ABORTIVE CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12007, 9 December 1924, Page 10

ABORTIVE CONFERENCE

WAIRARAPA RAGING MASTERTON AND CARTERTON CLUBS AT VARIANCE. “I- jTJCE OF IMPERTINENCE." (Special to “N.Z. Times.") MASTERTON, December 8. At a meeting of the stewards of the Carterton Racing Club on Saturday night the delegates, who had been appointed to confere with representatives of the Masterton Club, reported on the deliberations. The Masterton Club were represented by Messrs J. lorns, 32. G. Eton, and Mcßean Stewnrt, and Carterton by Messrs W. Howard Booth, L. H* Smart, B. Trapp and W. C. Dellcr. . Both the secretaries attended. MASTERTON PROPOSALS. Mr Booth stated that a proposal was nervously advanced by the Masterton delegates that Carterton should hand ovor to Masterton its existing permit, thereby giving that club four racing days. They considered Carterton should get behind the Wairarapa South Trotting Club, assist it to secure an additional permit and go on united with two days' trotting. Mr Booth said that they gathered from the meeting that this was practically the proposal advanced by tho Masterton deputation that waited on j the Minister for Internal Affairs asking, for an extra permit. The Minister naturally fell in with this idea as an easy method of adjusting affairs in the Wairarapa. When the Carterton Chzb applied' by letter to the Minister for an . extra permit, it purposedly avoided mentioning any other club, but Masterton seemed to have adopted the very tactics they were careful to avoid. CARTERTON VIEWPOINT. The Carterton delegates, said Mr Booth, had each put forward a’ proposal as a basis of agreement. One was that the two clubs should amalgamate, hold two days' racing at Opaki and Taratahi and with the consent of the Trotting Club hold alternate trots at each , centre. A second suggested amalgamation with four days' gallops and two days trotting at Taratahi as the most central course. The thir suggested amalgamation with two days* flat racing, two days steeplechase andi two days' trotting at Taratahi. The fourth suggested carrying on as at present, but that Masterton hand over their odd day to Carterton, and that both clubs assist the Trotting Club to get an extra day, thereby having six days racing north of Carterton. Mr Booth stated that none of these proposals were ’entertained by Masterton. The delegatee exhibited no spirit of compromise. It seemed that the Masterton Club had called the conference to try and force its one and only proposal. THE CHOPPING BLOCK. Mr Smart said that the escence of the Masterton proposal was that Carterton should make themselves the chopping block for Mosterton. The conference was told that the Carterton Club was in a better financial position that the Masterton Club, hat its course was more convenient and , assessiblo to Lpwer Valley and Wellington patrons, and that one club should not- be called upon to make all the sacrifice. The Masterton gates would not listen to, a*suggosted amalgamation. It was the Masterton Club first and racing patrons anywhere. Mr Okas. Reid said that the Masterton proposal was all one-sided and not worth discussing. The. deputation had gone out of its way in suggesting to the Minister that the Carterton Club be .strangled. It ivas a pieco of impertinence. A general discussion followed, in which it was stated further conversations were useless while one sidfl remained immovable. : On tho motion of Mr Reid, seconded by Mr A. E. Booth, it was decided that the club renew its application for *an extra permit and that the drafting of tetters to the Minister for Internal Affairs and the member for the district; bo left to Messrs W. Howard Booth,’ Smdrl, Trapp and Deller. .