H.—2B

2

the year upon which the totalizator might be lawfully used, divided as follows : Racing clubs, 214 days ; trotting clubs, 59 days ; and hunt clubs, 8 days. By virtue of section 3 of the last-mentioned Act, the Minister of Internal Affairs was authorized to issue licenses to hunt clubs for 8 additional days, making a total for hunt clubs of 16 days in the year, and being 1 day for each hunt club in existence at the time. Excluding the effect of section 2 of the last-mentioned Act, whereby authority is given to appoint a Commission for the several purposes hereinbefore mentioned, at the time your Commissioners entered upon their inquiry the position therefore was that there were 289 days in all upon which in any one racing-year licenses to use the totalizator might be issued. The applications received by the Minister of Internal Affairs, and referred by him to us during the course of our inquiry, disclosed that all clubs which at the time held licenses had applied for licenses for the same or a greater number of days, and that a number of new clubs had also applied for licenses. Seven of the eight additional days the Minister of Internal Affairs became empowered to grant to hunt clubs by the Act of last session were applied for, and 143 days by various racing and trotting clubs, in excess of those granted by subsisting licenses. One hunt club had ceased to exist. 3. Upon the completion of our inquiry, and after careful and earnest consideration, we, in complete unanimity, arrived at the following conclusions, viz. : — (a.) That it is highly undesirable, either by redistribution of the licenses hitherto granted, or by the issue of additional licenses, or otherwise, to materially increase the volume of totalizator betting in the Dominion : (5.) That, considering the configuration of the Dominion, and the scattered nature of its population, the number of race-days per year now permitted is not excessive : (c.) That there are anomalies and injustices in the present distribution of licenses which clamour for removal and rectification : (d.) That the population basis for the purpose of distribution is a fallacious one, but that population is an important factor and should have due consideration in every case : (e.) That outlying districts, and especially districts suffering under the disabilities of isolation, should receive special consideration : (/.) That to achieve any approach to accurate justice a certain measure of redistribution is imperative,, and the issue of a certain number of additional licenses is unavoidable : (g.) That to effect this redistribution, provide these additional licenses, and remove the anomalies and remedy the injustices now present, without materially increasing the volume of totalizator betting, it is inevitable that certain clubs enjoying privileges beyond their just deserts, or beyond the reasonable recreation requirements of their respective districts, should suffer curtailment, and that others who have outlived their usefulness, or who are not really necessary to the district they purport to serve, should disappear from the racingmap altogether : (h.) That, with regard to what are called the metropolitan clubs, it should be recognized that the larger of these clubs are, in a sense, national institutions, catering according to high standards not only for the population in their immediate vicinity, but for the racing community at large, and should not be interfered with unless for grave reasons ; but that the suburban clubs are in quite a different position, and are entitled to much less respect and consideration : (i.) That country clubs, as a class, are entitled to more sympathetic consideration than they have hitherto received, it being, in our judgment not only strictly just, but in the public interest, that a sufficiency of recreation should be available for those living at a distance from the larger centres; but that in certain areas a quite unnecessary congestion of country clubs was apparent, and should, to some extent, be relieved,