Permit To Operate Horse Float Sought

Chronicle (Levin), 3 February 1949, Page 4

Permit To Operate Horse Float Sought

An application for a permit to carry race, stud and hunting rhorses from Levin to any racecourse in the southern half of the North Island was heard by the No. ■2 Lieensing Authority, Mr. J. P. Skoglund, in the CoUrthouse, Levin, ton Tuesday. Decision was reserved. • The application was made by Douglas Wil'iam Marcel Pratt, of Koputaroa, at present engaged as an operator of agricultural machinery, who was represented by Mr. N. M. Thomson. An ob'jection was lodged by Mr, J. P. Bertram on behalf of Cunnirigham's Transport, of Otaki and Lower Hutt. It was pointed out by Mr. Thomson that there was no horse float in Levin, the nearest being at Otaki. Gunningham's, who were the only objectors, had two depots. one at Otaki and one at Lower Hutt. He added that there were nine trainers with a total of 36 racehorses and four stud farms iu Levin. Mich'ael Joseph Brad'ey, a stud farm operator, of Levin, said that he required horse float transport

several times during the year. In ,the past he had made use of the ! service supplied by Cunningham's Transport. The railway was also used" extensively to • transport mares, but from the railhead he had to use a float to transport them to the farm. At present he had often to bring, a float from ; Palmerston North or Otaki to transport horses three miles from ; the railway to the farm. '• Joseph Quinn, racehorse owner, of Levin, said that on a number of occasions he had advocated the ' stationing of a horse float at Levin.

; Evidence along these lines and de- ; -.tailing the need for a float in Levin 1 was given by Robert Farland, ' (owner-trainer, and' David Enright, trainer, both of Levin. In his evidence, the app'icant L stated that he was a returned seri viceman, and he told the ^authority 1 that he had been approached by - several trainers and asked if he : would be prepared to take the matL ter up. He was prepared to cre>{ate an efficient service. i Decision was reserved pending the hearing of an application for > an udditional licence by Cunningham's Transport, which is to be heard in Wellington,