TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1307, 13 May 1915, Page 7

TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

The Minister for Internal Affairs has had before him the report of Messrs. G. Hunter and H. Davey, the commissioners who for several months past have been travelling all over New Zealand viewing the racecourses and meeting the applicants for the additional number of permits sanctioned by Parliament. Their report and the suggestions of the New Zealand Racing Conference, Country Clubs’ Racing Association, and New Zealand Trotting Association assisted the Minister in his duties. The report of the commissioners is as follows:'—

“In accordance with the directions set out in the order of reference, we desire to state that we have visited and thoroughly inspected seventy-six racecourses, and investigated a number of applications in connection with several branches of sport, working out as follows:—North Island: Flat rac-

ing clubs, 21; hunt clubs, 12; trotting clubs, 6. South Island: Flat racing clubs, 25; hunt clubs, 6; trotting clubs, 6. In addition, application was received for a flat racing license from the Cahtham Islands Jockey Club, but, unfortunately we were unable to visit the islands. Eleven applications were also received from existing totalisator clubs for an extension of their one-day annual fixtures, but as these requests were outside our order of reference, the several applicants were informed that they could not be considered. Unquestionably the successful government of racing mainly depends upon the personnel of those who propose co control the sport, .and we desire to state that during the course of our exhaustive investigations, we were particularly pleased to find that, generally speaking, the character)' and knowledge possessed by those who waited upon us were all that could be desired.

“In making our recommendations we regret that owing to the limitations imposed by the amending Act of 1914 we are unable to satisfy legitimate requests of those seeking licenses.” Th© commission recommended that licenses should be granted to the following 15 racing clubs: — North Island: Kawakawa, Northern Wairoa, Opotiki, Waipawa, Ashhurst, Pahiatua,, Taumarunui, Horowhenua, and Waipa. South Island: Cheviot, Clifden, Karamea, Westport, North Canterbury, and Oxford Methven. The commission recommended permits for eight trotting clubs. North Island: Waikato, Poverty Bay, Waimate, and Manawatu. South Island: Kaikoura, Westland, South Canterbury, and Winton.

As to hunt clubs, for which eight permits were to be given, the commissioners state that the merits of so many were equal they recommend that contiguous alternate licenses be granted to 16 clubs below; that is to say, Pakuranga for the first year and Waikato for the following year, and so on.

North Island. —First Season: Pakuranga, Hawke’s Bay, Dannevirke, North Taranaki and Rangitikei. Second Season: Waikato, Poverty Bay, Woodlands, Egmont-Wanganui, Manawatu.

South Island. —First Season: Brackenfield, Waimate District, Birchwood. Second Season: Christchurch, South Canterbury, Otago. The commissioners recommend that all clubs erecting fencing on the inside of racing or trotting tracks, and all clubs at any time renewing their present fencing, should be required to adopt the pattern set forth in schedule 10 of the Gaming Commission’s Report 1910, unless special reasons can be shown to the contrary. They further strongly urge that no licenses be issued to use the totalisator until reasonable progress has been made with the improvements suggested in the second schedule of the report.