REDUCED RACING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1169, 3 July 1911, Page 4

REDUCED RACING.

ANOTHER APPEAL,

A WAIRARAPA CLUB'S HARDSHIP,

MR. BUDDO'S REPLY.

On Saturday a deputation representing the Taralahi-Cnrtorlon Racing Club interviewed the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. D. Buddo), to lay before him (he position of the club, which is ono whose racing permHs havo been reduced from two days to one by (ho commission. Mr. W. C. Buchanan, M.P., introduced the deputation.

Mr. Buchanan said that tho commission asked the club to take up a practically impossible condition. He asked Mr. IL It. JJimny, president of the club, to state their case fully. Harshly Treated.

Mr. Bunny said (hey all recognised tin difficulties the commission had had to contend with But the Tanitahi-Carter-ton Club had been harshly treated. Thev wore the only Valley Club holding ono meeting m tho year, and Section 2, Subjection fi ol tin, Act said thai, those clubs only holding ono meeting in (ho year wore tp havo preferential treatment over those holding more. They had expended u considerable amount of moncv in tnakmg their appointments up-to-date, and anyone who had been over the conrso so too. It had been the club's intention for soino time, as soon as they were clear of debt, to dedicate their ouurse to the public for recreation pur. poses, under any terms the public pleased, stipulating only tluvt the club should havo their own rights preserved. Their proparty consisted of 100 acres, purchased at a cost of .£2OOO, of which amount ,£IOOO had been paid off, leaving a balance of ,CIOOO on mortgage at (i per cent. Tim overdraft was £1410, tho, total amount of interest being £189. Over XGOO had' been spent in forming the course and carrvin" out general alterations. In 1903, .il3"0 ivas expended in grandstand buildings, und in 1903 .£lOll in a stewards' stand etc. Mr. Bunny contended that the Com. missioners had gone lx-hiud the law, because the Act had said that those clubs having only one meeting in the yea* should have preference. Mr. Deller recalled that on the occasion of a Ministerial. visit some two or three years ago, great pleasure had been expressed at the club's appointments. . Mr. IT. H. Wallers said tho club had been in existence thirty years, and had always stood out foi cle.'iii apart. Its In. debtedness was guaranteed, and tho appointments would be worth practically nothing if tho iiistructioueiof the commission were complied with. For tho Government to Note. Mr. Buchanan expressed (ho personal opinion that a feature of (he Commissioners report ot which tho Government should take nolo was tho apparent favour shown to the large centres of population, and tho punishment moled out to many of the country districts by' being either deprived o( the totalisalor license altogether or of being in the unfortunate position which had already been ■ described in tho case of tho Tarnlahi-Carterton Club, e.ud which was also tho position of a great many'other country clubs. Tho Minister would admit that tho country districts wore entitled to equal consideration with those in the populous centres, and from certain points of view their consideration should bo greater because tho country pooplo were in touch with horseflesh to an extent which was not tho ca;;o with townspeople. In comparison to (ho townspeople, also, (ho means of social intercourse in the country districts were comparatively rare. Tho deputation was not there'to condemn the reduction of lotalisntor permits. Their business was to point out (heir own individual hardship—which was ono of a great many.' Ho would quota-sonic figures to show the unexplainablo position, taken up by, tho Commission. Last year the Whangarci Racing Club gnvo £130 in stakes, tho Lako .County Club .£IOO, and, tho Tc-Aroha Club .0155, making n'totaH of .£llßs for tho year. The Commissioners recommended that those three clubs should havo tho privilege, of two days' racing. Tho Taratahi-Carterton Club paid .£lfoo in stakes. In other words, tho Taralahi Club gave .£7OO in slakes per day,,as against ,£197 per day of tho three clubs mentioned. He also pointed out that the Act gav* tho Minister the power, after the recommendatious of tho Oom. mission had been given effect to this year, to use his judgment' in amending tho effect of tho report. In tho issue of licenses in the future it would bo in. the power of tho Government to mitigate the effect of the report in tho case of soma of the clubs. Tho Opaki (Masterton) Club, through circumstances beyond their control, had not been ablo to provido themselves with, appointments which tho Commissioners said wero necessary for tho proper conduct of racing, no was not conveying any reflection on the Opaki Club, but ho was simply referring to conditions.which tho Commissioners said wero necessary to tho continued osistenco of that club, and for tho provision of which they had issued a mandate. Taratahi, on tho other hand, had appointments which were admitted by tho uost racing authorities to be exceptional. Now it; was said that tho racing must bo transferred to the club not having tho samo facilities. It seemed, in tho case of tho Masterton Club, to bo a direction to make bricks without straw. Not tho Worst Martyrs.

Tho Minister said he recognised the position of the club, but if they were in the position of martyrs, they wero "not tho worst martyrs by any means." Ho had noticed that in one particular district, which had thirty thousand people, and no other course nearer than 22 milts, three racing club; had been dropped, and ono hunt club left existant. In Wairarapa the position was very much belter. "I hope a fellow-feeling will make you wond'rous kind!" said Mr. Buchanan. (Laughter.)

Mr. Buddo went on to say thac ho sympathised very much with tho Commission in their efforts to arrive nt a decision. They had had to reduce tho number of racing days, and had had a very hard row to boo. Thero was this fact, however: The objections so far had practically all conio from rural districts, and there was a provision in tho Act thai rural districts should have full consideration. It was for the law officers to say whether that provision had been carried out.

"I hope lo bo able to slnlc definitely rhcthor the. report of the Commission ia n conformity to (ho Act, in a few days* ime," concluded the Minister.