RACING PERMITS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 6, 2 October 1920, Page 6

RACING PERMITS

NEED FOR RE-ALLOCATION

REMARKS BY THE MINISTER

A deputation representing the Pahiatua Kacmg Club was introduced to the Minuster of Internal Affairs (Mr. Anderson) yesterday by Mr. A. M'Niool, M.P. It asked that an additional pwrmit should be given to the club. The members of W' 6 deputation, Messrs. M'Cardlcs M Sherry, M'Donald, and Tinney, pointed out that tbie Pahiatua Club was serving a \yry large district, and had ' incurred heavy financial responsibilities in tho improvement of its course and appointments, yet it had only one day, while AVoodville, the centre of a less populous district, had two meetings of two days each. Palmerston had five doys, Feilding fciad four days, and Foxton had two days. The Pahiatua people considered that th[;y' were bring unfairly treated in comparison to other districts. The -Minister, in reply, stated that lie had received between forty and fifty applications for additional wrniits. Some of the applications came from new districts. Mr. Hunter's Gaming Amendment Hill proposed that thirty-eight extra permits sho-uld be issued, and if this Bill got. through. Parliament there would still be some applications be refused. He recognised that Hie present allocation of permits was not. fair. He made it clear to both the conferences before the end of the racing year that they ought to redistribute the permits, and if tlicy had done that the mo\7i would have been in the interests of racing. But nothing had ibeen done, and now Mr, Hunter had brought down his Bill. If tliei Legislature decided to increase th>; number of permits as proposed in this Bill, the claim of Pahiauta would be considered with the other claims. Parallel eases could be found in pach island. The Minister added that he had in mind tho appointment of a commission during the recess if Mr. Hunter's Bill did not pass. Tho distribution of permits was so unfair throughout New Zealand that something would have to be. done to rectify it, but there could bo no interference with existing arrangements during tho present racing year. If the Bill ppsff.'d lie would see that the claim of Pahatna to an additional day received fair consideration. lie thought that probably a commission would be required to allot thi> extra permits if the Bill passed since ho did not. feel competent to undertake the task. He could assure the deputation that Pahiatua would get a fair run.