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cation for a permit, and it lapsed. The present club under the present management came into existence about two years ago, and they have held very pleasant little meetings. We feel that if we could now get a permit we could hold a meeting which would attract horses such as we had in the old days. As you will see, Coromandel is very isolated. It serves a radius of sixty miles. Auckland is forty-live miles distant by sea, and Thames nearly the same distance by road. The course is on two properties, and we have a joint lease covering both properties for twenty-one years. The president of the club is the owner of the major portion of the property. The original rent was £20 a year, but that was reduced to £10 when the place went down. The lease gives us a right to use the land for as many days' racing as we require, and for a certain number of days before each meeting for exercising the horses. A fee of £1 per horse is charged for training, but that goes to the owner of the property and not to the club. We are now more of a farming community than a mining' community, and naturally now that the people are earning their living off the land their livelihood is more assured than in the mining days. We have not a large or wealthy population, but we think wo could successfully run a race meeting. Although we only had a fortnight in which to prepare for our meeting when we got a permit we ran a successful little meeting, giving about £81 in stakes. We think the isolation of the district entitles us to a permit. Coromandel is the only outlet for the whole of the peninsula, and the Mercury Bay district has a population of over a thousand people, in the last five years a butter-factory and saleyards have been installed here. The butter-factory has an output of 30 tons a year and is paying its way. There lias recently been a large increase in the flocks of sheep in the peninsula, and farming generally is in a flourishing condition. Every section has been taken up right from here to Mercury Bay, and the land is now going from mining to farming. At present, we should add, we have the course rent-free as long as the owner is alive and living in the district. We have some horse-breeders here. Royal Soult is a local stallion. Opotiki Jockey Club. The headquarters of the club are at Opotiki. The club was formed about forty years ago, and is registered. The last meeting was held in February, 1914. A list of the present members of the club and a copy of the club's last balance-sheet have been forwarded. The circumference of the course is 7 furlongs 32 yards, and it is vested in the trustees of the Domain Board. The accommodation consists of grandstand capable of seating 220 persons, two flights of steps which would accommodate another 200, refreshment-rooms, and lavatories underneath; wired in birdcage and saddling-paddock; separate building for secretary's office, stewards' room, weighingroom, and jockeys' room. Course is fenced on both sides all round, and railed along the straight. The nearest clubs using the totalizator are at Tokomaru Bay, on east, a hundred miles, and Tauranga, on west, eighty miles. The nearest club not using the totalizator is at Whakatane, twenty-four miles distant. The distance from other race meetings is a great drawback to breeders bringing out their horses, and we think for this reason alone we should be entitled to consideration. By the Deputation. —We think if there is any body in New Zealand who are entitled to a permit it is ourselves. We are absolutely isolated. We arc such a distance from any other totalizator meeting that it is a hardship on us to breed horses. We incur a great risk and much expense in bringing mares and thoroughbreds into the district, and after all we are handicapped by having no meeting at which to try our horses. If we do not get a permit we think we will have to cease our meetings, as we cannot carry on. When the bookmakers were allowed to bet we always received a certain amount of revenue from them, and that enabled us to carry on. We had £1.00 on fixed deposit when the bookmakers were abolished, but that amount has dwindled down to about £19, and we soon will have no funds if our sporting fellows do not dip their hands into their pockets. We think we are right up to date in our course and appointments, and if we get a permit we arc prepared to do whatever else is considered necessary. We are in a position in regard to our racecourse that is not equalled anywhere in New Zealand. All the members of the Domain Board are keen sports, who are willing and anxious to have the place kept up to date. We find that since we lost the bookmakers our meetings have gradually gone down through lack of support. We resolutely refused to allow illegal betting, with the result that bushworkers and others who have big cheques go away to Rotorua and Auckland and Gisborne and spend the money which should be spent in this district. Opotiki is an old settled place, and it has made great strides in the last four or five years. Our little meeting is looked upon by the town and country people as the event of the year, and it helps to make up for the loss of amusements that we suffer through our isolation. It has always been the aim of our club to keep the standard of the club and of racing as high as possible. Opotiki for some years has prided itself on the class of horses it has bred here—not racehorses, but good hacks; but the farmers cannot prove their horses without a meeting here. In our immediate vicinity we have about 100,000 acres of first-class country in which to breed first-class horses. Many men and many good horses have gone from here to the war. We think this district can breed as good horses as any in New Zealand if we have an inducement to do so. We have averaged eleven nominations for each of our race meetings. We have the assurance of the Domain Board that the racecourse will be kept in thorough order for racing purposes, and that the whole of the rent accruing to the Board will be set aside for improving the course and appointments. Taumarunui Racing Club. The headquarters of the club are at Taumarunui. The club was formed in 1905, and is registered. The last meeting was held in 1909. A list of the present members of the club and a copy of the club's last balance-sheet have been forwarded. A tracing of proposed course is enclosed showing old course previously used. The circumference of the course is furlongs.