RACES ON PARK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19340, 2 June 1937, Page 4

RACES ON PARK

PERMISSION GRANTED AGAINST MINISTER’S WISH THREAT IF OPPOSED REVOKING JURISDICTION Permission to race on the Parle Domain next month was given to the Poverty Bay Turf Club and to the Poverty Bay Hunt Club the following week by the Gisborne Borough Council, sitting as the Makaraka Domain Board, last night, providing the admission fee was not more than Is. This was done by six votes to four against a strong stand taken by the Minister of Lands, the Hon. P. Langstone, who acquiesced to the February meeting being 'held there only on the understanding that no further application would be considered. It. w.as stated during the discussion that if the board acted against the wishes of the Minister he would consider revoking the board’s jurisdiction over the Park Domain. ’fhe council, however, held the view that as it had the right to grant permission for sports purposes under the Public Domain Act-it,should Jo so in the interests of the racing clubs and also of the board’s funds. Minister’s Attitude The Minister’s attitude was explained in the following letter dated May 7 in reply to a letter from the board:— “I was under the impression that my reply to the representations made to me by the deputation from the Gisborne Borough Council which approached me on March 10 was quite definite. '“lf the Domain Board still wishes to accede to the request of the Racing Club for permission to race on the domain, I can only suggest that you submit to a poll of the ratepayers my proposal that the domain be exchanged for the club’s property, which could then be constituted a domain. The citizens were consulted whep the domain was acquired, and certain undertakings were given, and it is only right and proper that they should again be consulted in any move to depart from the original proposal. “It will not be necessary for me to reiterate in detail my objections to your board’s desire to issue a lease to the Racing Club, as they were fully published in the Gisborne newspapers in their reports of the deputation; but 1 would like to remind the board that when Parliament was asked to consent to the use of Government land and of the public and ratepayers’ money to purchase the Racing Club’s property for domain purposes, it was distinctly stated that there would be no further racing on the acquired property. In my opinion the action now proposed by the council in its capacity as the Domain Board is quite unconstitutional. Personally, 1 can see no way of overcoming the difficulty except by the means I have suggested.” Ratepayers’ Poll Proposed The secretary of the Domain Board, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, reported having replied on the instruction of the chairman, Mr. 1). W. Coleman, M.P., as follows: —“Your suggestion that a poll of ratepayers be taken on your proposal that the present domain be exchanged for the Racing Club’s property at Makaraka does not meet with the approval of my' board, it beiug considered that the Makaraka racecourse is not nearly so suitable a situation for a domain compared with the present domain. “As an alternative to your proposal, it is desired to ascertain if you would consent to a poll of ratepayers lieing taken to the question of permitting the Racing Club to hold race meetings on the Makaraka Domain on six days in the year.”

The town clerk said that no reply had been received from the letter, which was dated May 11.

Colossal Mistake ’ ’

The Mayor recalled the Minister s previous declaration that the hebruars meeting was to be the last on the Park, but under the law domains boards had the right to grant the permission, but in view of the attitude of the Minister it might not he wise to grant the per mission. He had mentioned that to the Minister, who had said: “If you do that l will consider the revoking ol the (iishorne Borough Council's jurisdiction over the domain.” It would be a colossal mistake, in the Mayor's opinion, to go against the Minister’s wishes.

Cr. 11. 11. DeCosta said that the Minister might lie sincere in what he thought proper, hut the hoard had to consider the racing people. It a poll were taken as to whether racing should be permitted on the Park it would be carried, bv an overwhelming majority. He did not think the Makuraka course could bo.prepared iu time lor the meeting next mouth. He. moved that the board should lease the domain to the Racing Club providing admission fees did not exceed Is.

Cr. 0. Bradley Smith seconded the motion and said that the hoard was entitled to let the ground for sporting purposes, and if racing was not a sport he did not know what was. It bad not been possible lor the club to get the Makuraka course in order in time, anti ditferent dates might not be available. It would be a hardship on the club if it was to be deprived of its steeplechase meeting, and lie would like to see the board grant permission on this occasion at least. Cr. 11. E. Mamie said that the Minister litui spoken of sanctity of contract, but the Minister proposed to set aside a law which gave the board permission to grant the use of the grounds. Jt seemed that an impasse had been arrived at. If the Minister’s threat was carried out and the council superseded in its control of the board, the ratepayers would still have to find tyoney for the upkeep of the grounds. Crown Lands Control The .Mayor said that if the council was' superseded the Crown Lands Department probably would administer the domain. The board could not get away from the fact that in the correspondence from the Domain Board to the Minister on the purchase of the property special mention was made that no further racing would take place on the ground. That largely influenced the department in being willing to take over the Park racecourse as a domain. He did not think the argument that there would be insuflicient time to get the grounds in order would hold, for the Minister had told them last time that that would be the last time permission would be granted.

“I think the Minister is making a mistake in holding against the Borough Council, for I'think it is. a good proposition for six or seven days’ racing. The grounds would he open to the public for the remainder of the year. We must realise that the Minister is the Minister, and respect his wishes. .1 feel that I cannot vote for the motion. Or. 11. Hall did not think it wise to go against the Minister in particular or the Cabinet in general. He thought it would he a better plan, even if it meant abandoning the coming race meeting to refuse permission and to interview all Ministers who came to (.lisborne in order to use their inllitence on the Minister of Lands to change his altitude, That would be a far better plan than antagonising the Minister. Mr. Coleman said that other Ministers had been impressed with the Domain Board’s views, but whether they would hold the same view after studying the files and seeing,the contract that there would he no more raeyig he could not say.

Cr. N. If." Bull said that, possibly the Minister was right in not wishing to break the contract, lint he would sunport the motion because the only sensible tiling to do was to return a revenue L the grounds. “Came as a Surprise’’ Cr. D. S. Thompson said he knew oi no such contract being mentioned to the ratepayers. * The Mayor: It is on the files nevertheless. ' Cr. Thompson said lie would vole ai'iiinst the motion because lie did not. wish to antagonise the Minister. Cr. 11. Holmes said that, it came to him as a surprise that such an undertaking had been made. In the interests of the people of the district, tile rights of the Domain Beard should he ear lied out by the board. He did not like to oppose the Minister, but lie did net believe in the board's rights being taken a wav from it. Cr. P. W. Bus’”iell v aK sure that i f the referendum I l ''- Mayor siig |r cs(.e.l wore taken it would be lurried, lilt in view of the <lcterr>iim<l attitude and the Mayor’s proposal tor a rrfen—dnm. ii would h- foolish t ’ threw tile eve 1 YUS UP ll!. r ai"Sl it 1 ' w'l. 'to did not agree with the Mi’”rler’s ettit."dp. but it would not be wis° to c-rc; I,be Minister at the moment. Th > lop<f view should be taken. Cr De'Vste Wvi •?. said t'"it if the Minist-w wish'd in tile ■ M"'""’ i>'■»},'sii■•<> -of deriving the hen yd ot I 1 "’ control of |l.n donvin. lie could do ro t’er as bn fo'\ . DeCosta) was coucerm'h Tt would take a load oil' the beard S mi"d. Cr, Bull asked for the date of the letter in which the undertaking not to race on the Park was. given. Cr. Fmitli: 1932. Cr. Thompson said that he always

understood that racing on Ilia l ark was hold out ns pojsibic revenue. The vpting-was: For the motion, six votes, Crs, OeCostn. Bull, Webb, Holmes. Alamle, and Smith, against, four votes, the Mayor and Crs. Hall, '1 hompson, and Buslmell. The Salne rental and conditions as previously were agreed to,