COUNTRY RACING CLUBS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 47, 17 August 1911, Page 5

COUNTRY RACING CLUBS

MR, BILL. WORi; OF Ri&KG* COMMISSION ' ATTACHED. By Telegrapli—Pffesp Association. . • Wpllij&en, Last Nigh*. In the House of "Representatives this evening T Mr. Jennings moved the second reading of the (laming Amendment Bill. He stated that as far as the country clubs were concerned the Racing Commission's report and the rejection of permits had given the greatest dissatisfaction. The allocation of permits, to his mind, had not been done in a fair way. The Bill appealed for justice and the mercy of the House to the clubs mentioned in the schedule, some of whom had been in existence for over twenty years. The Bill provided that the Minister of Internal Affairs may grant licenses to use the totalisator at horse race meetings held under the control or management of the clubs named in the schedule for the year commencing August 1, lflll, and for each subsequent year, provided that licenses granted pursuant to this section shall be limited to such number as will provide one license for one race meeting in each year to each of the clubs named in the schedule. He maintained that the Gaming Act has had the opposite effect to that desired by the Government. The Racing Commission had reduced racing by 43 and trotting by 11 His Bill only asked for an increase of 14 days. Country clubs had suffered severely. Metropolitan, clubs were, reduced four days, and country clubs 39, and 17 of them had been wiped out altogether. Why should racing clubs not have provision made for them just as licensing laws provided for four years' grace, so that matters might readjust themselves? Last year's Gaming Act had resulted in increased gamblmg being sent into the towns. This was evidenced by the extraordinary increase -in the totalisator receipts. He was of opinion that the issuing of permits should not be left in the hands oi the Racing Conference. They should be in charge of the Minister, who could retain some ten or a dozen for the übo of districts where population increased, so that, on reasonable grounds being shown, he could grant a permit. Mr. Forbes regretted the necessity for the introduction of such a measure It showed what could happen when powers were delegated to boards. The Racine Commission had not carried out the fhH ul Pa / liame " t , T V W bad reduced the days of country clubs, where bettine was not heavy. 6

was not heavy. The purpose of the Gamuig Aot was to reduce gambling Instead of doing that it had reduced the amount of sport. The Bill' now proposed was to meet some of the hardships of the recommendations of the Commission. Mr. Field held that there was a n«. cessity for reduction in days of racing, nn t T a nature as contained in the Commission's report. It had been understood that clubs holding only one meeting a year would be hut that Sad lot beendone! He hoped the Bill would be preserved in form S ° mething like its present

waß forced to the opinion that the whole system or horee-racina revolved round .betting. He thought an extension of time should be allowed those clubs wiped out by the Commission to enable them to wind up their affair* without loss. He considered the Commissioners were justified in any action they had taken. With regard to the Westport Club, the Commissioners went out to the course at night with lamps and then recommended the wiping out of the club, which had been racing over forty years, and which had never had a complaint against it. The Commission d 'V lO /r-V ut their dutiea fairlyMr. McDonald considered that verv great injustice had been done to country clubs throughout the Dominion. Mr. Ta.ylor said he was never against horse-racmg, but the present debate had 6 io\vn the whole system of racing as now carried on was centred around the gambling machine. He was thoroughly disappointed with the Commissioners' report. The whole idea of it had been to centralise and add wealth to the metropolitan clubs.

Mr Pearce supported the Bill, ft nd Poole opposed it. He objected to the provisions of the Bill, though he was in favor of the complete redistribution of permits. As a protest against the increase of totalisator permits, he must oppose the Bill.

Mr. Scott supported the Bill because he thought the Racing Commission had not done its work as the Guming Act intended, °

Mr. Glover contended that gambling had increased in leaps and bounds of late. He supported the Bill fls he considered an injustice had been done to the country clubs.

Mr. Poland contended that gireat injustice had been inflicted on country cluibs. He supported the Bill. Mr. Stallworthy intended to vote against the second reading of the Bill, as. there wasi now too much racine and gambling.

Messrs. Mander and McLaren opposed the Bill. 1 r

The Hon. D. Buddo said there too b> c ear inference in the Act that preference should be given to those cluibs having only one meeting per year. This had not been done.