THE RACING COMMISSION

West Coast Times, 21 April 1911, Page 4

THE RACING COMMISSION

COVER 5,000 MILES IN ONE • MONTH. Visa 17! ESS -'iSWirMTUi.N. i “ TJie Racing Commissioners have rudely overturned every precedent of dignity and leisure in which Royal Commissions have clothed themselves. ;By motor, steamer, rail and coach, the five gentlemen appointed, who may fitly be labelled “some gentlemen in haste, ’' have covered close on 5,000 miles in one month, and visited practically every racecourse on which a totalisator is in use in the two islands. Their usual conveyance was a motor car, in which they travelled . 2,473 ; miles. By its agency they were able to inspect a course, and at once tahe ;the road again for the next, regardless of time-tables and slow local trains. And it was a common practice to take a hamper, and-make their meals under hedges at the roadside; V They became known as the record-breakers, and by their erratic movements evaded the efforts which the postal department made to keep their mail up to date. Once when obstructed at Bealey ; by an unfordable river, they gained another victory over the enemy Time by separating, . and within sixty hours three of the members were at Rotorua and the other two at Gisborne.- Again, on the West Coast a few days ago some of the party were in a motor car from 7 a;nr. till after midnight, • and had only one meal—at 8 p.m. In that day they hurried through Westport, Reefton, Greymouth, Kumara and Hokitika, and then returned to Greymouth. It staggered even the hardy West Coasters. The exact distance covered in the Commission’s tour of inspection was 4,802 miles—2,473 by motor, 1,469 by rail, 778 by steamer, and 82 by coach.

Mr. A. E.' Cohen, one of the Commissioners, who returned to Dunedin on Tuesday, commenting upon the tour to an interviewer,' remarked that the good weather was the determining factor of their speed; Not, indeed, that all roads were good. “Much has keen said of the roadless.'North,’’ he observed, “and if the settlers in those parts have anything worse than the eleven miles between Paeroa and Te Aroha their grievances must be well founded. Between Reef ton and Greymouth only the staunchest motors should be tried, and the NapierTaupo road, though one of the finest scenic highways in the Dominion, will never receive the patronage it merits Until attention is given to its permanent improvements — particularly to the metalling of the steep incline of Titiokura, the big hill between Pohui and Mohaka." For motoring roads Mr. Cohen thinks the prizes go to Canterbury, Hawke’s Bay, and a long stretch from Dunback towards Naseby. And the courses? The Commission found them, like the roads, in various stages of perfection and neglect. “Ellerslie,” says Mr. Cohen, “is an ideal course which compares favorably with Flemington in its appointments. At the time of our visit a' five-furlong course was being prepared, at a cost of £3,000, exclusively for the training of two-year-olds. Mind, exclusively for their training! Some of the courses on the other hand, were sadly neglected. On one,' the only improvement was a judge’s box, sole designation of the use to which the ground was put. There you have the best and worst.” The Commissioners were distinctly impressed by the beautiful surroundings of the Tauherenikau course, where nikau and climbing rata made a picturesque background; and by the stables and jockeys’ quarters which were a feature at Timaru'. In one respect the Commissioners found something novel at Hokitika, in the guise of a special stand for patients from the local-men-tal hospital—a privilege greatly enjoyed by such patients as were permitted to attend the meetings. Everywhere, Mr. Cohen notes, satisfaction was expressed at the method of personal, inspection which the Commission were employing to enable them to judiciously allot the number of days’ racing to be allowed. Invariably members of the various clubs attended and volunteered information that might help. In one goldfields town the president of the local club provided a good deal of fun. “Evidently,” said Mr Cohen, in recounting the experience, “he had made up his mind that his club was to be made (like tile moa) extinct, an idea no doubt strengthened by the fact that his Committee had been neglectful of appointments. At first he protested against the Commission coming to the district to teach the club how to ‘run their shows’; then, being assured that no such object was contemplated, he invited Sir George Clifford to meet him in the Town Hall after dinner and discuss with him the pros and cons of the position, an invitation which, it is unnecessary to say, the genial chairman politely declined. Undeterred by the refusal, the official visited the hotel where the visitors were quartered, and, walking into the sitting room, commenced to catechise the members about racing generally. He was very diverting.” Very often, Mr. Cohen records, the party, such was their need for “hustling,” visited the racecourses without seeing the towns they served. On one occasion, in Central - Otago, they were invited to visit a leading orchard and help themselves to the dainties, but even this failed to tempt the chairman, an inexorable “Taskmaster,” who dismissed the suggestion with’ the remark that they had come to inspect courses, not to bo satiated by the good things provided by the district.

Some misconception appears to exist, observed Mr - . Cohen, in reference to a telegraphic message published from tire West Coast with regard to the size of tracks. It was therestated that the members of the Racing Commission had expressed the opinion that all trotting courses ! should be not. less than six furlongs, ' and that this standard was possible of attainment in all places except on the West Coast. What was observed, says Mr. Cohen, was that six furlongs was the recognised standard for trotting tracks. Forbury Park, for instance, is only five furlongs in circumference, and it is recognised that it is one of the best shaped in the Dominion and absolutely safe. In America half-mile tracks are _ largely in vogue. What the authorities there—as with the Racing Commission here —insist oh is that the courses are safe and attended by proper appliances. An expression of opinion as to the view of the Commisioners in regard to the advisability of racing courses being not less than a mile was occasionally given,- but, of course anything official in this respect canjnot be understood to have transpired J till the Commission meet for consideration of their report. A word .on the origin of the Commission and the purpose of the tour. It was originally under the Gaming Act of last session, under which the Go-vernor-in-Council was empowered to appoint a commission of five persons to report with a view to restricting the number of day’s racing down to 250. The Commissioners selected were Sir Geo. Clifford (chairman), Messrs J. Rowe (Auckland), R. H. Rolan (Hawera), J. M’Vay (Napier),

and A. E. Cohen (Dunedin). , The investigations made by these gentlemen in their scurry ■ through the country were in respect of the history of clubs, age of courses, area of ground, financial ..Position of clubs, continguity to other courses, and a host of other details which will help them In their delicate task, which may include, the abolition or absorption of some of the clubs. Mr., Cohen concluded by stating that the, members would re-assemble at Wellington. t on Monday, May Bth, for their final duty—the t preparation of their report.