RACING COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1921, Page 1

RACING COMMISSION

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION’]

CHRISTCHURCH, -March 9

Mr L. M. Isitt, speaking before the Racing Commission, begged the commission to take away permits from large centres. Racing meetings were actually a- curse in Christchurch. If they went round to a number of the large firms they would find the heads of these concerns were seriously of the opinion that the number of racing days was a financial detriment. Within one fortnight £1,300.000 was spent in gambling in Christchurch and Auckland. Did the commission think that a healthy state of affairs? Did they think it for the economic good of the people to give another 50 permits to make up any manifest lack here might be in racing facilities. Mr Earl said the commission had not lost sight, of the economic aspect. Most of what Mr Isitt bad said bad been fully appreciated by the commission before coming to Christchurch. The Rev. J. J. North said racing clubs bad committed a public indecency in asking more permits. The country was suffering from a sharp slump. Yet there was a demand for the worst form of extravagance. The existence of the commission itself was extravagant. As a taxpayer and a citizen he suggested the cost of it should he levied against the clubs that clamoured to it, and not against the throats of poor people. There was something grasping in tlie demand for more permits, synchronising with the suppression of the bookmaker. The bookmaker bad been suppressed through anti-gambling sentiment in the country. Now the clubdemanded an extension of their monopoly. which was really tor the benefit of rich men’s stables. The bookmakers were not. suppressed that clubs might grow fat. The racing authorities refused to recognise as a primal fact that

’-.ere must he a huge reduction of extravagance. They seemed to aim at an indefinite extension. He referred to the “staggering'’ increase in the totalise toi’ turnover, and submitted that any increase in permits would be against the best interest of the country. He contended Christchurch was stricken with over racing, and flic least tiling the commission could do was to suppress two clubs. The obliteration of the racing revenue from the Government balance sheet would he an economical and a most wholesome thing. Any proposal to increase permits without sanction of Parliament would be liitterlv resented.

Mr R. W. Hhallcrass (secretary of tExports’ Protection League) said the league hoped that additional permits would lie graned. The league would make further representations to ' the commission, if necessary.

The commission then adjourned