COUNTRY RACING CLUBS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 1, 17 August 1911, Page 6

COUNTRY RACING CLUBS.

MR. JENNINGS’ BILL. (Per Press Association!) Wellington, August 16. In the House of Representatives tins evening Mr. Jennings moved the second reading of the Gaining Amendment Bill, fie stated that as far as the country clubs were concerned the Racing Commission’s report and the rejection of permits had given the greatest dissatisfaction. Tiie allocation of permits, La his mind, had not been done in a fair way. The Bill appealed for justice and the mercy of the House to the clubs mentioned in the schedule, some of whom had been in existence for over twenty years.-/ The Bill provided that the Minister for Internal Affairs may giant licenses to use the total isa tor at horso' race mootings held under the control nr management of the clubs named in the schedule for the year commencing August 1, 1011, and for each snhsenneiifc year, provided that licenses granted pursuant to this section shall be limited to such number as wilF provide one license for one race mooting in each year to each of the club;’ named in (he schedule. He maintained that the Gaining Act has had tiie opposite clfecL to that desired by_ the Government. The Racing Commission hud reduced racing by 43 and trotting by 11 days. His Bill only asked for an increase of 14 days. Country clubs had suffered severely. Metropolitan clubs were reduced four days, and country clubs 39, and 17 of them had been wiped cut altogether. Why should racing clubs not have provision made for them just as licensing laws provided for four years’ grace, so that matters might readjust themselves? Last year’s Gaming Act had . resulted in increased gambling being; sent into the towns. This was evidpr>CGfl by the extraordinary increase" in the totalisator receipts. He whs of ■ opinion that the issuing of permits should not he left in the hands of the Racing Conference. They .should be in charge of the Minister, who could retain some ton or a dozen for" the hike of districts where population increased, so that, on reasonable grounds being shown, ho could grant a permit.

Mr. For! jcs regretted the necessity for the introduction of such a measure. It showed what could happen when powers wore delegated to boards. . The -Racing Commission had not carried out the wish of Parliament. They hgd reduced the days of country clubs, where betting heavy. The purpose of the GamingAct was to reduce gambling. Instead of doing that it had' reduced the amount of sport. The Bill now proposed was to uioet some of the hardships of the recommendations of the Commission. Mr. Field hold that there was a necessity for reduction in days of racing, hut not of such a sweeping nature as contained in the Commission’s report. It had hcoii understood that clubs holding only one meeting a year would bo preserved, but that had not been done, He hoped the Bill would be preserved in committee in something; like’fts present form. Mr. Wright was forced to the opinion that the whole system of horseracing revolved round betting. He thought an extension of time should be allowed these clubs wiped out by the Commission to enable them to wind. pp their affairs without loss. He considered the Commissioners were justified in any action they had taken With regard to the Westport Club, the ■ Commissioners went''out to the course at night: with damps, and then recommended' the wiping out of the club, which had been racing over forty years, and Which had never load a. complaint against it. The Cominis siou did not carry out their • duties fairlj- .

jjiv-Mo Donald eoftsifler&r that very great injustice had hoenfdone to country qhihs .through the,.Dominion. Mr.. |l ay lor said ho, was never against horse-racing, but the present debate* hhd shown tl/A' SVJiole system of racing, as now carried on was centred around the gambling machine. Ho was thoroughly disappointed '.vitli ti:e Commissioners’ report. The whole idea of it had been to centralise and add wealth to the metropolitan clubs. tji..

Mr. Pearce supported the Bill, and Mr. Poole opposed it. He objected to the provisions of the Bill, though ho was in favour of the complete redistribution of permits. As a protest against the increase of totalisator permits, ho must oppose the Bill. Mi Scott supported tiio Bill because be thought the Racing Commission had not. done its work as the Gaming Act intended. Mr Clover contended that gambling had increased in leaps and bounds of late. He supported the Bid as he considered an injustice had been done to the country clubs. Mr Poland contended that great injustice had been inflicted on country clubs. He supported the Bill. JVii Stallworfcny intended to vote against the second reading of the Bill, as there was now too much racing and gambling. Messrs Munder and McLaren opposed the Bill. t lie Hon, i). Buddo said there was a clear inference in the Act that preference should be given to those clubs having only one meeting per year,,. I’ jus had not been done.

SECOND READING CARRIED. Wellington, August 17. In the House, after twelve, Mr Buddo continued. .He said in his opinion it was not tho matter of racing that was increasing betting; it was the carrying over of carnival weeks into next week. Ho thought considerable improvement would have to lie made to tho Bill in committee if it were to go through. Mr Hall said the Commission’s report was a palpable injustice, and an insult to tho House. He would support the Bill. Sir James Carroll said, with regal’d to the finding of the Commission, he did not disagree witli the opinions expressed by some of the members. Tho Government had to stick to the Commission’s finding, because they had entered into a contract to give tlie Commission’s findings twelve ’ months’ trial. It was only fair to allow that trial. Mr Witty said he was against any increase in racing or hotting. Messrs Clark, Newman, Smith, Fisher, and Russell approved of the Bill. Tho House divided on second reading, which was carried by 35 to 1.0. Tho House rose at 13.55.