DEFUNCT RACING CLUBS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 384, 5 August 1911, Page 6

DEFUNCT RACING CLUBS.

WHAT WILL, PARLIAMENT JH>V

Feeling runs pretty hist; h amongst country sportsmen concerning deprivations under the Gaming Hill carried through last session of Parliament on the initiation of the Government, ant! considerable interest attaches (o (lie. amending Bill which Mr \V. T. Jennings, member for Taumarunui, will introduce this session to secure an alteration in the legislation giving power to the Minister for Internal Affairs to grant; totalisator licenses from year to year for one-day country race meetings.

In some quarters the opinion is held that discussion on the private, member's Bill will be welcomed, so as to give Parliament an opportunity of fully expressing its views on the legislation of last, session and its efl ects as revealed by the recommendations of the Racing Commission, and thus under the weight of public opinion t.O enable Government to introduce an amending Bill along lines that would be satisfctory to knocked-out country clubs. The Hon. E. Mitchelson, president of the Auckland Racing Club, was asked his views on the subject, but was not prepared tj express an opinion as to what would happen. The Auckland Club, he said, was entirely disinterested, and had not in any way asked for the legislation of last session • measure for which the Government was absolutely responsible. While recognising that the countrv districts had a majority representation in the House, he could not see that the Government would be induced to bring in an amendment to legislation that had not been given a trial. In addition, the Commission claimed that they had full justification for every recommendation made, and where clubs had been wiped out there was an absence of courses or appointments, and in others the arrangements were of a primitive character, and the clubs within easy distance provided the requisite facilities. What would result in the face of circumstances it was hard to say at present.