SPORTING

Levin Daily Chronicle, 19 July 1917, Page 3

SPORTING

IIOHOWUKNUA RACING CLUB. Till*: LOST RACING PERMIT. r Ilorowhonua .Racing Club held an extraordinary general meeting on Tuesday night last. Mr J-iis. (president)' occupied the chair. He said it was with ivgret that lie had to announce that the e.ub had lost its tot.alisator permit. Mr Procter and himself had attended the conference of Rac'ng L'lub delegates, and the c'liief satisfaction they got was an assurance that the permit had been taken from Levin to enable the Allies to win this terrible war. Ho noticed that as «, result the "Russians lately had taken a whole lot of prisoners; so evidently Levin's sacrifice had r.n-t been in vain (loml laughter). Mr McLcavey went on to describe ITorowhoniiii Club's subsequent endeavours to get back the club's privilege of holding one day's racing per annum; but Otaki Racng Club had refused to give up one of the three days per annum left to it; and the M inister j for the Interior (Hon. G. W. Russcfll) had! expressed sympathy with the clubs that had lost their licenses, but saiid he had no intention of interfering in tho conference's arrangement. Mr McLenve.y invited r.iennbers of the club to express their views on the who>!e subject. The Horowhenua Racing Club had only two years in which to complete its purchase of the racecourse, and if by that time the chill) was not in a position to buy the racecourse the owners of it could withdraw tho offer. The proposal of the Government that the clubs to wli'ch racing privileges' were sti'l extended should finance tho clubs that were wiped out, would be of little use to Hcimvlienua Racing Club in ,respect to its racecourse liability.

'In, the course of a general discus*, sion, members wanted to know who would guarantee the stakes of the suspended clubs for their first meeting after the war. Would the ■Government guarantee it; would it be able to force the fortunate clubs to do sop Mr B. R. Gardener (a vicepresident of 'the club)' wanted to know who would advance the £130 rent which tfhe Levin. eluib would have to find very shortly. Members of tho cilub should not be asked lo put their i.ands in their pockets to meet liabilities which the fortunate clubs were suposcd to be liablo for.

Mr 11. Ling sa id he believed tho idea was tbat rat the end of tho racing year there should be a levy made on the o'ubs that. were racing in order to subsidise the' non-racing clubs as as to make up their doficicnces when the clubs' own subscriptions ware paid. Mr Ling defended the Otnki Chub's decision not to (forego- a day in favor of Levis; Levin was asking Otaki Club to give something for nothing.

Mr 'G. [Wiatson said it should IxS made clcor what proportion of mney svouM I>l>i paid to the suspended clubs. At present Levin had £200 in haiul, but its liability on the race-

course purchase was very much more. i\V as T/evin to be as'kcd to pay that money to keep itself going while it was not allowed to ;nace? Mr F. G. Roe said' the Minister fod the Interior had been very emphatic on the noiut when he addressed the deputation*. Mr ißoe did not think it Tight that this club's membership' .subscriptioms should go towards this expenditure. He suggested that a deputation should wait upon the SMiriistor and GNlr Field, M.P.. to ask what would be the exact scheme tor defraying expenses. Mil' P. Bartholomew said it was absurd, to suggest that members be asked to pay full subscriptions while there would he no racing for them. Mir Tompsitt remarked that as one of the deputation had waited upon the Miniser for Internal Affairs he gathered that it was the Minister's opinion that the clubs that continued racing would defray* the rates and taxes of the clubs that lost their permits. Mr Fleming asked if it was right that the other clubs were to be required 'to meet the suspended clubs' expenses whv were the active clubs offering to extend privileges of attending those clubs' meetings. ."Eventually it was resolved on the motion of Mr Gairdene.r, seconded bv Mr Reeve. ''That tlie Racing (Conference and the member for Otnki Electorate be written to. asking whatwere the arrangements made in respect t-« payment- of expenses of the suspended d'.ubs !b.v the contßnuing ones; i.iei.. the payments shall be made forthwith, to meet the eases cf clubs which have- to meet Jieavy expenses' within a month or two's time." The T7o"o\vhonua Racing Club, for instance, h. : s to meet a liabi'iitv nf CI."0 fur rent in two months' time: and there are reeirrrinsi liabilities of substantial amounts. 'Mr E. vS. Lancaster moved thai) Messrs J. (McLoavey, H. R, Gardener and F. G. Roe be appointed a deputation to represent the club at '"Well'ington. Mr Grant asked what was the need for a deputation; wouid not the letter be enough. Ail answer was given that the deputation was appointed to act (if necessary) when the reply to the lettar came to hand. Mr Lancaster's motion was carried. A vote of thanks to the chairman ended the proceedings.