COUNTRY RACING CLUBS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 July 1932, Page 2

COUNTRY RACING CLUBS

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Th© annual report of the president (Mr I). J. EVans) on behalf of the executive of the New Zealand Country Racing Clubs’ Association, to be preselited at to-night’s annual meeting, at Wellington, traverses the Work of the year anj stresses the urgent 11 ed for some practical relief to .enable the country clubs, to continue in operation. The question of rlicensing bookmakers is firmly opposed as being a hindrance rather than a help to the smaller clubs. The pre ident describes -support for this measure as a dangerous leap in the dark.

The executive, the repo it- states, following its appointment at the annual meeting in 1931, has endeavoured to maintain the wants cf . the country clubs before the proper authorities. Following the annual meeting last year, the executive as a deputation met the Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs, being introduced by Mr K. F l . ttealy, M.P. Four speakers cli behalf of the deputation reviewed the position and the plight into Which several of ,tile country ciuFs were drifting, and put forward the resolutions of die annual fine fiiig for the consideration of the Government, The Ministerial reply was to the effect that the position would be looked into, and any measure of relief which could he afforded would be made,

Circumstances so fell out in the political arena, following a realisation of the national finances, .that the the 1 ' Government was fused into a. National Government, which was fully occupied in the task of endeavouring to inert, the national position. F<fr the time being, therefore, the representations of the country clubs must have been lest'sight of, but further representations were made and on behalf cf the sport generally an influential apoeel was made by the racing and trotting organisations, arid a measure of relief was gi vein helping country clubs in particular by the remission of an extra 1J per cent, in cases considered deserving. And at the latest session another 1 crumb wa,s given in the rebate of 1 per cent, on the gross totalisator turnover.

ACCEPTABLE RELIEF

The relief so granted was very . acceptable and was most helpful, but the limitations made appear to deal harshly with some clubs. The extra H per cent, is limited to oases which the authorities class as “necessitous.” There are some clubs' which, if not irrimediately “necessitous,” are on the brink, and it is a hardship to find this additional .revenue granted to help e’tlbs Withheld in Somfe bated. In fiespect to the 1 per bent; rebate of totalisator' turnover, the wording of the Statute bars oarta’n clubs from the benefit of relief, The rebate' was. fixed to cover the period from April Ist., 1032, to March 31st., 1933, Owing to the movable Easter date, some clubs do not appear to be eligible legally for this relief. This year Easter fell in March, 1932, and the clubs racing at that period were not within the Statute. -Next year Easter will fall in April, 1933, and again will be outside the period fixed by law. Representations have been made pointing out this position, but at the time of writing there has been no reply from the Government, though the Racing Conference advised that the matter is to be adjusted. In the meantime these clubs which raced outside the Government financial year are without the relief voted by Parl'amcnt, and which would be most acceptable to any eligible club. -

PRESSING NEEDS. Tile needs of the country, clubs as expressed by resolutions at annual meetings are more' pressing then ever. •The temporay relief in rebate has been .acceptable', but it is both contingent and temporary, and some adequate treatment or the position is most essential if the sport is to .flourish as in former times. The building up of the sport was due in the main to the agency of the totalisator, till the investments were overburdened with taxation. The sport- now stands in jeopardy by .the decreas’d stakes. Unless the question of taxation is dealt with on adequate* lines, the future of the sport is in doubt. That the. relief is urgently needed may ha inferred from the latest concession of. 1 per cent, on totalisator turnover, but it is a palliative for one year only. Now that the position has bean recognised, the controlling authorities should have the position definitely reviewed* with a view to assisting clubs catering for a sport so profitable to the country at large, both a.nd in the matter of creating employment. It might he remarked in passing tliat when the Government realised the revenue position under the increased postage, the tax was reduced by one half to retrieve the. finance 1 . Similar action might be taken witli the sam* justifiable courage in regard to reducing taxation to retrieve the finance. The owners have given generous support to the clubs, despite their extra imposts, but many are retiring from the sport. That suggests that the stakes tax (now that the value is sn much ‘reduced) should be remitted; aud the Railway Department should do ' more to meet transport costs for horses attendin'? small meetings at a distance from training centres. ECIOKMAKERS. Legislation wa; 3 attempted with re-

ga-rd to .the licensing of bookmakers, but failed, yet the agitation on'' the matter is again being reviewed by the so-called Dominion Sportsmen’s Association—an organisation consisting largely of “reputed bookmakers.” There will, of course, be various" viewpoints on the vexed question of the legislation of bookmakers, but a. careful study of the import of the matter and a recollection of what happened in the past should be made. It can be said that were the authorities to administer the exLting law there would not be any question now of licensing hookmakais, “reputed” or otherwise. The sport in this country has been admirably conducted under the total sator system, and any rival to that would now destroy the past benefit's. It is not to be expected that the sport would be improved under the bookmaking system. Country clubs in particular could not benefit financially to any great extent from the bookmakers the volume of whose trade would be confined to the principal meetings. The clubs know their posi-tion-now under the totalisator, and it would be a' leap in the dark to favour the licensed bookmaker. If the- Government- would revise total sator taxation, country clubs would be well advised to leave matters as they, are and net seek to encourage the return of the bookrtiaking fraternity with the possible influence to undermine the high standard of e’ean racing Which is nOw prevailing to the credit of Zealand i

REQUESTS TO GOVERNMENT,

Delegates are invited to submit remits, in addition to those to be brought forward by the executive reviving and reaffirming former -requests to the Government,, which it is hoped will receive more direct attention than in the past, /ts a- final word it can be said that the necessity for practical relief is urgent if the popular sport is not to deteriorate seriously in the rear future—which, considering the high standard and popu’a-'ity of the sport, would be a serious national loss for the Dominion as a whole. i

The N.Z. Referee commenting s?i fl “The attitude- of the Country Racing Clubs’ Association, as outlined in the president’s report, should be given close and' careful study and thought by the conference delegates. It is realised from the experience of other countries that the bookmaker means more or less the centralisation of racing in the -clcnely-popul'afrad are’s and the country clubs usually suffer most. The above-mentioned, association has for many years kept a watchful eye on tl?© interests of racing in the provincial districts, and i n the opinion of the executive committee of that body the re-licensing of the bookmaker is calculated to seriously hamper country clubs in their operations, atid fear is expressed for the future if the proposal i§ adopted by the Conference ,