NO ALTERATION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1172, 6 July 1911, Page 6

NO ALTERATION.

RACING COMMISSION'S REPORT. STATEMENT BY TIIE MINISTER. The Kaikoura Racing Club's representatives yesterday taw the Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. 13. Butldo), in j reference to the position it has boon placed in by tho recommendations of tlie Racing Commission., 1 Tho deputation pointed out that the Kaikoura meeting was 300 miles away from any racing club holding a totalisator permit that its meetings wore ''clean" and popular; that the membership was incieasing rapidly; and that ali round a marked advance was being shown. Furthermore, it was said that the Commission had recommended the taking away of its permit, because of lack of interest shown I) 3' the club, in tho fact that it had not replied to communications of the Ccmmission and icquests for information. As a. matter of fact, no communications whatever had been received from the Commission. No trace could be found of them. It was, therefore, ox'remely hard that on thes-c grounds, and without a visit from the Commission, their one day's racing a year bhould be taken away from them.

The Minister replied that ho was now in possession of the Commission's report, and tlie report thereon of the Crown Law Officers. The latter reported that the findings of the Commission complied with the Act. Ite, therefore, had no option but to give effect to tho report. Ho recognised the club's grounds of complaint, and he thought thero was something to be said for reconsideration next year. By tho end of oue year they would know the amount of interest in the districts which had bean deprived of totalizator permits. After one year, according to the law, the position could bo reviewed; but for tho present year the report of tho Commissioners must be given effect, to.