RACING COMMISSION

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1921, Page 4

RACING COMMISSION

FINAL SITTING. v . , , , 1 EVIDENCE FROM DIFFERENT i VIEWPOINTS. i .» j. rrc, . ( The ,Racii)g Commission met in Wel- j lingtpn on Saturday, spates the “Post” to take the final evidence of the inquiry prior to drawing up its report. Thp members of fbe Commission are: — Messrs .p. Ear), K.C. (chairman), AV. fi. S. ijloorhpuse, W. E. Bidwill, J. F.j Williamsjand S. Rice. , Tlie. Rev Dr Pinfold, who was the first witness called, said he had been appointed to give, evidence by the follotyjng bodies: —Wellington Methodist Churph Synqd, the Public Morals and Temperance Committee of the Methodist Chqych of New Zealand, the Methodist Conference held in Auckland in j'pbrynry. and, by the Young People’s Society of Christian Endeavour Union. Wellington provincial district. Witness read a series of resolutions passed by the bodies mentioned protesting against any proposal to intensify the gambling evil in this country by increasing the number of racing permits, especially at a lime when the country was passing through, a period of financial stringency, and when public leaders were urging thrift and economy. To in- 1 crease gambling at present could only be regarded as a public scandal. The organisations he had mentioned were opposed to multiplying the means of legalised gambling. “From our standpoint,” continued Dr Pinfold, “we regard gambling connected with race meetings as an evil in the community. We believe that the recommendation of the Commission should be to decrease, and not to increase, anything that is hurtful to the community. The Government has admitted that racing develops the gambling spirit, and so has Parliament. This is true, because Parliament lias sought to minimise the evils of gambling by legislating that hookmaking is illegal. By its action the Government admits that it regards tlie surroundings of racing as hurtful to the body politic. We, therefore, trust that the finding of the Commission will be that to increase the number of racing permits will be to intensify an evil that is already thriving amongsteus. NO GENERAL DESIRE FOR INCREASED PERMITS.

“I should like-to point out that the desire for such increase of permits did not arise among the _citizens generally; and I wish to emphasise that fact very much. We have never heard of any largely-attended meetings of/the people of our country having been publicly convened asking for this suggested increase. Nor have I heard of any largely-signed petition being sent to Parliament praying for an increase. On the other hand, records have appeared in the Press of resolutions having been passed against any increase of permits. “The requests for an increased number of permits,” remarked Dr Pinfold, “have come from an interested portion of the racing fraternity itself.” In view of these facts, lie pleaded that the Commission, in the interests of the many rather than of the few, would bring in a finding against any increase. Dr Pinfold said that an increase in tho number of race meetings would mean an increase in the amount of drunkenness. If something must be done, it was desired by those lie represented that there should be a redistribution, rather than an increase, in the number of permits. AN ALLEGATION AND DENIAL.

Tlie Chairman: Have you ever attended a race meeting?

|)r Pinfold: 1 have been not exactly at the meetings, but I have been round about to see what is going on. As a student of human nature, one likes to see it everywhere.

The Chairman: Your remarks suggested that there is a large amount of drunkenness on racecourses. That is absolutely not true. If you bad ever attended a meeting at Ellerslie you would' know that that is not correct.

Dr Pinfold : I have tieen lots of people in the trains between Ellerslie and Auckland, and I have seen numbers of persons the worse for drink. The Chairman: Everybody who attends racecourses knows that it is rather an exception to see a drunken man on a racecourse.

Dr Pinfold: I wish I could think so. The Chairman : I can assure you that that is the case.

Dr Pinfold reiterated bis statement with respect to having seen numbers ol persons the;worse for drink. SPORTS PROTECTION. Mr R. W. Slinllcrass, general secretary of the New Zealand Sports Protection League, said that the organisation represented all branches of legitimate sport and legitimate recreation, including racing and trotting. Not only did the league represent the clubs, but also the mass of the people, which desired to iiav.e the usual privileges and liberties of sportsmen without undue restrictive legislation. The league had a very large membership throughout the Dominion. He bad been instructed to say that if, as a result of its inquiries, the Commission considered that an increase in permit®, was, required, the Commission should not hesitate to make a recommendation accordingly. The legislation of last session provided that the Commission might do so. “There are a number of reasons,” said witness, “why the Commission should recommend an increase. There is n strong public demand, as shown bj the voting on the second, reading of the Bill providing thirty-eight additional licenses, when introduced by Sir George Hunter. In . three , djvisions on the second reading, the opponents of the

Bill wore defeated as follows 36 to 14, 35 to 13, 31 to 14.” Most of. the members who did not vote had paired for and against the measure lor the Bill, including the Prime Minister, who paired with Mr Luke against.

REASONS FOR INCREASE IN PERMITS.

Mr Shallcrass gave a.s another reason for an increase of . permits the large increase in the population in certain districts. Additional permits were also required to meet the needs of clubs with only one day’s racing in a year. There were fifjty of,sqcfi,clubs. The principal reaspn for,an increase .was to meet, the requirements of trotting in the North Island. Ho pointed out the value of the ,trotting horse for other purposes than, that of sport. The great popularity of the sport was also dwelt on. The league did not think that the demand could bo met by redistribution of ■

licenses without injustice to clubs and harm to racing, and would be very sorry if any drastic system of redistribution were attempted. He pointed out that last season the amount of revenue derived from racing amounted to £441,449 All that money went into the Consolidated Fund. AA’bilc not admitting the justice of extracting snob a large sum in the way of distinctive taxation from the sporting section of the community, he had no doubt that the Minister of Finance in these times of stringency welcomed such a substantial addition to the revenue. • > MORAL ASPECT.

The Commission had been addressed in various centres on what might be termed the moral aspect of racing. There were sure to be differences of opinion on that point, and no doubt there always would be. The view of the league was that that aspect cf the question had nothing to do with the Commission. There was nothing which the Commission could do, say, or recommend which could in any way help to settle that particular point, oven if it were within their province.

Mr John Laughton, attendance officer of the Wellington Education Board, said that his experience showed him that an increase in the number of race meetings would have a detrimental effect on the rising generation of this country. He then referred to the numbers of young boys who were employed either as apprentices or in other ways about racing establishments.

The chairman said that matter was outside the scope of the Commission’s

inquiry. TROTTING MEETINGS

Mr Louis Cohen, representing the Trotting Conference, gave evidence- in support of encouragement being given to sport generally. He maintained that racing as now conducted throughout the Dominion made for good citizenship. In no other part of the world was trotting better conducted than it was in New Zealand. He denied Dr Pinfokl’s assertion with respect to drunkenness.

Air T. H. Davey, stipendiary steward of the Trotting Conference, contended that drunkenness at race meetings was infinitessimal. Trotting was non an absolutely clean sport. Witness also dwelt upon the improvement in the breed of horses brought about by the encouragement of keeping the best trotting strains. In announcing that the Commission had now concluded the taking of evidence, the chairman said that, in drawing up its report, the most careful consideration would be given to the representations which had been made by all parties—not excepting that which Dr Pinfold represented.