LEVIN CLUB OPPOSED

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30626, 17 December 1964, Page 4

LEVIN CLUB OPPOSED

Proposed Shift To Otaki (N.Z. Press Association) LEVIN, Dec. 16. The Levin Racing Club is opposed to a proposal by the New Zealand Racing Conference that it should race at the Otaki-Maori Racing Club’s course under a plan of regionalisation of racing. Having in mind the growth of Levin and its probable future as a city in the next 10 or 15 years “it would be a very sad blow if the club was eventually forced to race elsewhere,” said the club’s president, Dr. S. J. Thompson, today, when asked to comment on a letter the club received from the Racing Conference. In line with a suggestion in the letter the club is prepared to discuss the matter with the Racing Conference president at a meeting early in the new year. Dr. Thompson pointed out today that there had been a considerable increase in the number of horses in training at Levin, which was becoming a popular training centre.

The club also leased its property, under a 20-year term, to the Levin Motor Racing Circuit which held three summer motor races on the course and these events were becoming increasingly popular.

The Levin Racing Club had a large membership of town and district citizens and if the club was forced to race away from Levin many of these would not be interested in following the club to the new course. This would reduce totalisator turn-over and it was interesting to note that the club, during the last season, paid £35,243 in taxation from its meetings. Dr. Thompson also pointed to large capital expenditure on course improvements over recent years and present increased training facilities at the moment under way.