Permit Allocation Disappoints Club

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 6

Permit Allocation Disappoints Club

(New Zealand Press Association)

PALMERSTON N, Nov. 18. The president of the Manawatu Racing Club, Mr R. A. Bennett, today expressed the extreme disappointment of his committee regarding the allocation of permits for an additional 12 days of galloping. The two permits issued to the Wellington Racing Club and the one to the Wanganui Jockey Club were the only additional days granted in the southern half of the North Island. Mr Bennett said: “My committee feels aggrieved that the Manawatu Racing Club has not been granted an extra permit Moreover, it is disappointed in the extreme that although it was known to be an applicant, it was not afforded an opportunity by the executive of the New Zealand Racing Conference to state its case, despite having sought permission to do so through the Wanganui district representative. “Although it is the largest club in the Wanganui metropolitan district —but not the metropolitan club —the Manawatu Racing Club has held only seven race-day permits for the last 25 years. Two of these were purchased for a considerable sum in 1939 from the now defunct Dannevirke Racing Club. In the intervening years, the population of Palmerston North and the surrounding districts has nearly doubled and my club has spent over £250,000 in making Awapuni one of the finest courses in New Zealand.

“Awapuni has for many years been one of the largest training centres in the Dominion, yet it has no racing between July and Christmas.

My committee feels that justice demands it should at least have had the opportunity of placing its case before the conference executive.

“The manner in which the recommendations to the Minister have been handled lends only greater support to the contention of this club that the time is well overdue for a review of the constitution of the New Zealand Racing Conference,” he said. New Brackets Brackets in the Grandstand Handicap at the Waikato Racing Club’s meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday have now been changed. The new brackets are:—Queen’s Poet, and Royal Request, Bridoon and Tax Free, Te Aro and Baleno, Bright Idea and Count Cannel, Alkaid and Convarto, Killeymoon and Prince Mahmoud.—(PA.)