YACHTING “Undue Favouritism" In Rescue Craft Grants

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 17

YACHTING “Undue Favouritism" In Rescue Craft Grants

An effort would be made to eliminate the practice of yacht clubs applying direct to the Government for subsidies on rescue craft, the president of the Canterbury Yachting Association (Mr W. H. Beanland) said at a meeting of the association last evening. “Certain clubs” had been approaching members of Parliament with the object of having pressure put on a Cabinet Minister for the subsidies, he said.

The subject will be discussed at the New Zealand Yachting Federation annual meeting in Wellington next month when correspondence from the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Gotz) will be considered. Mr Beanland said that the policy of the federation was to assess the ability and circumstances of clubs applying to it for rescue craft subsidies and make allocations on a proportionate basis. Extra Grants

"They are the best people to value the amount of subsidy- a club should get," he said. “It has been happening that one club can put on pressure to get an extra grant that other clubs cannot get. “Clubs approach the Minister without going through the federation which finds, when it analyses the cas*. that a grant was made through favouritism." Mr Beanland said the federation would inform the Minister that some clubs had received ’’undue favouritism" with rescue boat finance In the form of grants which the federation would not be prepared to support.

Mr A. F. Burge** suggested that the clubs concerned were probably not affiliated to the federation Through Back Door « Mr Beanland: They are get-* ting In through the back door.l Mr Burgess: Probably the" quickest way. Mr Beanland: I do not think so. "I think some of the odd clubs in the North bland have got sick and tired of dealing with Auckland and getting nowhere. and are going the other way," Mr Burgess said.