RECONSIDERATION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 32, 6 August 1921, Page 9

RECONSIDERATION

RACING CLUB PERMITS

A PROMISE TO PARLIAMENT

MINISTER'S STATEMENT.

An important statement was made by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart) yesterday afternoon, with reference to the issue of permits to racing clubs whose claims have been rejected by the Racing Commission. The Minister had previously stated that he would not issue such permits before Parliament considered the report; but he stated yesterday that, in view of the representations made to him by members of Parliament, he had decided to resubmit the question to Cabinet.

This was announced when the Minister was replying to a- deputation from the Otahuhu Trotting Club, which had come to place its case before the Minister.

Mr. H. E. M'Kenzie said that the club had always followed a progressive policy and had grounds now covering 390 acres. This area had been acquired to make provision for trotting in the future. Auckland members of Parliament were all satisfied that the club was one that should bo allowed to retain its permit. Why should Auckland have nearly 50 per cent, less trotting than Christchurch ? Cbristchurch, ac the home of trotting, was entitled to retain all that it had; but Auckland should not have less. The club had been in existence for 30 years, and if wound up now would be worth about £25,000.

The Minister: "What would be done with that money if the club were wound up?"

Mr. M'Kenzie said it would be used for the good of the community and trotting. It would not be divided among members. The club had a niost denio-

cratic membership, including all grades of workers up to the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, i!

The Minister: "What are you asking me to do? You don't ask me to review the report?" i Mr. M'Kenzie said that all that they desired was to have their case placed before him. They were content to await the verdict of Parliament. They did not race till November, so that they could not be t adversely affected before the House met, though they might have a scramble for dates. He was satisfied that new clubs could not be ready this season if they were to do what the Commission desired. Neither could old clubs be ready; it would bankrupt them.

NO POWER TO REVTEW. i The Minister said that the deputation would realise that, so far as the report of the Commission.,was concerned, it was not in his power to review it. The report was prepared for Parliament, And his only desire and object! was to ccc that it was placed before Parliament in such a way that it would get fair and proper consideration, and that nothing he did in the meantime would/prejudice that position. Hhe merely had to follow the terms of the Act his problem would be fairly simple, because the Act provided that, on receipt of the report, the Governor-General might by Order-in-Council authorise a,number of days for racing not in excess of the number recommended by the Commis: sion. On that authority he could iesue, permits until Parliament - dealt with the matter. ' Within thirty days of Parliament meeting the report had to be tabled, and then a peculiar provision was' inserted-to the effect that if either House of Parliament dissented from the report it should be \ cancelled, and the remaining permits issued, under it should be disallowed. The peculiarity was. that the onus wati thrown on Parliament of rejecting the report instead of the usual course followed with commissions of requiring the report to be confirmed by Parliament. He had also to,keep in view a promise made by Mr. Massey that no extra permits would be issued until Parliament had had the opportunity t)f reconsidering the matter. That would have been simple had Parliament met at the usual time. Under the circumstances it had seemed to him that the only way to give effect to the .law and to the promise was to Tefuse permits to those clubs which had not been recommended by the Commission. If Parliament rejected the report it would be possible to allocate days to these cluba later in the season; If he i did not cut out the clubs which, the Commission had recommended should be cut out, and Parliament adopted the report, he might go short of permits for others. He could not gambje on the chance of some clubs not being ready to accept the permits! As, yet he had not asked the Government to issue the Order-in-Council; but that was not a matter of importance. . WHAT PROMISE WAS MADE. A new feature had now arisen which had, taken him by surprise. Quite recently a considerable number of members of Parliament had made representations to him that, in their opinion, the promise made to Parliament was that nothing, would be done with the report till Parliament dealt with 'it, and that the promise was not merely one that no extra permits would be issued. He had had a. request from practically all the Auckland members that nothing' should be done till Parliament met. Members of all shades of opinion had made these representations, and some had gone so far as to \ say that they oon-y sidered it would be a breach of faith if the report were allowed to operate before Parliament dealt with it. He was jealous of the right of the private memI bers,' and ho had to recognise that if these members were correct in their contention, and he were to act in, contravention of their strong representations, he *night defeat his object of securing fair and proper consideration for the report, as he might antagonise . member* and prejudice consideration, o! the report, which was the last thine: he .wished to do. He had there" promised those members that he v d re--submit the matter to Cabinet, as Cabinet had approved his original decision with Tegard to permits for clubs that were not recommended. This might lead to. permits being issued in the meantime to clubs which were cut out of the report. The Minister made it plain that he was taking this course because of the representations of members of Parliament. He could not allow any representations of racing clubs to influence his action, as the Commission's report was one for Parliament, and Parliament must deal with the matter.

Which profession?

SURVEYORS AND ENGINEERS

A question as to what work should bs done by surveyors, and what by engineers was raised by a deputation from the Institute of Surveyors, which waited on Sir Francis Bell yesterday afternoon. Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., introduced the deputation, and other members of Parliament present were: Sir John Luke, Dr. Newman, and Mr. J. Edifc.

The deputation's desire, as explained by the president (Mr. Arthur Bridge) andi Mr. H. Bridge was that the surveyors should not be prejudicially affected by the provisions of a Bill the introduction of which is sought by engineers with the object of ensuring that local bodies that receive assistance from the public funds shall employ qualified engineers. The speakers said that some branches of engineering were a part of the training for the surveyors, and there were certain branches of work which were now undertaken by surveyors for local bodies and privately. ' Such work included roadl, grading, road formation, taking levels for water-races, and building small bridges. They wished to be recognised, so tha.t they might carry on this work in the future.

Sir Francis Ball said that no promise had been given that the Government would introduce the Bill that was askedi for, but that it would view it favourably. He thought it very likely that the surveyors migh find themselves in con* flict with the engineers, because what the engineers Brought under notice was that in Australia every local body with a revenue of :CSOOO must be advrsed' by a qualified engineer if it wialied to receive ■the Government subsidy. He"was not expressing an opinion as to the propriety of thnt provision. He suggested that they "shouldl appoint a. committee, and he would ask the engineers also to ■appoint a committee, so that they might settle the matteirs between them.' It was evident that there mnst be a dividing line, but it would be difPcnlt to. draw that line. If,the Government had to be advised on the matter, it must obtain tlie advice of its engineers, but bo.thonsht it would be much better for |fee parties to arrive at an agreement. ',