THE WEEK IN THE HOUSE Labour M.P.s fight racing industry legislation

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32788, 13 December 1971, Page 2

THE WEEK IN THE HOUSE Labour M.P.s fight racing industry legislation

(By

C. R. MENTIPLAY,

our Parliamentary reporter)

Last week was one of confusion and some progress in the House of Representatives. Several important Treasures which had been languishing before select committees were brought back and debated—and the rising temperature was signalled by a determined Opposition attempt to break through the "jacket barrier.”

In this, the Opposition was successful. The Speaker (Sir Roy Jack) finally relented and allowed members to remove their jackets. In all other respects the Government held firm, although at one stage the decision was down to the Speaker’s casting vote., More important was the fact that the Racing Bill passed its second-reading debate, while the Fisheries Amendment (No. 2). Bill was right through to the report stage when the House rose for the week-end recess.

The Fisheries Amendment (No. 2) Bill occupied the House much longer than the optimists expected. The reason was that certain areas remained doubtful about the wisdom of allowing commercial trout-fishing establishments in what has been a “sportsman’s paradise.” While both sides had their dubious members, Labour came up with the idea of allowing trout farms —but only in the Chatham Islands. If debate over the fishing measure was sharp and effective, that on the Racing Bill was even more so. The Labour Opposition set out its proposals most clearly, and the most effective speakers included the deputy leader of the Opposition (Mr H. Watt) and the committee chairman, Mr M. A. Connelly (Lab„ Wigram). . J , ' AMENDMENTS Mr Watt said in debate that Opposition members

had moved more than 20 amendments in the committee, of which 19 were rejected by the Government. He also said that though the report was presented a year ago, the bill was brought into the House only a few weeks ago. “It took 11 months for the Minister to make up his mind to bring the legislation into the House,” Mr Watt said. “He expected all those associated with the racing industry and interested in this sport to prepare their submissions so the bill could be debated in ' a sensible manner and passed this session. "The commencement date for this bill, as the Minister well knows, is the commence-

ment of the next racing season, which is August. 1. There is no necessity for this legislation to be passed this session. Because next year happens to be election year, the Minister does not want this hot potato on his plate.” Mr Watt quoted from the submission to the New Zea-

land Racing Conference: “There is one matter which should be made abundantly clear ... The Racing Conference, during the proceedings of the Royal Commission on Racing, Trotting and Dog Racing, consistently opposed the submission that any body such as the National Racing Authority which this Bill proposes should be established.” TROTTING VIEW

He also quoted the Trotting Conference as having at all times opposed the'creation of a National Racing Authority. But the.member for Remuera (Mr D. A. Highet, Nat.) had said that all sections of the industry supported the bin, said Mr Watt.

Mr Highet: I did not say that at all.

Mr Watt: The member said it had universal approval. Mr Highet: I said "almost universal approval.” Mr Watt: The two confer-

ences governing the main industries covered by the bill are absolutely opposed to the establishment of the authority, yet the member for Re-

muera has the audacity to say that its establishment had universal approval. Then he said his Caucus committee had discussed the bill with the conferences. If the bill were produced months before, as he said, and if it were-cir-culated to the conferences as he said, and if the caucus committee had discussions with the conferences months before why was a bill not introduced in this House? Analysing the bill, Mr Watt said that the Minister of Internal Affairs had the power to run the racing industry, “if he had the will, the determination and the ability.” He suggested Ministerial reluctance to make a decision "if it is a bit sticky.” "It is because he has not been competent enough to make a sticlnr decision that we are establishing a buffer so the Minister can say: T have the recommendation of the Authority to lean on’.” Mr Watt said the Minister i already had the power under -the',Gaming Act, 1908, to i grant totalisator licences, to 'decide .whether a licence ' should be granted to one - club or another, to determine ' whether racing should be 1 held on one day or another, | to revoke a club’s totalisator • licence. ' DOWN TO EARTH

: As usual, it was Mr P. Blanchfleld (tab., Westland) who provided the down-to- , earth, touch. . The racing I industry, he said, provided a

livelihood for many thousands, though not so much for the men and women who ran the horses. In most cases their return was meagre. "I have taken out some figures which may interest members. Last year 3870 horses raced, and, of these, 1668 earned not a razoo. Of the total, 839 earned between nothing and $4OO, and 965 between $4Ol and $2250. Only 398 earned more than $2250, and it was brought out before the Royal Commission that it costs from $2OOO to $3OOO a year for the average

horse to be trained and raced.

“Of the 1662 trotters and pacers which raced last year, 583 earned nothing, 872 earned less than $2OOO, and only 207 earned more than $2OOO.

“But there are many other people engaged in the Indus-, try—the drivers, the jockeys, the trainers, the stablehands, the sulky-builders, the saddlers, the waitresses, the barmen, the taxi-drivers and truck drivers, and so on. Even the pensioners sit the gates and others too numerous to mention get a dollar out of this great industry. "But the greatest of them all is not the owner, or the man who sits in the saddle or the sulky, but the man who sits in the chair of the Minister of Finance. He reaps the greatest return bf all in this great industry.” COVERB 58 PAGES The Racing Bill, of 104 clauses and a schedule, covers 53 printed quarto pages, r After passing its second-reading debate, it occupies eighth place on the Order Paper, awaiting its committee stage. This could be attenuated, as the Opposition has the right to contest every clause if it so desires.

As the Order Paper now stands, it might be some days before it is even reached, as the committal debate on the Race Relations Bill is one of the subjects which must be dealt with first.