RACING CLUBS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 156, 3 July 1936, Page 9

RACING CLUBS.

GROUPING NEEDED. MINISTERS OPINION. ARREST OF MODERN TREND. 11 NIGHTMARE OF FINANCE." (By Telegraph.—parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The amalgamation of some of tlib country racing clubs holding totalisator permits,' with but a few miles separating the racecourses on which their meetare was mentioned bv tlie Mmister of Internal Affairs, the Hon! \\ . E. 1 arry, to-day as a possible hanpemng m the future. Mr Parry stated that he was and would be always in favour of the country race, plus a picnic meeting, where, he said, the country folk could pleasantly mingle and enjoy themselves, but under present conditions manv of those clubs were impecunious, and'the members were faced with liabilities which they would have difficulty in meetin«. If some of the clubs which were near to one another could amalgamate, makiiif one strong club, which could hold meetings of interest to all, totalisator permits would be held in the country, thus saving the permits from going to possibly some of the city clubs. <( " l do »ot think," said the Minister, there can be much real enjoyment to members of these country clubs at their meetings with the knowledge alwavs with them of the iinfinancial state 'of the clubs. It must be sometimes a nightmaie to them to know that their meetings would not pay t'np, bank overdraft and all expenses, and probably never 'would, and that to give a day's happy outing to the people whom the clubs served the cash to cover the losses had to come from their own pockets. Clubs Struggle Gamely. "I know full well the -position some of these clubs are in. They struggle on gamely and try to face up boldly to their liabilities, but there is always lurking nearby a nightmare which their position brings to them. It seems to me that the clubs will have, to look squarely at their position to-day and visualise what it will look like in the future. lam distinctly in favour of the country race, plus a picnic meeting, I would not like to see them •go out of existence. The meetings' keep the young fellows on their farms, away from the cities, and an all-round, benefit results.'" Changes in Transport. "1 know that when many of' these small clubs were formed a distance of 20 or 30 miles to travel by a sulky to one of these meetings was considered probably a great journey. To-day we have the motor car and to travel 30 miles is a comparatively light undertaking. That phase of the matter is a weighty- factor now in the readjustment of mast problems. I think it would be a service in many ways if in one or two of the districts, one, two or even three clubs were to consider seriously their amalgamation into one strong club, and that club to take the totalisator permits. Otherwise it seems to me that some of the clubs in serious difficulties, with little hope of straightening them out, will certainly have to go out of existence. That would be a pity, for not only would it mean the losing by the towns in which the meetings are held of a large part of their social amenities, but also possibly the permits would go to the cities."