TOTE PERMITS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 18 November 1924, Page 9

TOTE PERMITS.

MANY APPLICATIONS. ' MINISTER’S ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED SHORTLY. The Gaming Amendment Bilbwhich was passed by' the 'Legislature in the recent session . empowers tile Minister for Internal Affairs, who, at present, is the Hon. It. E. Bollard, to issue 111 extra permits—nineteen trotting and twelve racing. The Minister proposes to take advantage of the Act to supply the needs of some districts during the present racing season. . However, the whole 31 may not be allotted forthwith. A decision will be announced shortly. The Minister has received about 70 applications for permits, about 40 fop trotting, and 30 for racing. He has given considerable consideration to the question of allocation, but before making a final announcement will receive the advice of the New Zealand executives of the various racing bodies interested. These executives are 'now pieparing any .suggestions they will make to Air Bollard. " The Minister’s task is not an easy one. There are districts in possession of more permits than they are entit!cd< to, and districts severely under-sup-plied. Thero are clubs iri financial dillL culties, and districts which have be.fome populous of recent years. Ho has,, applications from localities which coulflv .support a club, and, in ,a sense, seem, entitled to a permit, but they are within a few miles of established, ilourishmg'j clubs. ... . Amalgamations, redistribution, increases, and a maze of other considerations rise before one who goes closely into the> question, but the sole con- j sideratiou of tlto present undertaking | is the allotment of the increase allowed j bv the Act. | ‘■Wellington may not - hope for any , more racing Rays, _ but it fully.:, expects a substantial increase m j trotting permits. At present Welling- , ton has one day’s trotting per ycai. TL is understood application lyis been made to secure, .six days’ trotting lor the cit\. The Wellington' Club is quite convinced that it will have two days’ trotting lur. its summer meeting next January, and has framed its programme for a two-. days’ meeting.