MR MASSEY S FIRST DEPUTATION.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14406, 13 July 1912, Page 12

MR MASSEY S FIRST DEPUTATION.

A QUESTION OF RACING- <■. A'l PERMITS. "' -' ..;' • ■■■■"■■■ ■■'' • — I:*"J (special to '' tot: miss.") " ? ' WELLINGTON, July 12. , * : The flrst deputation received'by (£* f< \ Hon. W. F. Massoy sincf he, took' office as Prime Minister was one trwa the Raiiuitikei Racing Club this after-- " ■-■ noon. The deputation protested *Vagainst the action of the Racing Com> mission in depriving of totalis- ,-*' ator. permits for four racing days that it had hitherto been granted. The de» „"**. putation congratulated the Primo '«•'; Minister upon his appointment, and expressed the hope tliat he would con- '\ r tiiuio to hold office with satisfaction to ' A*> the Dominion as a whole, and to him- ' "": self. Jt was explained that the Sac- '"',. ing Conference was to meet next week, -V and would probably allot daj's for next - ■- year's racing. The Racing Commission ','} had deprived the Rangitikei Club of it? . ■'"> four days', racing, and had suggested ,"" amalgamation with the Mnrton Club, - jrhlcli been granted permits ~ for "1 two days-racing. This proposal the ,s

people of Bulls.declined to,entertain. . At its la&t Sumnior Meeting the club ,',:* had secured an attendance of. . 46Q0 ~ % people on one day. . Tlio Hangitikei "i; Club was prepared to take its share of jS;. "firuel" with tho rest, but it objected 'J& to being /wiped out. ; The > club •has ; , ;j|j held meetings continuously for fifty-" •> £j five years.- ■In its last year of racing-' '/J it paid out £3170 in Btakes, and ..J. acquired tho freehold of 98 acres Z, land at a ?bst of £4529. 4 On there was a mortgage of £2650. .'JJlSjfe. , this a sum of £*850 would fall Aupust, and in addition there was ■ a .--M bank overdraft of £260'fiuarauteedby the Club Committee. Something i like. '$;£ £SOOO had been silent on a new track ;C*| and other appointments, includ|ag accommodation for thirty-two trainers and jockeys, and stabling for .twenty ,

horses. . '" ■■ . ;" Mr E. -Newman, MJEV, empliet&sed s j the fact that the club was a bona fide- •$ country c üb, which had done it? best ■ $ to. cater for country people. The", g. opinion of the House had been ex- ;£ ; pressed in favour of country clljs against metropolitan clubs.. Tho .re-..- •,-] port of the. Commission • had gono f'j against this opinion of the Housfe and. •£ of the people. No doubt the people would approve if metropolitan era* j& were reduced and more days were given to country clubs. . • ■ j?ivj The l-'rime Minister said that •Mβ <& report of the Racing Commission ceased gs£ to have torce of law after July .Slstj *Q. r except in regard to tho limit the number of racing days. The»|f|-' days had been reduced to 250, and *«ss";,' number could not be increased withs^

out legislation. Ho could not" positively, because the matter had noSjgip.? yet been before Cabinet, but - ¥$$£&* opinion was that there was no of the Government bringing any legislation during the P|«!Jif sent year affecting the ber of racing ,days or racing generally. "I am free ':P/4sd' admit," continued the Prime Minister, "that the Racing Commission had * particularly difficult taski and some mistakes. I think tho most serjf ous mistake they made was in all Pf°t-'L"o Lability wilh regard to the Racing' , Club. " It was an lished olub, and certainly did not eJMtj V for tho benefit of any individual '• or- '£s& individuals, or for the purposes F ,<&■**• ff gambling. I will submit your sentations to Cabinet and to the ister for Internal Affairs, who, accord-; inji to -h» Act, has charge of all m«; :'ky-' tors relating to racing. In the meanly;, time I can only admit that you bavejti.-; •"». good case. ~ I"shall submit your eentations to Cabinet." -,"■',^i?: