RAGING IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11045, 31 October 1921, Page 7

RAGING IN NEW ZEALAND

THE COMMISSION'S REPORT SOME QHESTIONS AND SOME SUGGESTION 6. NEW CLUBS FOR OLD. Concerning a subject which is attracting a great amount of attention in New Zealand just now—the report of the Gaming Commission—" Watcher” writes interestingly as follows to the "New Zealand Times": — "It would have been infinitely better, in the interests of racing and the country, if the Racing Commission’s report of 1910 had been adhered to. There have been breaks away ever since, and last season, as wo all know now too well, was no exception. The report now before the House of Representatives prevents us from forgetting the unhappy fact. HUNT CLUBS. "There are fifteen hunt elnbs holding fifteen race meetings. Now, I would like to ask how many members of these clubs follow hounds, and how much are the toth.l subscriptions for the upkeep of these hounds? To mv personal knowledge there are several clubs whose actual active hunting members following hounds do not exceed twenty, and the subscriptions range from -81 Is to £2 2s each, apart from honorary members. This simply means that the subscriptions from these active hunting members is not sufficient to keep up the hounds, no more is it if the other subscriptions are included. Why are these subscriptions not increased to cover the expenses, instead of the pnblic being asked to pay the amount through the totalisator? This information is easily accessible through the Minister for Internal Affairs. "I am a strong supporter of hunt dabs under legitimate rqjaa and regulations, and the best ana wisest way would be, wherever a hunt club exists, that it be compulsory for the raring elnbs in their immediate vicinity to give donations towards assisting the upkeep of the hunt in proportion to the members' subscriptions, and that the days given to hunt clubs be given to the club nearest their headquarters, who must provide on their programmes for the necessary hunters’ races for the hunt dub. "In the South Island I think there are four hunt dubs with trotting races. Surely a hunt dub that requires trotting races to be put on its programme should not have a permit at all. Trotting has nothing to do with hunting. FOR NEW CLUBS. "The Commission's report has much to recommend it, but they have gone much too far in the creation of new dubs at the expense of old dabs, and the unnecessary increase in trotting. In alt, I think there are nineteen new duhe reoommended. H the Commissiom's recommendations are carried out it will be necessary to make a properly constructed racecourse and suitable appointments before the permit is granted. I would suggest that this means an enormous amount of capital expended in the country that is not justified considering the number of racecourses and racing xacilitiee there are available at the present time. To buy a freehold course of shy 80 acres —leas would not be suitable—to lay down a traok, fence it in a mils round on each ride, lay down lawns, saddling paddocks, meet totalisator house, grandstand, stewards’ stand, outside stand, horse’ stalls and boxes, publicans' booths, dining rooms, oloak rooms, rip., sanitary accommodation, and fence in the property, at the very lowest estimate oould not be done at any of the places suggested under between £15,000 and £20,000. Taking it at £15,000, it means an expenditure to the country of £263,000, which must be supplied by the public. Considering the railway facilities miA the use of motors it appears to me that there are quite sufficient dubs available far the requirements of the public without an expenditure of such dimensions, or any further expenditure at all; On His face of it it seems ridiculous that tbs immense amount of capital that is invested on some of the courses is only used from two days upwards to nine ana ten days, and outside the large centres, only from two to six days per year. Where raring clubs are recommended it 1 means a considerable influx of people, horses, trainers, jockeys, attendants, owners, eta., and the aooommodatbxn for this large number of people is not available in seme, of the places reoommended. Indeed some of the courses at the preeent time, and some of those reoommended, simply mean a field day for the nearest hotel. The Commission have seen fit to recommend some dubs additional days, which are by no means justified. Take Tolago Bay, Opunake, Stratford, New Plymouth, PohiatuA, etc.—there are surely sufficient days in these areas already. Members of Parliament should study the second, and-third schedules of the Commission'# report attentively. ABOUT THE TOTALISATOR. "I think the Commission laid down as compulsory far a 10s totalisator. This is a very serious proposition. The 10s machine may be necessary in the large centres, but in the oountry districts it certainly is quite unnecessary. Nothing has done so much to demoralise racing as . the 10s machine; It has been the means of encouraging women and girls to bet on tbe totalisator that otherwise would not have attempted to bet, except through the making up of fls fld tickets, which, if within their means, is not unreasonable. The 10s machine opened the course to women betting entirely on their own account in the larger sum. Before the 10s machine was inaugurated women were seldom, if ever, seen going near a totalisator. Now you will see thousands of them go to the 10s machine, but you will see very few or none go to the £1 machine. Go to any country meeting where the £1 machine is the only memi of betting and you will scarcely see a woman go near it, but go where the 10s machine is in vogue and you will eee hundreds. WHAT OF THE PROPERTIES? "I do not know what the Government proposals regarding the conduct of dubs will be in regard to their freehold property. Take some of the dubs that have been pnt out by the Commission, if the report is adopted by Parliament, what is to become of the freehold property and the assets of the dub in the event of liquidation ? After the payment of the debts of the club surely this money belongs to the public, and not to the individual members of the club. As the law exists at the present time the property of the various clubs belongs to the member a of the club. Ido not for one moment think that the majority of the duhs. it liquidation came, would attempt to divide their assets amongst their members, but there should be some definite legislation regarding the matter. It should be compulsory m the case of liquidation for the proceeds to be handed over to some charitable institution in the district where the club has been operating.”