TROTTING

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 245, 10 July 1920, Page 8

TROTTING

1 I WELLINGTON UNDER INJUSTICE APPEAL FOR MORE DAYS A request for an increased number of totalizator permits was made by a largo deputation from the Wellington Trotting Club to the -Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr. G. J. Anderson) yesterday. The deputation was introduced by Mr. J. 1\ Luke, M.P., who said that although he could not be classed as a racing enthusiast, lie hoped that Wellington, which i had only one permit for trotting, as against ele.'cn held by Auckland, and ■ seventeen by Christchurch, would rcceivo justice. Mr. E. L. Itiddiford put the easo for tho club. He pointed out that once Wellington had eight days of trotting. This | number was allowed to fall to two owing to tho difficulties of the club in the pioneer times of tho sport, and in 1910, , in the redistribution and reduction of permits, tho number was reduced to one. He pointed out. that tho club had ! now a good ground, with up-to-dato ap- ; pointments, and that it provided quite . a generous programme, attracting to tho . meeting some of the best, horses in the country. Ho mentioned tho great (lis- ; parity in the comparison of Wellington with the other main centres, already re- • ferred to by Mr. Luke, and said that . Wellington, tho capital city of tho Dominion, was placed 011 the same footing i as Greytwn, Nelson, Blenheim, Gore, and Oamaru. The Minister, in his reply, said that 1 so long as he held his present position, 1 his aim would be to protect sport. At the same time it must, be recognised that ' there was a very strong feeling in tho t country outside sporting circles that I gambling had,increased very piuch. This had been proved by the figures quoted by the deputation for another purpose. That was a thing that had to bo taken into consideration. He was perfectly satisfied that had- proper supervision been exercised over hotels, there would not now be the strong demand for prohibition. So now, if tho racing clubs who had been to see hira in the past few weeks and the other clubs in the country <*id not take care there would be a general demand for the reduction of racing as there had been in 1910. • These were his own personal opinions. He did not wish to see racing injured. Ho wished to protect racing. If Wellington club were the only club in the country with good claims to consideration, ho would find it ' an easy matter to provide for this by redistribution of permits. He did not think that at present tho distribution of the peruvjis was satisfactory. After cunsultatfon with men interested in racing, men who owned horses, he had come to tho conclusion that both the Racing Conference and the Trotting Conference should make a redistribution of racing' days. These gentlemen; shared his fears about any proposal to increase the number of days of racing. It happened that the Government would have to introduce a racing Bill this session, in order to legalise the granting of permits for specinl meetings hold cn the occasions of the visits of the Prince of "Wales and Lord Jellicoe. He could not say whether anything else would be done in the Bill, but he did think that the conferonces should set their houses in order, otherwise there would be a demonstration against racing such as there had been in 1910. Parliament would mako things, much easier for him if unlimited authority were given for an increaso in the number of days of racing. Mr. Armstrong: We don't ask for tlmt. Anderson said that in ( this caso they should consider where the business was to stop. Ho had in hand soino thirty or forty applications for permits, and no one present would surely ask him to increase the number of permits by this amount. Mr. Armstrong: If they are necessary they should bo given. Mr. Anderson said that in that case the increase would have to go on to unlimited numbers. New districts would bo springing up nil over tho country, and they, too, would bo asking for permits. The conference would Jinve to gel down to a redistribution of permits. It was obviously absurd that a city like ■Wellington should have only one day of trotting in view of the number allotted to other towns of less importance. If an increase was to bo made in the days nf racing, he could assure the deputation Hint justice would be 'lone to Welling ton. but he thought that before anj increase was asked for there should be a proper distribution of the days available. If (iftor that was done there ■ si ould be an insufficient number of days, then they could go to Parliament and ask for the increase. But how could an increase be claimed until all the four cities wero put on something _ liko 3D even footing in,regard to trotting? Mr. Armstrong: We don't say that there are too many days in Christchurch. : Mr. Anderson said that lie would repeat his warning that if the proposal was that the number of days should bo increased by a large amount, there would soon be apparent a sufficient forco in this country to compel any Government to put a check on gambling, ospecial.v under the conditions existing tc-day. ne hoped to bo ftble to seo justice done to Wellington, whether it was to bo by increase in tho number of days or by redistribution. Mr. Luke said .that Parliament was superior to the Racing Conference, and whether the conference came to a settlement or not. the Government ought to see that the Wellingon Club bad justice. Tho Minister said that lie could not discuss that matter at the moment. lirst and foremcst he minted to see the racing authorities do their duty. _ Mr. Riddiford, thanking the Minister for having received the deputation, said that it was not the desire of the Wellington. Clnb to tak* days.away from anybody, but they; did desire to, lave the increase in their own days to v hich they considered they were entitlea.