;to suggest that they think you would be Well advised in deferring any further action for the present, without prejudice to a discussion on the merits of the proposal at a later date should you think fit to ask them again to bring the matter before, the club, I anr,; Dear Sir, Yours faithfully, E. M. WEATHERBY, Secretary to the Jockey Club. " Lord narewood moved, and Lord Wolverton seconded, that the secretary be directed to forward the proposed letter. The motion was put to .the meeting and carried unanimously. The receipt of the above letter has been acknowledged by Sir W. Nelson as. follows: 02 Pall Mall, London, S. W., October 24, 1916. Dear Sir: J I am in receipt of your letter covering a letter from the stewards of the Jockey Club. I beg to say on behalf of my co-signatories that we feel indebted to the stewards and members of the Jockey Club for the consideration they have given to the petition signed by so many and influential people connected with racing and breeding. The opinion expressed that no further action should be taken for the present will. I am confident, meet with the approval of all those who signed the petition, as it does my own. Yours truly, X; William Nelsot E. M. Weatherby, Esq., Secretary to the Jockey Club, 15 Cavendish-square, W.
