CATERING AT OAMARU RACES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23014, 17 October 1936, Page 19

CATERING AT OAMARU RACES

• ro rut, EDITOR Sir,—Allow me to congratulate “ Play the Game” on the letter in Thursday’s issue on catering at Oamaru races. I would re-echo the query. Why were the Oamaru caterers not given a chance to tender? Service and not pies seem to be the clubs’ “ big oad wolf.” If they cast their minds back a few years they may remember the conditions under which the local caterers worked, such as cooking, and boiling water outside in all weathers, hiring tents for dining rooms, carting water, boilers, etc., to say nothing about providing seating accommodation and tables. Then when the rew stand was built with a so-called convenient kitchen (apologies to the conveniences!) a respectable shearer’s cook would have scorned to make a start in it. As for heating pies for a crowd such as there is on Labour Day, well, the age of miracles is well nigh past. Nothing else interested the club but the collection of the highest tender, winch was generally in the vicinity of £SO per day. One caterer paid £65 per day. No wonder the club can afford to put in up-to-date conveniences now for an outside caterer! Again, I ask why were the Oamaru caterers not given the chance, a trial at least, with the same conveniences and on the same terms? Echo answers. Why?—l am. etc., Sport. Oamaru, October 15.