MORE RACING DAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 222, 19 August 1937, Page 8

MORE RACING DAYS.

MANAWATU CLUB’S DESIRE. INTERESTING FIGURES. “There is no doubt that the Manawatu Racing Club is not getting its fair share of racing; clubs whose appointments, stakes, and totalisntor turnover are a long way below ours have in some cases more days racing than we have,” stated Mr G. C. lveeble at last evening’s annual meeting of the club. “Palmerston North is a wonderful centre,” he added; “we have very good appointments for the comfort of our patrons, we give good stakes and our totalisntor turnover is the sixth highest in New Zealand, and averaged last year £23,740 per day for the six days’ racing. We have five days’ racing of our own, and each year buy one day from the Manawatu Hunt Club.” Mr Keeble went on to say that Auckland had 11 racing days, Wellington 11 Canterbury 10, Dunedin 9. Hawke’s Bay 7, Napier Park 5, .Waikato 0, Wanganui 0, Poverty Bay 6, and Greymouth 5. Dunedin’s totnlisator turnover averaged only £17,500 per day, Wanganui’s £15,000, Hawke's Bay £IO,OOO, Greymouth £GOOO, Napier Park £6600 and Poverty Bay £4OOO per day; while Manawatu had the splendid average of £23,740. “I consider the time lias arrived,” he declared, “when we should have four meetings a year. I wish to stress this point, as I would like everyone to know that we are not satisfied with our present quota of race days. At present there are no unallotted permits, but it is only by asking and asking again that we will gain our objective, so that when extra permits are available the authorities will realise the importance of this club as a racing centre and grant us the extra days’ racing.”