PARK RACECOURSE

Gisborne Times, Volume LV, Issue 6204, 8 October 1921, Page 6

PARK RACECOURSE

PROPOSED* ABOLITION.

GENERAL REGRET BY PUBLIC.^

Tiie publication of the report of the annual meeting of the Gisborne Kac- „ Jug Club yesterday caused renewed, interest to be evinced in the Racing Commission's recommendation that all racing should be held at Makaraka and the . Gisborne Club amalgamate with the Poverty Bay Turf Club.' Well known citibens approached on the matter were m the great majority of cases utterly opposed to the proposal and various objections were put forth. Ther course, if was pointed out, is better situated for the public than the majority of the courses in New Zealand. It has a tram almost to the front gate, a railway at the back, and a road by the side. Traffic can proceed up one road and return by another, thus avoiding the liability of accidents. The Park is in many quarters looked upon almost as a municipal reserve, and has always been utilised for picnics and sports of all descriptions. From a racing point of view, it is said to be the best winter course in New Zealand; indeed, as one gentleman remarked, Mr A. J. Shearsby, organiser of the North Island Racecourse Owners' and Trainers' Association,, had stated .in the Gisborne Times that "it was one of the best courses and training tracks apd facilities in the whole of Australasia,”

MOTORISTS’ OPINION

COURSE ESSENTIAL TO THE TOWN.

The hon. secretary of the Gisborne Motor Racing Club, Mr. C. W. T. 'Sheen, interviewed on the matter, that in his opinion the Park course was essential to the business interests and gneral welfare of Gisborne. By this, he explained, he meant that in the absence of race meetings, large sports gatherings, motor cycle race meetings, and athletic gatherings such as could he held at the Park, people would go out of the town, at holiday seasons. Then, again, they would lose the oxtia business accruing from those . who might otherwise he induced to come here. "I am certain,” stated Mr Sheen, "that no motor cycle club in the Dominion can afford to run a racing track of its own.” The Borough Reserve was much too small for motoi racing and had no grandstand or appointments so necessary for other sports. Asked as to the suitability of the Makaraka course for motor racing, Mr Sheen said that it was eminently unsuitable for several reasons. There was first its distance from town. Then the railway unloaded patrons about half a mile away and they had to cross over a crowded road. On the other hand, at the Park patrons by railway were put direct into the saddling paddock and the tram unloaded them almost at the front gate. Then, again, there were two roads for the use of motor traffic on the occasion of meetings, an important consideration. It would therefore he a great deal more inconvenient and costly for people to attend gatherings at the more distant course, and if the Park were cut out die town would have no motor race meetings, though such as had been held there had been both successful and popular. The opinion was expressed that it would be a good thing to send a representative of local athletic and motor racing interests to Wellington to point out the necessity for the retention of the Park course.

Should the Gisborne Motor Cyple Racing Club secure the use of the course, it would put on a motor cycle race meeting on January 2. Already a programme with £220 cash prizes, apart from trophies, had been drawn up, and they only needed an assurance that the grounds would be available to go ahead with, the preparations for the meeting.

HORSE-OWNERS’ VIEWS

GENERAL ADVANTAGE OVER MAKARAKA.

A quota to the comments made upon the Racing Commission’s proposal to cut out the Park course was supplied by Mr Davidson, a local racehorse owner.

Mr Davidson said he himself was only irii a very small way as a racehorse owner, and if the Park were cut out he would not bother to continue to keep and train a horse in Gisborne. The Makaraka course was too hard in summer and too wet in winter, making it a pom - one for training purposes. The Park, on the other hand, was an excellent training course and those in charge afforded every facility to trainers. The Park was, he thought, one of, if not the best course in New Zealand, and he would be very sorry indod to see it done away with.

Mr C. L. Ferguson, in conversation with a Times representative, unhesitatingly pronounced the Park course the better of the two. He corroborated Mr Davidson’s comment that it was a good course all the year round —not too soft in winter nor too hard irv summer. “It speaks for itself/’ said Mr Ferguson, “when . horses come down past the Makaraka course to train at the Park.”

There were, he stated, better facilities at the Park for training, as there there were too grass tracks, and the plough, apart from the course proper, whereas at Makaraka there was only the plough and the outside course. Furthermore, hurdles were left up at the Park all the year for schooling jumpers, also permanent steeplechase fences, and the top course was too severe on horses for training.

In conclusion, Mr Ferguson said it was the general opinion among owners and trainers that the Park course should bo retained.

ATHLETES’ VIEWPOINT,

SERIOUS LOSS TO GISBORNE

The views of' Mr A. E: Davy, president of the N.Z. Auto Cycle Union, and president of the local branch of the same body, were also obtained. To a reporter, Mr Davy said: — “I think it will be a serious loss to Gisborne if the Pacing Commission’s report (so far as Gisborne is concerned) is endorsed by Parliament. "The promoters of athletics, athletes themselves, and, the Motor Cycle Clubs, will be lost without the Park course. It may be said that the athletes can use the Childers Eoad Reserve, but that is a very bad substitute, and fatal to the success of large sports gatherings, I speak with some authority on this subject, having taken part in two of the largest sports meetings we have ever had in Gisborne, namely the World’s Championship Chopping meeting, held on the Childers Road Reserve, and the N.Z. Athletic Championship on „the Park course. The former was a failure financially and every other way, and. the latter a complete success, and I would not care to be associated 'with another large sports meeting unless it were held on the Park course. The promoters of athletics in New Zealand are doing a great national work, and are entitled to some consideration from the Government. Our Government, so far, has made no move in this direction, so it is left to sports bodies to carryon the good work. These bodies’ only reward is the knowledge that by promoting outdoor games, and creating friendly rivalry in physical contests, they, are doing something for the country’s good. . “If proper representations ar* made, I am confident that Parliament will not give athletics in. this

district such a great set-back as this would do by taking away our only 6ports ground. “In regard to motor cycle racing, some people say that it should be stopped, but if they had stopped it prior to the late great would not have had the daring and skilful despatch riders, who did such great work in Europe during the early part of the war. The majority of these motor cycle riders were trained on the Auto Cycle Union tracks throughout the Empire. Motor cycle racing, like aviation, has its dangers, but surely no one will deny that they have both been very useful to the Empire. “The Gisborne Park racecourse is the only track for motor cycle racing in Poverty Bay. I,f this course is ° taken away, this popular sport will have to he abandoned. I think the business people of Gisborne do not realise the harm it will do them if Parliament decrees that we • lose the Gisborne Park Racmg Club. It will mean that on every holiday crowds of Gisbornites will sail away to other towns to 6ee large athletic meetings, motor cycle meetings, and horse racing. The money that should have, been spent in our district will go to buffi up other towns. I certainly think that we should not lose the great reputation we have built op, as one of the premier sporting towns in New Zealand. "At the recent Auto-Cycle Union conference held in Palmerston North, a resolution was earned and forwarded to the Minister of Internal Affairs, protesting against the decision of the Racing Commission re Gisborne Racing Club, pointing out that the iiopular sport of motor cycle racing would have to lie abandoned in Gisborne if the report were adopted.”