RACING PERMITS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 6

RACING PERMITS.

RANGITIKEI'S HARD FATE. COSIMISSION SEVERELY CRITICISED Several members of the Ear.gitikei Racing Club waited last evening upon the Minister for Internal Affairs) the lion. G. W. Kusscll), to ask for a restoration of the totalisator permits which were withdrawn from the club by the Racing Commission of 1911. Mr. K. Nowinan, M.1 , ., in introducing the deputation, said that as tho timo was near when tho Minister would have to decide as to tho distribution of permits, the ]{angitikei Club had decided to lay its position before him. A great injustice had been clone to the club by the Racing Commission, anil by tho saino act a great hardship had been inflicted upon tne residents of the district. Sir. Donald i'raser declared that tho Rangitikei Club, which had existed for over fifty years, was an ideal institution of its kind. Tho Racing Commission, ho contended, had simply given heed to tho loudest clamour without regard to justice. The treatment of Kangitikoi wa3 grossly unjust.' The Rangitikei Club would be perfectly satisfied with its two days' racing. ''Otherwise," said Sfr. Fraser, "let tho survival bo that v of tho fittest. Knock tho totalisator out altogether, and then wo shall eee who can live and who can die." Mr. J. H. Perrett said that a deputation from the club had interviewed tho previous Minister (Mr. Buddo), who had made a sympathetic reply, but stated that nothing could bo done for a year, Tho timo was now at hand when the Minister would deal with permits at his disorction. Tho Commission, Mr. Perrett stated, I visited the Rangitikei course on Sunday, and remained there for only about fifteen minutes. The members were all strangers to tho district, and therefore not in ,1 position to judge of its facilities in a I motor-car. Eangitikci stood fourteenth I in point of importance in the list of Do- [ minion raoing clubs, and sinco. twelve of these clubs raced on five days or moro, Rangitikei was surely entitled to permits for two days' racing. The Commission had granted two days' racing to the Marton Club, and had suggested amalgamation, but the speaker was satisfied that the Bulls people would never assent to this proposal. The towns had very little in common. Altogether the club had spent .£6OOO upon its course, and .since making this outlay had raced upon it only three times.' Then it was "wiped out." At its two meetings in the year, tlio club gave an aggregate sum of .£3IOO in stakes.

Mr. F. Manscll also described in detail tho injustice suffered by the chvb. The Minister in Reply. The Minister made a. sympathetic reply. "I have to thank you," ho said, "for the clear and able way in which you have placed the question More inc. I admit tho difficulties of the position, which liavo been so clearly pointed out by the deputation. I am thankful for ono thine, and that is that the blame in this does not rest upon, the Government. Tho Commission has come to certain cle-' cisions, and I think tho evidence placed before me—independent altogether of tho statement that the Comniission spent only a quarter of an hour dn the district in viewing the property—amply shows that tho decision of that Commission is ono that is entitled to bo dealt with critically. I may say that this matter of totalisator permits has to be dealt with by the Cabinet as a whole. Although nominally this matter will oomo under tho Department of Internal Affaire on July'3l, tlio decision upon an important question of this kind must be that of tho entire Cabinet. My opinion is that if Cabinet does decide that tho question of totalisntor permits is to bo reviewed, there can bo no doubt—from tho facts that hnvo been laid before me—that your ease must be entitled to very careful consideration. I think that the fact that you have had races upon your course from tho year in which I was born, 1854, is quito enough, to ground a strong ca6o upon. Thirty years ago I was quite nwaTo of tho quality'of horses that Bangitikei was famed for, and I have nevpr seen on any other course horses driven in buggies and used as hacks that could compare with the horses that I saw on tho Hangitikei course thirty years ngo. ... I am 6OTT.V, gentlemen, that I cannot give you a decisivo answer to your request now. All that I can tell you is that the facts you have advanced will be laid before Cabinet. If Cabinet reopens tho question, Hangitikei will be entitled to_ have careful consideration given to it. So far as the administration of the totalisator law in futuro is concerned, I hope you will get over your financial troubles. . . If tho recent Commission had given you an opportunity of placing before it the very cogent facts that you have so clearly placed before mo to-night, I feel that they must have felt that a very great injustice would bo dono by taking away your perMr. Newman thanked the Minister for his sympathetic reception of the deputation, "and for the remarks that he had made.