SOME DRASTIC PROPOSALS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 257, 25 July 1921, Page 8

SOME DRASTIC PROPOSALS

WITHDRAWAL OF TOTALISATOR ' PERMITS AUCKLAND & CHRISTCHURCH CLUBS AFFECTED SEVERE COMMENT BY RACING COMMISSION An important feature of the report of the Facing Commission is a recommendation that totalisator licenses shall bo withdrawn altogether from certain wellknown clubs, which must pass out of existence if the report is endorsed by Parliament. Tn this connection the commission comments severely on the affairs of two Auckland clubs. "A drastic cut has been made in the totalisator privileges hitherto enjoyed by certain suburban clubs,” states the report. "This we contend is necessary and proper from every standpoint. It is undeniable that, there are too many racecourses in tho vicinity of the largo towns. Auckland, at the present time, hnq five racecourses within a radius of ten miles from tho Chief Post Office three for racing and two for trotting. Ci what may I>e termed Auckland suburban (Tubs, wo have rejected the claims of two, viz., the Avondale Jockey Club and the’Otahuhu Trotting Club. "With reference to- the Avondale < Inb, the position is most unusual. This club, from its inception, has had a n ,bly small membership. It now has upon its roll twenty-nine members, of whom one has permanently left the .Dominion. Of tho remaining twenty-eight no fewer than twenty-three are members of the Auckland Racing Club and, according to tho returns furnished only twenty-one Ind paid tho annual subscription. Of the sixteen members who HU positions on the committee and thirteen are members of the Auckland Racing Club. Not one of the members of this club lives in Avondale or i.s vicinity The committee has obviously not welcomed new members as is apparent from tho fact that only thirteen have been elected during tho last eight yeais, and the club has an exceedingly discouraging rule with regard to a change m the personnel of tts committee. Little or no attention has -been paid to the provision of training facilities, and iv is therefore not surprising that there is but one small training stable at Avond"The totalisator (at Avondale) was for inanv years worked for the club by the gentleman who was then, and is now, its secretary—under contract; but since a rule of racing-prohibiting this camo into operation tho contract has been held by a firm comprising the son of the secretary and a partner—tho secretary . himself as wo aro assured, not being interested. Thia club is in a strong financial position, and has a ™ry substantial surplus of assets over liabilities. The titles to the racecourse properties stand in tlio name of three persons, of whom the secretary is one. These persons were among tho original promoters of tho club. Ihe rules of the club, adopted in 1909, provide that the properties of the club shall be vested in trustees. No declaration of trust could bo produced. This club is unnecessary, and for that and other reasons indicated should not be permitted to hold down totalisator licenses, which are urgently desired by country and other clubs with infinitely better claims. “Wo reject tho claims of tho Otahuhu Trotting Club, for the reason only that, its existence would involve, if it be allowed to continue, the construction and equipment in competition with the Auckland Trotting Club of a quite unnecessary racecourse. This club has during the whole of its career raced upon the course used bv the Auckland Trotting Club, and still does so. Comparatively recently it purchased a large area of valuable land not more than seven miles from the course of the senior club, and, as wo were informed, proposes to create a trotting course thereon, with all modem .appointments, in about five years time, and in tho meantime proposes to race upon the Auckland Trotting Clubs course. We are satisfied that no difficulty whatever exists preventing the amalgamation of these clubs, between which relations are most amicable. U e are clear that tho Otahuhu Trotting Club, although a creditably managed club, should not bo permitted, at great expenditure of money provided by the public to create and equip with costly appointments a new trotting course in close proximity to that of tho Auckland Irottin"- Club, which fulfils all the requirements of the district, and that its existence as a separate club is unnecessary and undesirable. . “We specially report our opinion tliat, notwithstanding that the Takapuiia Jockey Club is .a racing club among those to which we recommend licenses should be granted, all licenses to that club ba withheld unless and until the Minister of Internal Affairs be satisfied, after special Departmental inquiry, that—(l) the said club is not wholly or in part or in any sense a proprietary club, and (2) that its present methods of administration have been so far improved as to conform with usual and accepted standards. We have objections to tho manner in which the business affair’s of this club have been and are being administered, but, desiring to avoid burdening this report with detailed comments thereon, it may suffice if wo state, as one item to which we take strong exception, that this club, although pressed to do so, was unable to produce .any rules showing how it was constituted or ita affairs were governed. "Christchurch has four racecourses within a radius of five miles from tho Chief Post Office. Dealing with these, we have rejected the claims of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, feeling that from the public standpoint there is little sense of this club competing with the New Zealand Metropolitan 'Trotting Ctu:>, tho excellently appointed course of which is but three miles away, and thereby unnecessarily duplicating expenditure on lands, buildings, upkeep, and administration. We are satisfied that there is no real difficulty in effecting an amalgamation of those clubs; but, however this may be, we see no reason for tho continuance of totalisator privileges to tho Canterbury Park Trotting Club. "In the Hawke’s Bay district there are two racing clubs serving practically the same district. Of tho racecourses of these clubs by far the better appointed: is that of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club. Here, again, there is a quite unnecessary duplication of expenditure in lands, build-.ngs. upkeep, and administration. This is another case whore an amalgamation is desirable, but whether such 'be effected or not, the claims of the Napier I’ark Racing Club are, for the reasons stated, not entitled to favourable consideration."