RACING COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 103, 21 October 1911, Page 5

RACING COMMISSION.

REPORT AND REPLY TO PARLJAMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. In (he House „f Representatives this afternoon, Sir Joseph Ward read a memo, from the chairman of the Racing Commmion in reply to the request of the House, through the Premier, that the Commission should reconsider its reMr. Colvin raised a point of order regard.ng the fact that the report contamed comments on the speeches made by members in the House _ The Speaker ruled that the Commission was not in order in commenting as it did on speeches made in the House but it was for the House to say whether an exception should be made in this case and the report be accepted A long discussion followed, and Mr Colvm moved that a breach of privilege* had been committed by the author tf the report.

Mr. Massey said there was no doubt that a technical breach had been committed but it was too slight to notice. -•75 ™ e i p « n >;M'» motion, it was. decided that no further action be tafeen with regard to the breach of privilege and the matter then dropped The position now is that the Speaker has ruled that the House cannot receive the- report.

Following is the report:— "We, the Commissioners appointed for the purpose of considering the hearing rf he flainf AmadMDt Bill now before Parliament and the arguments adduced in its support, upon the reports of the Commission a nd the schedules thereto appended, luwe the honor to subS th^ e B S? I - 0W i ng re P° rt: ~ T '»« purport of the Bill „ to reinstate certain clubs Ivtl J* ° f . r ? cin S were taken away by the Commission under special direction of the Legislative ordering a reduction of racing days by 55. With certain exceptions, the Commission has no objects to this proposal as it was unanimous ,„ opm j on that the d of racing are not excessive t» supply the requirements of so scattered a popuk- !! 0 "' upon the report show that ,t has been misunderstood in some respects, and that sbme of the commentators have, after glancing at the schedules, neglected to read the report on which they were based. The statement that country clubs were not represented was contrary to fact. The statement that 127 country clubs lost 43 days and the metropolitan clubs four days was a voilent suppression of the truth and the suggestion was false lhe Commission did not consider the metropolitan clubs as such, but merely in relation to the due supply of facilities Th/fS f *? d J or certein ' Populations. The effect of the report was to reduce the days of racing within 15 miles of these centres by 28, leaving 2(1 days for the rest of the Dominion. The enforcement of the fencing of courses was necessary for the protection of riders and spectators. The statement that the Westport course was visited in the dark 1 was contrary to fact. In almost every case the clubs disfranchised had assets in excess of liabilities. Every consideration was shown to clubs holding one days racing. The Commission is unanimously of opinion that its reports of May 22 and June 18 should be adhered to. It was expressly stipulated that their acceptance of an ungracious ta\k was upon the condition that their de-' •etsions should be accepted as final, and flkey most strongly protest against any alteration or deduction from the. day* of racmg allotted by them. Regarding the provisions of the Gaming Amendment «»i, the Commission does not consider them inconsistent with the unanimous opinion expressed in its reports, that the days of racing are not excessive to sunply the requirements of so scattered a population. The Bill, however, interfered with the scheme of, distribution which the Commission desired to carry out: (1) By reducing the days allotted to contiguous clubs where the loss would be least harmful; and (2) bit taking days from clubs whose appointments and methods displayed gross carelessness or where the ownership was in effect a proprietary." The report is signed on behalf of and with the full concurrence of all the commissioners by Bir George Clifford. r