COUNTRY RACING CLUBS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1182, 18 July 1911, Page 6

COUNTRY RACING CLUBS.

' GRIEVANCES STATED. REPLY BY SIR JAMES CARROLL. ' ' "WE CANNOT STULTIFY OUB- . .. ~ SELVES";'■■•_.,, A< deputation representing the Country Earing Clubs of tho Dominion yesterday interviewed tho Acting-Prime Minister (Sir James Carroll) regarding tho position of theso clubs in view of-the report of tho Eaciiig Commission. The Hon. D. Buddo •was. also present. Mr.' W. T. Jennings, M.P., who introduced tho deputation, said that it was representative of almost all tho country racing clubs in New Zealand. Mr. Bruce (Thames), chairman of tho Conference of Country Racing Clubs, went fully into the legislation under which the Uaoirig Commission had been set up.- At the-.conferonco of country clubs on oatnr-. day night it had been decided to a*k the Government to introduce a Bill to have the real intention of Parliament carried out,-vi2., tho giving of "preference to jlubs , having only a one-day meeting n year. Fifteen of theso dubs hod beciv wiped out by the commission, which, was contrary to the desire of the House when tho legislation was boforo it , . Mr.- , Jennings told the Minister that he had'-the assurance of between 30 and JO members of Parliament that they would support somo measure to give justice to those one-day meetings which had been wiped out. 'During his twenty years of Parliamentary ..experience ho had never .found.'nocli strong feelings of. resentment t£ at "present existed. "It Would Have Been Belter." Mr. W. H. Field, M.1 , ., said that the 'Act was a mistake so far as the commission was concerned. It would have been better to leave matters to adjust themselves in the future through the natural increase in population, and allow no new racing permits to bo issued. The commission wus-also a. mistako in respect to its personnel. It would have been bet-, ter, instead of a. commission, to have had Mine disinterested person such as a nihgia. trate. -He was prepared to go to almost iiny lengths in a legal way to have tho lountry clubs reinstated. Mr. M'Carthy, representing, the . Ash : . hurst Cliib', suid that Palmerston. North,' retaining a , monopoly of' five days, WoodVillo four days, and Ashhurst being passed out entirely with their one day, was une of the most high-handed pieces of bnsiness ever perpetrated in tho Dominion. Mr. D. J. Evans, representing the West Coast clubs (South Island), said that his district had been given the worst treatment of any. Out of 18 days they had lost five'; and four out of five clubs had be«n affected. Other speakorg voiced the grievances of Various country clubs. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. THE CLUBS' OWN FAULT. The Acting-Prime Minister said ha had •nothing to set oil' against tho complaints of tho deputation. Stall, it was as well to get away from the immediate point of. hurt, And look at the question as it had agitated the public mind until the matter had culminated in legislation. There had 'been a general outcry of to.o much racing. Not that tho number of rotalisitnr permits had increased, but clubs which.had formerly a pcmiit to race one or two days, had,_ as time went on, stretched the authority of that permit to cover three or four days'- racing, and a note of alarm had been struck in the. public mind. Then feeling hud grown so intense.that Parliament had had to deal with the matter by legislation. Up to that period those interested in racing did not carp, for the dangers threatening the sport. They had, in fact, acquiesced with public opinion by their silence. As Ion? as thoy were wfc in the enjoyment of their privileges they did not caro what was going on. Oil many occasions' he (Sir James Carroll) had warned his sporting friends of the. imminence of disaster. Then,, in the House, on many occasions,, when ■•'the gambling questions had come to the fore, tho most ardent supporters of sport had not felt it convenient for them to face the situation. They were generally discussing other questions .'in the 'lobby. There had always been a shirking of the question right along. Now they realised the position. "I havo had to"fi«lit for years for tho retention of the totalisator," said Sir James Carroll, "and my difficnlt.v has been ; to get others to come out into the open.". There was always some terrible over-hanging fear that there was a kind of impropriety attached to personal action in regard to any solution or Bill that was introduced.'into the. Houfeon the subject. Tho sports should havo taken up a stand Ion? • ago, and there would have Ijeen a solid wall behind which a large percentage of public opinion could havo .sheltered, no had taken no part in-it, bceauso of the views ho had publicly expressed ha was at a djseonnt. But he did not mind that. Ho had left it to other members to do what they wonld. Ho certainly did say he would voto for tho retention of tho totalisator, bnt ho was quito prepared to submit to the will of tho majority. Ho had thought there-wero other ways.of putting .racing under control foV.the general good and advantage of the community. But it was tho will of Parliament that the Commission should bo set up. *

