H.^2B

4

from the fact that only thirteen have been elected during the last eight years, and the club has an exceedingly discouraging rule with regard to a change in the personnel of its committee. Little or no attention has been paid to the provision of training facilities, and it is therefore not surprising that there is but one small training-stable at Avondale. The totalizator was for many years worked for the club by the gentleman who was then, and is now, its secretary —under contract; but since a rule of racing prohibiting this came into operation the contract has been held by a firm comprising the son of the secretary and a partner- —the secretary himself, as we are assured, not being interested. This club is in a strong financial position, and has a very substantial surplus of assets over liabilities. The titles to the racecourse properties stand in the name of three persons, of whom the secretary is one. These persons were among the original promoters of the club. The rules of the club, adopted in 1909, provide that the properties of the club shall be vested in trustees. No declaration of trust could be produced. This club is unnecessary, and for that and other reasons indicated should not be permitted to hold down totalizator licenses, which are urgently desired by country and other clubs with infinitely better claims. We reject the claims of the Otahuhu Trotting Club, for the reason only that its existence would involve, if it be allowed to continue, the construction and equipment in competition with the Auckland Trotting Club of a quite unnecessary racecourse. This club has, during the whole of its career, raced upon the course used by the Auckland Trotting Club, and still does so. Comparatively recently it purchased a large area of valuable land not more than seven miles from the course of the senior club, and, as we were informed, proposes to create a trottmgcourse thereon, with all modern appointments, in about five years' time, and in the meantime proposes to race upon the Auckland Trotting Club's course. We are satisfied that no difficulty whatever exists preventing the amalgamation of these clubs, between which relations are most amicable. We are clear that the Otahuhu Trotting Club, although a creditably managed club, should not be permitted, at great expenditure of money provided by the public, to create and equip with costly appointments a new trotting-course in close proximity to that of the Auckland Trotting Club, which fulfils all the requirements of the district, and that its existence as a separate club is unnecessary and undesirable. Christchurch has four racecourses within a radius of five miles from the Chief Post-office. Dealing with these, we have rejected the claims of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, feeling that from the public standpoint there is little sense in this club competing with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the excellently appointed course of which is but three miles away, and thereby unnecessarily duplicating expenditure on lands, buildings, upkeep, and administration. We are satisfied that there is no real difficulty in effecting an amalgamation of these clubs ; but, however this may be, we see no reason for the continuance of totalizator privileges to the Canterbury Park Trotting Club. In the Hawke's Bay District there are two racing clubs serving practically the same district. Of the racecourses of these clubs by far the better appointed is that of the Hawke's Bay Jockey Club. Here, again, there is a quite unnecessary duplication of expenditure in lands, buildings, upkeep, and administration. This is another case where an amalgamation is desirable, but whether such be effected or not, the claims of the Napier Park Racing Club are, for the reasons stated, not entitled to favourable consideration. In Gisborne there is still another case of two racing clubs with courses in close proximity to each other, carrying on the same class of racing, serving the same racing public, and duplicating expenditure in the same unnecessary manner. By far the better appointed course is that of the Poverty Bay Turf Club, and, as we can see no justification or excuse for permitting the Gisborne Racing Club to continue, we reject its claims. We urged upon these two clubs the obvious advantages of amalgamating, and are satisfied there is no difficulty in this being effected. 11. It will be noted that by our finding the number of totalizator racing-days has been increased by 9 days, the number of trotting days by 19 days, with the result that the total number of days (including the number of days allotted to hunt