Limited Membership Of N.S.W. Club Displeases Government

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28260, 24 April 1957, Page 5

Limited Membership Of N.S.W. Club Displeases Government

[Specially written for “The Press”}

SYDNEY, April 21. It seems the Government of New South Wales is far from pleased at the failure of the N.S.W. Trotting Club to increase its membership at a recent annual meeting. The State Secretary (Mr G. Kelly) had made it clear that he considered the small number of members belonging to the club was wrong, considering the large number of people involved in the industry. Feeling in Government circles now is that the Chief Secretary, having made his wishes clear, and having those wishes ignored, will now move on the question of a second licence for the metropolitan area of Sydney. This would drastically affect the power of the club as immediately the second licence was issued to a newlyformed club, the number of meetings at Harold Park would be reduced from the present 40 a year to 20. If the Government does not issue the second licence, it is certain its alternative will be to grant extra meetings to some of the smaller suburban tracks at

Bankstown. Granville, and Parramatta —once again at the expense of the New South Wales Trotting Club. There is also talk of the Government setting up a Trotting Board of Control, comprising representatives of various interests. This board would be under the chairmanship of a Government appointee—in all probability a politician. Whichever way the Government acts, one thing seems certain—the continued attitude of the club in refusing to enlarge its membership has made it decidedly unpopular with the State Government of New South Wales. As a result, 1957 could see the position of the club seriously weakened as the controllers of the sport in Sydney.