The "Preference" Clause. He well remembered tho discussion on tho preference to country clubs of oneday permits, and the feeling certainly was that they should have some special consideration. As to the personnel of the Commission, tho Government had thought that matter out very deliberalively. The appointments - were not made at haphazard. Ho believed that at tho time tho Commissioners were appointed none of tho deputation would have obioc'.cd to any of them. They were representative of tho whole of tho Dominion and of racing. Sir George Clifford' had Wen chairman ot tho Racing Conference* for many years, and it. was surely recognised that "he held tho oonnuonco of sporting circles. As to Sir Georgo CHITordV views on and attitude towards racing matters, the Minister did not far a moment venture to make any comment; but if feeliii" could bo gauged by the altitude of the'Eaciii" Conference towards him, then ho held the confidence of tlu> sporting world. "We only discover objections to tho personnel ot Commissions," said the Minister i " V'° shlJ) ' t!l ° results of their work. Ho was glad the matter of tho complaints had como up and in. their acnto form, for he had long boon tryin" to impress tho sporting minds that thero wore dangers; but there had never bren a responsive note. It was, only 'when tho matter canio home to them like this that there was any spirit at all displayed. It was necessary to rely .upon publ'ic opinion in any grc-nt movement nffectiii<» public interest, and the fact that, they had a grievnnco which had stirred them into action may have a good effect in (Ji o end.

The Question of Appeal. There was no provision in the Act for a Court of Appeal. It would'have been wise, perhaps, if there had Iwn. But the pnbiic mind had been so taught .to look upon the Government with suspicion that they vould not be entrusted with any responsibility of any kind. Tho idea of the Commission was- to take. Hie matter out of the hands of the Government and place it in the hands of an independant body. Parliament and people were quite satisfied at this, and never thought that.the finding of the Commission might L>o unsatisfactory. In View of this fact, there were no .provisions for a. Court of Appeal. The Government were: clear'of tho matter except for the appointment of the commission and its personnel. Now that tho report—not universally approved—had' enmp in, what were they to.do? They could not stultify themselves. An Act had been pas-ed to reduce tho days of racing, and they could not now jo tn Parliament and say they wanted another Bill passed to destroy the work of tho commission or hang it up! No Government would do that. But any private member could take action, and ho would be afforded every opportunity of a fair discussion. (Hear, hear.) This was a public question. (Hear, hear.) Would Try Conciliation. He was prepared to assist them by secing Sir George Clifford and discuss tho matter with him. Sir George was tho head of the Hating Conference now sit-

ling, and the Minister would interview him officially. If anything could bo doiio by conciliatory methods so much tho bettor. This could only bo done by discussion and investigation. Ho believed that there could bo arrangements between neighbouring clubs in the way of reKeying each other or alternately fillm;,' tho bill in the interregnum. Ho would go over all tho grounds discussed by, the commission .with Sir George Clifiord. Personally he did not think there was a day too much racing. There vrero not. too many meetings at the time the Act was pjissed fixing tho number, of totalizator permits, and, since then, the population had increased. A large number (it new centres, aiso, had sprung uji. Ino reduction of permits v.-ould not cure he disease. (Hear, hear.). What was wanted was regulation and control, and the removal .of those vices which attached themselves to the sport. Country clubs were entitled to a due consideration. Wo wore not like Australia, whero there wns congestion of the population in (no centres. Personally, said Sir James Carroll, he had incurred about as much odium n.i any public man by his connection with turf 'matters and his expression ot his views thereon. Ho agreed with Mr. lield that there should havo been some provision for- appeal-there, was no question i about that. What had satisfied the House, however,, was that the result of the report would work effectively for twelve months.