REFUSAL OF PERMITS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29956, 18 October 1962, Page 5

REFUSAL OF PERMITS

Criticism Of Minister The Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Gotz) was somewhat sidetracking the position, said the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr W. H. Roche) when commenting on Mr Gotz’s refusal to issue any further racing or trotting permits until the New Zealand Racing and Trotting Conferences had ironed out the problem of one-day meetings. He was most confused and disturbed by the Minister's statement, said Mr Roche. In trotting there were 15 clubs holding one-day meetings. Two of those—Kaikoura and Roxburgh—raced on thenown courses, while the remainder raced on courses where other meetings were held. It was most disturbing in view of the submissions made to the Minister to learn that he had raised that point as debarring the issue of permits, and he felt that he was somewhat sidetracking the true position, said Mr Roche. The need for additional racing days had been clearly shown in the submissions of the conference to the Minister. The extra days were in keeping with the natural growth of trotting, which had been boosted through the introduction of night meetings, Mr Roche said.