TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 154, 30 June 1911, Page 6

TAKAPUNA JOCKEY CLUB.

3IKD thE'BAOing coanoissiaN.

CLUB'S-PECUiIIAR POSITION.

> E. "WV ALISON SPEAKS OUT.

• -'-apuiia Jockey Club baa been Tha TiV: -'-iJarjost hit' , by the Racing one of thei* J?j;j tiie allocation of per-Coinmissiofl-.'}f T o f racing days, being mits, the numK ' .. en to four _ The at . cut down from »e> , puna mating, jt i a tendance at the T«K>., m Xew Zealand, contended, ranks thiro - ueet i n g S at Elbeing only exceeded by > Monday even . lersiie a nd- : Rieearton. On * tQ con _ inrr the-Takapuna Club mc.

sidor its position. r0 ..,-tative Interviewed by a "Star rP i; r f?f T . vka . this morning the Prudent of' P c J£ , pun* Jockey Club (Mr. E. W. put the position as far ac his Club concerned both lucidly and .forcibly. '•The Commissioners, in my opinionsaid Mr. Alison, "cannot-.be compluncntea upon-the manner in which, they have 6.<schar"ed their responsible' and oneroid duties for. whilst their report as a c&aprehrnsrve one, many of their decision | clearly point to the conclusion that they werenot actuated by that high sense of impartiality and equity Which was expected from them, and that the policy of cuttin-r down of race days and obliteration of clubs has not been consistently adherred to." "What policy should have guided the Commissioners 1" "I contend, and I think it will be generally admitted, that the Commission should have worked on the- basis of population and area. But Mr. Rowe, one of the Commissioners, in an interview, stated that the Commission deci<t>i 'that an equitable distribution of 6ie number-of racing days could not bo arrived at on any but geographical lines.' Consequently the important factor of population has been ignored. Hence we find Hawke's Bay, -with, a population of about fiß,ooo' and an- area of about 6,000,000 of acres of land, is, allotted 32 racing days—a reduction of ; 5; whilst Auckland—progressive, expanding Auckland—with a population 0f'253;000, and an area of 14,000,000'0f is on the 'geographical basis' also - allotted 32 racing days^—a reduction of 9. Then again take Warigahui, which has'a-population of 55,000," and a comparatively small area of land; it is on the-'geographical basis' allotted 22 racing l days—a -reduction- of- 3; --whilst - Wellington, with, a population, of 135,000' and- an area, of' 7,000,000 acres, is allotted 21, a reduction«f 0. Then on • the 'geographical basis' Wellington Racing Club loses one day, whilst the Wanganui, Clirisfcchurch, and Dunedin Jockey Clubs suffer no reduction. Why? Omvhnt-'geographicar principle has Wellington Racing. Club lost one day? Then again in their report the Commissioners' statß,'''We have recognised as a prim-iple that the larger cities cater not only for the recreation of their own residents, ..but'-.'that', their great resources enable them to provide efficiently for a periodic influx from neighbouring, districts.' Will the Commissioners contend that either on this principle or on thhe 'geographical "policy' Wellington Racing Club should lose one day and the other Metropolitan Clubs mentioned remain unaltered?'" " On the Latter principle," continued Mr. Alison, ""how canTtESTCSmm'Ksicirrers"'. justify- the reduction pf.th'rfd:days from the Takapuna: Club'?;—a club which catered for the recreation: of:':ttie:'-'peopler--of' Auckland and ; its suburbs,- and to meeting,;,of which odic influx' ft97?;.-jiegnb^raTing'^districts:; For there is ;Zealind: which can, be more justly termed a ' people's meeting » than Takapuna. It as well'conducted, the'sport is clean, the racing, w of -Uie best. TTie charges are the Jawest Dominion, "tli'e course is easy of access, is"'-well maintained, and owing to its natural* position, every person can-obtain an uninterrupted view of the racing. Tlie.-.appointments*: are "up-" to-date, .and every effort' to meet' the public wants and convenience. Yet the Commissioners reduced' the number of racing days by three;. and have alsoreduced ::Avondale by one.:. Tlie remarks of Mr. Glover, M.P., in his: criticism, of the Commissioners' report, were well expressed, and hie reference' to the injury done to Tek.apuna. Club and the'- racing public by tfjr of three days were pertinent and* appropriate, viz.: ' He regretted' such-a , result; and particularly ■ regretted that * the--Takapuna* Club was to los& three> days.- The Takapuna outing-was inorevin-the nature-;of a picnic, the course was one of : the most popular - in the- Dominion, and- it cost visitors only 1/ to gd hy- steamer- and gain admission to the ground.- , I consider Auckland Province has been most unfairly, treated, and'that the set made against tho Takapuna Club is utterly unjustified. The unfortunate part is that the Club has big responsibilities, and certain annual expenditure which can only slightly be-reduced: For instance; the rates" and" taxes and Water account alone amount to over £275 per annum. Insurance costs £50; wages-and officials' some of which must now bo reduced, £1000. These are- standing charges'. Thera is also the"upkeep of buildings - , fences, railings and'-general accessories. Then there is the Government tax-of 21 per cent on all th' e -club's receipts. This- tax alone" amounted , last racing^seasonto-over £2100. How-is it possible; undersu'en" restrictions, , to meet the public requirements, and do justice to horse-owners- and those interested and participating in racing-, and'at : the same time conduct'the club's affairs and racing I contend that so long as; ra-cing cliibs are legally permitted to hold race-meetings, no unreasonable restrictions or excessive taxation should be imposed upon them. They should either be wined out of existence or under leasianable ie'stridtibns lie , allowed to hold race-meetings with, succese. Doubt: less the Commissioners had a difficult task set them to equitably, -reduce the number of racing days by 43, but their task could , certainly hafS been, curried out more...equitably, more impartially-, and more in the- interests of racing than it has, and, in. reducing, the racing days of the Takapuna Club by-three, a manifest injustice haa beeiT inflicted-—an- injustice whicluis-.' not' only strongly resented, by ttifi'-Ciuti's members, and committee;, but'-by the-great body of ; racegoers at Auckland and surrounding dis■tricts. The committee feel most indignant at the treatment Takapnna has received, and a meeting has been convened for Monday next, when the Commissioners' report as aii'ecting the Club will be considered."