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Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1920, Page 2

A definite proposal is afoot by the New Zealand County Racing Club’s Association to have the vexed question ot totalise tor business settled on a more lavollruble basis to the country districts. To this end a Bill is being pro united and will be presented to Parliament having for its object the increase in the number of totalisator licenses from 281 —at present to 3711, an increase of 92 licenses for single days. The proposal is to increase the permits so that some will be available for new., country clubs where the population has increased, to increase the permits for Trotting Clubs, to restore to County Clubs the dajs lost by “the hysterical ' legislation of 1910,” and grant the eight Hunt Clubs yearly permits instead of every second year as heretofore. At present there are 250. days for racing clubs and 31 days for trotting, clubs. Of the proposed increase of 92 licenses, -a number of days are proposed to be allocated to the racing trotting or Hunt Clubs which lost days in 1910, which' would mean if the proposal is'enacted that the \Vest_ land, Reef top, and Kumara Clubs which lost a day each, would be entitled to have samp restored. Of the days it is* proposed to grant a Commission is provided for ho determine the allocation of samp, 3s to ho for now clubs where population has increased substantially since 1910 and 54 days in respect to clubs which lost days in 1910. A wide order of reference to the proposed Commission is intended so as to give all districts reasonable consideration. In this connection, new Clubs, "'lieflier racing or trotting, which propose to race on one day only will have a special preference; so also will Hunt Clubs, 'and generally the idea, appears to be to give the country districts a square deal. The Bill will come before a conference of Country Club delegates at Wellington on the 13th prox. and thereafter tbe delegates as a whole will wait on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal -Affairs to discuss? the requirements of the racing community. The bill will open up the whole question of racing, and there is sure to be, a strong measure of .opposition to it., The Bili, however, wfll not affect the large centres, but only c.ountry districts where 'the people show a desire to indulge in the sport of racing a s . a pastime, and to that extent the proposal seems very fair and reasonable.