83

instance, in 1936, when King Edward VIII ascended the throne, the Sovereign's birthday shifted from the 3rd to the 23rd of June. The Auckland Racing Club then did not transfer its Great Northern Meeting from the beginning to the end of June, but left the new birthday to the Auckland Trotting Club. However, when King George VI succeeded to the throne, and the observance of the Sovereign's birthday was transferred from December to the first Monday in June, the Trotting Club then claimed the right to follow the holiday date back. This caused some considerable ill feeling at the time, but the good sense of both clubs ultimately prevailed, and the racing club has since raced on that day. 211. As a matter of principle, it is desirable that the control of racing and trotting should remain with the Conferences and not be made, any more than is absolutely necessary, the subject of governmental interference. SECTION 9.—JOCKEYS ACCOMMODATION FOR JOCKEYS 212. Speaking generally, the accommodation provided for jockeys -on mqst racecourses is insufficient and, even where reasonably adequate, is spartan in character. It is impossible to generalize, for on particular courses a standard approaching the reasonable is attained. On the other hand, not one errs on the side of indulgence. 213. It is unfair to jockeys who are necessarily tied by engagements -on race-days to require them to seek refreshment in competition with members of the public. Their circumstances are special and require that adequate and proper refreshments should be continuously and conveniently available to them at some source exclusively reserved for them. This is a standard which is not attained in many of even the major country clubs. Then there is need in a great many cases for the provision of better washing facilities and facilities for the drying of wet clothes. The more up-to-date clubs provide hot water and hot showers. In many places cold showers are made available, but in those places in New Zealand where, under winter conditions, the need for frequent washing is most accentuated, the provision of cold showers is, at best, a poor concession to necessity. Every racing club should, in winter, without exception provide hot showers sufficient for the number of jockeys engaged in the racing on each day. We think it should be made a condition that every racing club should provide such showers as a matter of course. 214. Again, on many of the courses, if not the greater number of them —and this applies to some even of the metropolitan clubs —no provision is made for the seating of jockeys in the jockeys' room. Such seating is essential. It is an unedifying spectacle on a metropolitan