RACING COMMISSION’S REPORT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 274, 13 August 1921, Page 8

RACING COMMISSION’S REPORT

HOROWHENUA CLUB’S PROTEST;

Levin, August 11. < i are elv attended meeting was held A. laifiU) _ f or the purpose of in towin- last night for the P j protesting against 11 e P P Racing Commission to cancri tn whenua cing n " ’ -\v ' Matheson) Mayor (Mr. D. resolut ion dieted on Horowhcnua. . The Racing Club and A and - a elu'b lost its permit this woiiia couS picnic and I„ s ci.'b 4 „rt.u«b. community by depriving health an open space conducive to its a ’\U n M‘Leavev traced the history of the elite Its permit had torn withdrawn in 1910 by the commission ! ct -nnlnrr It was restored in 1915, but 1 I ordm’to win the war” was cut out again to 1917. The club got its license 'back in 1919, and had held two The Racing Club nnd A. and P Association bv the issue of JE4500 worth of debentures, taken up by then- member, had now purchased the course and had spent J 12400 in ground improvements and buildings. Now that had been cut out bv a scratch of the pen. The local meetin" was a picnic for local residents who did not go to other races, and it could not be regarded as fostering gambling '"mt C. 11. Martin, president of ths Chamber’ of ' Commerce, and Mr A. MT.eavey. president of the A. and . , Association, supported the 1110(1 Jntter stating the loss of the Racing Club’s co-operation in the purchase o tho ground would mean that the show would not be carried on. Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., said no. doubt members'of Parliament whose districts had gained under the report would support the commission, but there would M verv strong opposition from those who considered their districts had been unjustly treated. He referred to the vicissitudes tho Horowhcnua Club had survived. Which alone entitled it to consecration, instead of being ‘ hit to the boundary” every time it got. its 110:111 above water. On the commission s allocation of permits, they averaged about one to every 3506 persons in the Dornin, ion. The population of tovin was 2000, and there were 3600 more people within a five-milo radius, so that disposed of the commission's argument that the Public were already sufficiently served by the neighbouring clubs. The slogan of the Government was economy, end in the face of this the commission sanctioned heavy expenditure on new raceThe motion was carried with much enthusiasm. , a. _ Air C I Harkness moved a motion reminding tbn Pr’™ Minister of his promise in 1920 to allow the Horowhenua Club two days’ racing annually. The motion was seconded by Mr. v. Blenkhorn and carried. During the meeting a petition protest, ill" against the commission’s action was extensively signed.