A RACING PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1494, 17 July 1912, Page 2

A RACING PROBLEM

DISTRIBUTION OF PERMITS. CABINET'S DECISIONMARTON AND RANGITIKEI CLUBS. Unlike most country racing clubs the Marlon .Jockey Club had lhe..uunibor...of. its racing days doubled by the Racing CommisMon instead of having them reduced. Formerly it enjoyed permits for two days' racing. The Racing Commission granted it permits for four days. Last evening a deputation from the club waited upon the Hon. W. F. Mn><ey (Prime Minister) to ask that the club should be allowed b retain its four days. The deputation, introduced by Mr. E. Newman, M.P., consi-lod of Messrs. F. li. 11. Brice, S. J. Gibbons. -A. Way, and Dr. Bennett. Mr. J.' Georgeili attended on. behalf of residents along the Main Trunk lino, and presented a petition signed by so:ne fiOO residents of lluuterfille, Taiimarunui. and intervening places asking that the Marlon Club >houhlbe left in po.-ses-ion of its present privileges. In support of the application Mr. Georgetti stated that there was no other course between Taumaruiini and Marlon and that the latter was so handily placed that the Main Trunk rattlers whom he represented were enabled to attend it with a minimum-of inconvenience and loss of time. Mr. Mnssoy asked whan the Marlon Club had first been granted permits for four days' racing. Mr. Georgetti said that the club had been granted permits for a two-day spring meMing during the last 30 years. The Racing Commission had granted the club two additional davs. Mr. F. R. It. Brice said that the Marton Club had a splendidly central position. Lately J/2000 had been spent on' new totalisator accommodation. Stakes had been increased and the Club now offered .£I3OO in stakes at its spring meeting and .C2OOO at its summer meeting. The club entered for hunt club races. The totalisator returns at. the last, meeting had amounted to something like- <£2G,ft!)o.' In the hist five yrars stakes offered by the club had increased. from . .£750 to ',£ISOO. The Marlon Club ( liatl members all along the lino as far as iTaumaninui. . , • ' Mr. S. J. Gibbons said that the Marlon Club was not in any way antagonistic to the Rangitikei Club. The Marton Club had _ offered to amalgamate with Rangitikei, and take over its liabilities after realisation of .its assets. Dr. Bennett said that the large attendance at the late summer meeting had made it. necessary for the Martou Club tx>'increase its accommodation. • Mr. A. Way said that the Marton Club paid an annual donation to the Rangitikei hunt. The club held a freehold of i) 5 acres, and had expended large sums iu improvements. 'Mr. Newman said that both the Marton and Rangitikei Clubs.had good cases. On being given tho extra days, the Marfan Club had spent a large amount of money, arid if the extra days, were taken away a hardship would be inflicted on it. 'He suggested that a way out of. the difficulty would be found if days were, taken, away from the bigger clubs mid given to country clubs. Tho Prime Minister said that Mr. Newman had been strictly fair and impartial in dealing 'with, the two clubs in his district. In .receiving - this . deputation, he (Mr. Mas-soy) was acting on behalf of Mr. Bell, who. alone (as Minister for Internal Affairs), hud power to deal with racing matter?.. Mr. Bell had asked him to say that he had gone fully into the matter, and had recommended to Cabinet that the Rangitikei Racing Club should be re-established, and should be given permits for two days. One day would lie taken from the Marton Cllub, leaving it with three days and the other day would 1)0 taken from one of the-metro-politan- clubs. These recommendations, the Prime "Minister added; had been agreed to by Cabinet. ■ It had ■ been mentioned, Mr.'Massey continued, that, two of the days ■ granted to the -Marton-'Club were redll.V'hunt club-days, •file did-not expect to introduce any racing'leßislation during the coming session, but. later on hopeibtb bring- -down proposals "under iyhich •hiint , "'clubsi''kwould.'be given one day's 'racing' in each!year.■ .'When this .had.beeh dono;it -wotild place.' Marton in the position-which it'at present' occupied, inasmuch as the Hunt Club would be able' to get one day's racing.' " He hoped that they would see that Mr. Bell and the Cabinet had done their best to bo strictly fair to both clubs (Rangitikei and Marton). Mr. Massey concluded with the remark that under the existing law" the total number of permits was restricted to 25(1. and could not be increased. •■•■'.,■• '• Mr. Georgetti said that, he hoped.the. day taken from.Miirton w'ould not. be one of the -summer it]ec(ing'day.s. .' Country settlers would feel the. deprivation less if one of the soring days were taken.: It was pointed, out that this was a matter for the Dates Committee of the Racing Conference. Mr. Gibbons "xoresscd the opinion that both the Rangitikei. tind Marlon- Gliibs. would he satisfied, with the decision at which.Cabinet had arrived,