ROTORUA HUNT RACES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 11

ROTORUA HUNT RACES

INSISTENCE ON HOME COURSE MINISTER STATES POSITION [BT TELEGKAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Sunday Strong exception to the attitude adopted by the Rotorua Hunt Club regarding his refusal cf a totalisator permit for a race meeting at Cambridge 011 October 24 "was taken by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, in an interview yesterday. The Minister said the club was not justified in an attempt to use its totalisator permit away from Rotorua. "When the matter of an extra day's racing for Rotorua was brought before me," Mr. Parry said, "I was particuJarlv impressed with the desirability of assisting the Hunt Club, which has been doing wonderful work in the district. I understood that a one-day totalisator meeting: in Rotorua would place the club on a sound financial footing, and 1 placed the case before the New Zealand Racing Conference, which decided to recommend the club for a permit which had to be given from the total number of days allotted to racing, as cjjstinct from those allotted to Lunt clubs. "Lator I learned that the Rotorua Hunt Club had been negotiating with the Waikato Hunt Club to use this permit for a meeting at Cambridge on October 24, instead of at Rotorua on September 26. It was put forward that new grassing had been carried out on the Rotorua Jockey Club's property and that a meeting in Sep- j teniber might damage the course, al- I though it appears that the club saw prospects of a greater financial return from a meeting at Cambridge. "I was advised from Rotorua that the argument about possible damage to the course would nob stand investigation, and a report from the inspector of totalisators was to the effect that damage could easily be avoided. I therefore declined to authorise the change of venue, being satisfied that' the real reason for desiring the change of course was purely financial. "The club has only itself to blame for the position that has arisen. However, far from being prejudiced by my decision, the club has probably been greatly assisted by the decision to allow a meeting at Rotorua on November 14. which should prove a better date and ensure that no damage is done to the Jockey Club's property."