RACES WITHOUT PERMIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18015, 14 February 1922, Page 8

RACES WITHOUT PERMIT

WAIAU CLUB'S OVERSIGHT.

UNINTENTIONAL BREACH.

NOMINAL PENALTIES IMPOSED.

[RX TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ' ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday.

At the Magistrate's Court at Culvorden to-day, beforo Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., 18 officials of the Waiau Racing Club wore charged with having held a race mooting at Waiau on January 6, without having first obtained a permit from the Minister for Internal Affairs, as required by the Raco Meetings Act, 1919.

A formal plea of guilty was entered. It was explained that two or three years ago, owing to a chango of secretary and other officials, a raco meeting was held, for which, through ignoranco of the law on the part of the executive no permit was obtained. The attention of the club was not called to the omission, and another raco mooting was held in 1921. This yoar the programme was passed by the district committee and the Trotting Association, and the fact of tho permit Going required did not occur to any member ol the executive/ Thero was no doubt that had application for a permit boon made, it would havo been granted without question. Tho magistrate said it was quito clear tho breach was not a wilful one. In the circumstancos, he would record a conviction and ordor each to pay 7s costs.