The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1895. A BLOW AT THE FEILDING JOCKEY CLUB.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 68, 17 September 1895, Page 2

The Feilding Star, Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1895. A BLOW AT THE FEILDING JOCKEY CLUB.

I It will be remembered by our readers , that there was some probability that a " totalisator day " would be taken from the Feilding Jockey Club, to enable the Asburst Club to have one. Since then the N.Z. Referee has come to band and we learn from the Wellington correspondent of that journal ' that letters on the question have passed between the Secretary of the Racing Conference, Mr F. D. Luckie, Mr H . M. Lyon, the Colonial Secretary, and Captain Russell. Mr Luckie says that unless the districts affected i can show strong reasons why permits should not be granted to the Ashurst, Pahiatua, and Town and Suburban r Racing Clubs, the Government are determined to allow them to use the totalisator. In fact it appears, reasons or no reasons, promises have been made to these Clubs and the licenses will be granted. In reply to Captain '- Russell's letter the Colonial Secretary 1 has written to the effect :— " That : representations have been made to me respecting the omission f rom tbe list of the Clubs mentioned, I should feel obliged if tbe matter could be recou-

sidered with a view of allowing these Clubs permission to apply for a totalisator license during the year 1895-96." Our contemporary considers the action ot the Colonial Secretary in this matter, overriding as it does such an important and representative body as the Racing Conference, cannot be regarded as anything but unfortunate to everybody having the welfare of the sport at heart. Of course in certain quarters it caused no surprise, and the reference to trotting clubs in the Conference Secretary's letter shows with what uncertainty the Colonial Secretary's actions are regarded. No such intimation should have gone forth after the meetings for the Wellington district had been allotted, and some programmes already approved. As to the Colonial Secretary's feeling obliged to the Conference, I have strong reasons to believe that unless the meetings mentioned were approved no permits of any kind would be granted."