CASE FOR TROTTING CONFERENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1947, Page 5

CASE FOR TROTTING CONFERENCE

— Press Association

^ — WELLINGTON WANT MORE DAYS

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WELLINGTON, March 11. In the past 20 years the increase in the popularity of trotting had resulted in an increase of 100 per cent. in the number of registered horses and owners, the value of stakes and the volume of totalisator investments, accordihg to statements made to the Gaming Commission today by Mr. C. S. Thomas, leading counsel for the Trotting Conference. He added that percentages would be much greater in the cases of the Metropolitan Trotting Club and Auckland Trotting Club. Mr. Thomas was dealing with the conference viewpoint concerning applications by individual clubs for permits for additional days. He said there had been no increase in the number of permits since 1924 and the number of days available now was inadequate in view of the increase in the popularity of the sport. The conference held the view that a distribution of permits on a population basis would be fallgcious and that allocations should be made on a basis of the comparative popularity of the sport in each district. On behalf of the Wellington Trotting Club, Sir William Perry asked that the Commission recommend that the club be granted two additional totalisator permits a year, thus allowing the club oo have four two-dav meetings yearly. At present six days were allowed. Wellington, he said, compared vefy unfavourabl.y with Auckland City's 11, and Christchurch city's 17.