REDUCED RACING.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1360, 5 July 1911, Page 5

REDUCED RACING.

. ASHHURST OLUB PROTEST. MR M'OARTHY IS EMPHATIC, "CONFOUND THEIR UNBLUSHING IMPUDENCE.". ' By Telegraph—Tress Association. 3 Wellington, Yesterday. 1 The deputation from the Aslihuist ' Roing Club waifcad on the Hod. D. • Bnddo, Minister for IntaruaJ Affaire, to-day. Mr Qtthrie, M,P, who introdacad the deputation said that tho Ash. 1 Imrst 01 ab was in a unique position. 1 He contended that the Commission failed to follow tiie Act inasmuch as it had not'given preference to conn- . try clubs. The Ilonsa made it quite clear that jostioo must he done,to country olubs wheseaß the Oommission had taken the opposite oonrse of encouraging long oity meetings. Mr D. McCarthy, President of the Club, said it had been twenty yeara in existonoo and it paid as much as £llOs iu stakes oa its one day meeting. It was the annual picnio for a range of oouutry forty miles iu extant. The ooutse was twelve miles from the Palmerston oonrse. Why had the Commission struck ont the Club's only day and retained five days' racing at Palmerston and four days at Woodville, which was only twelve milos from it? "Confound their unbhshiug impudence of omiesion," added the speaker, who strongly condemned what he termed the centralisation policy. Mr S. Evans pointed out that tlie Olub had accepted nominations for its 1911 Hack Guineas, and wished to know liow the Olub would fare if it could not fulfil its contraotS (i Mr A. W. Trass (secretary)pointed out that £1155 was paid by the Club in stakeswhioh wasj£3Bo in excess of any other one" day olub aud mora than twenty other two day clubs. It had the seventh highest daily Etakes average of any olub iu the Dominion. The Minister deolared that if the Commission's report was in accordance with the Aot he must give eft'et to it 3 reoommendations for. the first year at any rate. He admitted that in regard to its contract obligations the Club had a fairly stiong case, though there might have been stronger cases whioh had appealed to the Commission. Iu a few days he hoped to make publio the final decision of the Crown Law officers whioh would set the matter at rest for the year at any rate. Mr Guthrie deolared that he. was perfectly sure the,-Minister had enough baohbone not to accept the report if ho found it was not in aooordanoe with the statutory direction that oountry ulubs must have preferanoe. "I'm sure you don't waac to set Ministers above Parliament," replied Mrßuddo, who added that the report was under the Crown Law officers' consideration he would not oomment on it.