LOYALTY TO THE TOWN.

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6573, 7 February 1925, Page 4

LOYALTY TO THE TOWN.

WE publish in another column a letter in which the writer subjects the Te Aroha Jockey Club to some criticism for its lack of loyalty to the business people of the town. We use the plural, because though only one man is concerned in the particular case under review, the Jockey Club or the 'committee it has appointed to deal with the business side of its activities would; it may be assumed, act upon the same principle in all its dealings and would not hesitate to take its business to other towns in every case that it is found cheaper to do so.* It is not to be expected that the Club, any more than any private firm, would submit to exploitation and give its custom to local business people without any regard to the prices asked, but before it takes its business to an outside town it should be satisfied that its requirements cannot be met locally, not at the lowest possible figure,, but at a reasonable price l and one that would be fair to. both sides. The Jockey Club should remember what it owes to the town and more particularly to the business people. Without £oing- into early history it Can be said with safety that when the financial assistance necessary to the inauguration of the Club was being sought the business people of Te Aroha were not overlooked, and it would be easy to imagine the nature of the arguments that would be put forward. Now that the Club is in a prosperous state it can afford to despise what it once no doubt valued very highly—the goodwill of business people. We would not have referred to the matter were it not for the important principle involved. The Club has set a bad example. To save a few pounds it has sent over £IOO out of the town, and as the Club makes a very handsome profit out of its race cards there was no .need to cut .the cost of printingdown to the barest margin of profit. In loyalty to the town more is expected from those high-minded people who follow the king of sports than from ordinary individuals, and we hope there will be some change in their future policy.