NEW RACING PERMITS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18946, 18 February 1925, Page 8

NEW RACING PERMITS.

ALLOCATION ' ANNOUNCED. ;J COUNTRY CLUBS &ENEFJT. 1 THE AUCKLAND PROVINCE 1 J ' | LARGE SHARE IN DISTOIBUTIOIi, ! [BY TXLKGSAKt.— -OWN COJMIESIXOTJEK3. J ' WELLINGTON. Tuesday. '.rhe Cabinet, at its meeting to-day, cosj-1 sidered the recommendation of tho Minister for Internal Affairs, Hon. R. F. Bcllazd, for the allocation of the 31 new tataEsate® permits—l2 for racing clubs and 19 % trotting clubs—provided in' the .Gaming Amendment Act. Most of tho new pe?mits go to conn try clnbs. The allocation of the permits is as jfoj*' lows:— Racing Clabs.—Waipapakanri Racing } Cltih, one day; DargaviUe Racing Cine," one clay; Whangarei Racing Club, oj» 1 dayj Franklin Racing Club, one day; ' Hamilton Racing Club, two days; Matemata Racing Club, one day; Rotorna Racing Club, one day; Te Haiti Racing | Club, one day; Waimarino Racing CluE, one day; Waiapu Racing Club one day; Motueka Racing Club; one day. Total, 12 days. Trotting Clubs.—Wellington TrottingClub, three dajs; Northland Trotting Club (Whangarei), one day; Waikato Trotting Club, one day ;• Cambridge Trot- ' ting Club, one day; Thames Trotting Club, one day; Te Aroba Trotting Club, one day; Taranaki Trotting Club, one day; Hawke's Bay Trotting Club, one dayHawera Trotting Clnb, one day; Sooth Wairarapa Tiotting Club, one day < Timaru Trotting Clnb, one day; Inrarcafgill Trotting Club, two days; Wvndhasa Trotting Club, one day; Oahiara Trotting Club, one day; Ashborton Trotting Club, one day; Nelson Trotting (Jltibu one day. Total, 19 days. "The allotment of the new permits,** re# marked Mr. Bollard to-day, "upholds Barliament's intention when it passed the Gaming Amendment Act. That intention was to give the new permits to cormtry districts. That has been done, and in carrying out the principle the Government, has at the same time given effect to the 1 conclusions arrived at by the Racing Cwrw mission of 1921-22. *' There is no doubt," continued Mr* Bollard, " that the people of many of the country districts have not had given to them in the past an adequate measure of some of the good things that would make for their amusement. Life in some of iha back areas is a colourless existence to very many men and women. They need some sport and other amusements, and if they don't get it where do they go ? They go off to the cities when race meetings ars being held. Giving to the great distance some have to travel to reach our cities it takes them one and sometimes two days to get there, staying until the race meeting is over (probably wo days), and another day or two days are spent in the return journey. The men are away from their farms for a week, and as was fre». quently pointed oat to me during my inspection of the back country clnbs sera® of the. men on tho farms are away en- ' joying the aftermath of the city rack meetings for. a fortnight or more, and soma aever return. Ail the time the mm ar» away the stock is suffering because in many cases cows go unmilkod and the hundred other things which require vigilant attention on a farm, go unheeded. ' Now, to keep those men on their farms producing for the good of. the country in genera], they must be given some of the facilities enjoyed by tho cities lor theii* amusement. Most men in tho country enjoy good clean honest sport. Nearly all like horses and witnessing tho spirit of rivalry in racing. In giving the permits to their clubs the country people have had their wishes met. I am sure the city dwellers who are so well catered for will endorse the principle underlying the albcation." Before the allocation of the additional permits was considered by the .Cabinet both the Racing and Trotting Conferences were consulted by the Minister. I have had several interviews," said Mr. Bollard, " with members of the executive of the two conferences. The position of all the clubs was very carefully goa© into and reviewed. In tho ultimate allocation we were almost unanimous. "There are one or two clnbs,** he added,, '* who have good claims for assistance outside of the allocation of the new permits. To clubs of this kind I may be able to loan them a permit occasionally. -Apart from these old permits, it may be possible to loan one or two of the new permits also, because some, of the clubs allocated, them will probably not be in readiness to use their permits this racing season.. It is a matter, however, to which shall give careful consideration."