WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

ROYALTY AND RACING

TROTTING OUTWITS GALLOPING

(Special to “ Guardian.”)

WELLINGTON, January 18

A story whs telegraphed to one of the local papers from Christchurch yesterday implying that the Government displayed: a distinct preference for the harness sport in facilitating the arrangements made by the New Brighton Trotting (Tub to hold a two days’ meeting at Addington during the stay of the Duke and Duchess of York in toe Cathedral City. “The tangle in regard to the proposed race meeting to entertain the Duke and Duchess of York during their visit to Christchurch and for which' the Government refused a special totalisator permit,” the story runs, “ has been further complicated by the receipt of a telegram from the of Internal Affairs to the Royal Reception Committee refusing to agree to the last arrangement. The Canterbury Jockey Club agreed to change the date of their summer meeting from February 19th to March loth, hut the Minister states that the Government cannot agree to the change. He adds that he proposes to agree to the alterations of the New' Brighton Trotting Club’s dates from March 17th and 19th to March 12th irrespective of whether His Royal Highness attends the meeting or not, a matter which it appears to the Government must be left to His Royal Highness to decide after his arrival. It is practically certain that there will he a trotting meeting at Addington for the occasion.” This story has conveyed to many people the idea that the .Minister of Internal Affairs has gone out of his way to favour the New Brighton Trotting Club at the expense of the Canterbury Jockey ( lub. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS.

AVlic/i his attention was drawn to the story this morning, the Hon. R. F. Bollard, protested that it flagrantly misrepresented the position. It was not true that the Government had refused to alter the date of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Summer Meeting from February 19th to March 15th in order that the Duke and Duchess of Y’ork might be entertained at Riccnrton. The dates of meetings were fixed by the Racing Conference and it was for the same authority to alter them. He shod explained this to the representatives of the Canterbury Jockey Club and had suggested to them that they should put their case to the Conference and abide by its decision. IF it were favourable, as it doubtless would be. be would be glad to facilitate the club’s arrangements. To this he received no reply and when the Now Brighton Trotting Club, having obtained permission from the Trotting Conference. with the npproval of the Timaru Trotting Club, to change its dates from March 17th and 19th to March 12th and loth, so as to bring the meeting within the visit of the Duke and Duchess, he agreed to allow the club to race at Addington. He explained clearly that it would be for the Duke himself to decide whether or not ho attended the meeting. The Government was not including it in the official programme. The Minister hoped his explanation would dispel the suggestion of improper preference. His duty was to administer the law as it stood and lie had done this to the best, of hi ability. . IMMIGRATION.

Mi- ‘ster.i nl-6 being assailed on all hands just now concerning the influx of assisted immigrants “ to the detriment.' 1 as one complainant puts it, “of hones; native born workers, who are being pushed out of employment by the new arrivals.” That the position is becoming serious may be judged from the protests that are appearing in the newspapers. “ 1 have lately returned from ••. visit ranging from Auckland to Wha. n <arei ami theme south to Rotorua through the Waikato and then on to Napier.” one correspondent writes, “ and the signs to me are evident of a severe depression, intensifying ns the winter advances. Is it fair to the people of this country to crowd them out of employment by arrivals from the Old Land? Does it not mean that when the winter comes on us, we shall have thousands of unemployed, who will have to tip kept by creating work for them to be- paid for by tbc already over-burdened taxpayers and ratepayers?” This authority— and locally he is known to he an authority—contends that shortly the Dominion will he “ up against a very serious problem of unemployment ” and that tbc position will be greatly aggravated by tbe presence of a large array of unskilled workers brought out from the Old Count rv.

THE OFFICIAL VIEW. Officially the Immigration Department makes light of the complaints which, it says, are continually appearing in the newspapers in regard to idle hands and straitened circumstances; hut it is compelled to admit the presence of large numhers of unemployed in the country, and the difficulty of placing cither men or women arriving from overseas without friends to assist them or a skilled trade to follow. The published figures do not nearly represent the full magnitude of the trouble, quite a number of worthy people Oiesitating to reveal their true position; but even ,tho published figures make it Clear that in the very busiest season of the. year many hundreds of men are out of employment apparently through no fault of their own. The Minister in Charge of Immigration is doing all that is possible from his point of view to reljeve tlbe accumulating distress, but what he can do without tho cooperation of private enterprise will not affect any permanent alleviation of the sufferers’ difficulties. How far assisted immigration is affecting the position is a problem calling aloud for investi gntion.