H.—22

26

made. The nearest clubs using the totalizator are Te Kiiiti, twenty-six miles distant, and South Auckland, twenty miles distant. The nearest clubs not using the totalizator are the Alexandra, eight miles distant, and Kihikihi, three miles distant. As has already been pointed out, the Waipa Racing Club is the third-oldest racing club in the Auckland Province, and it has always been a matter of surprise, owing to the activity of hunter, thoroughbred, and trotter breeding in this wide and progressive district, that the use of the totalizator by the Waipa Racing Club was ever restricted; and I may further point out that horses for meetings south of this are all practically drawn from this and districts further north. The following is a copy of a petition forwarded to the Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs, through Mr. J. A. Young, M.P., on the 27th October last :— " We, the undersigned members and supporters of the Waipa, Kihikihi, and Ohaupo Racing Clubs, respectfully pray that a totalizator permit be issued to this the Waipa district in the name of the Waipa Club. We would respectfully point out that this district is devoted very largely to the breeding of thoroughbred trotters and hunters and all useful classes of horses. Local breeders have imported at considerable cost many high-class types of stallions, and it is our desire to aim at all times for the encouragement of the breeding and maintaining of a high class of horses. We would also respectfully pray that you take into consideration the fact that the Waipa Club is the third-oldest racing club in the Auckland Province (Auckland first, Thames second, Waipa third), and that, in times of crisis, this locality has proved to be the musteringground for an unusually large percentage of service horses. Further, we would submit that the granting of a district permit will bring about an amalgamation of the three clubs and a corresponding reduction in the number of race-days. And your petitioners will ever pray.—Wm. Taylor, President, and 138 others." By the Deputation. —This is essentially a sporting community. We are sure that as practical men taking a bird's-eye view of this small corner of the district from this hill you will appreciate the possibilities of the district. There are thousands of settlers in the district which is served by the Waipa Club. Great as the progress of the district has been in the past, it is going to be very much greater in the future. This is essentially a dairying district, and dairymen cannot attend meetings which take them away from home overnight. The meetings at Hamilton and Te Kuiti are of no use to us. We must have a meeting that can be attended in the daytime, because the cows must be milked. This is also one of the most important horse-breeding districts in the North Island, if not in the whole Dominion. The district is suffering largely from the want of a stimulus, which a permit would give, to racing and the breeding of horses. The sporting proclivities of the district are proved by the fact that we have kept the sport of kings going for over fifty years without any assistance, except the assistance we got from the bookmakers before they were abolished. There is only one other club that has a permit between Taihape and Hamilton, and that is an important consideration, because the people here cannot travel far to attend race meetings. We have a ground that is peculiarly adapted for a course. We think Waipa stands level with any other club as a club which is carried on by sportsmen for the love of sport and not for any other purpose. Kihikihi and Ohaupo Clubs have joined with this club because we found it impossible to carry on our sport in any other way. We have some very highclass horses which have been imported at big expense, and we would like to sec the people who are breeding from them get a chance to try their horses on their own ground before taking them to the big centres. Kihikihi had a permit for this year, but we thought it was better to devote our funds to the patriotic and Belgian funds. We have a permit for 1916, but we want to combine with the Waipa people and have a decent meeting under conditions which will give the biggest convenience to the people. The railway-line traverses the course, and we can. get the trains to stop at the course. This deputation will give a full assurance that in the event of a permit being granted they will provide the most up-to-date conveniences, including a railwaysiding, for the use of the general public. Coromandel Racing Club. The headquarters of the club are at Coromandel. The club was formed in the year 1868, but was not registered then. The club held a totalizator permit in 1898. and was registered then and has been ever since. The last meeting was held in April, 1914. A list of the present members of the club and a copy of the last balance-sheet have been forwarded. The course is situated about a mile from the Town of Coromandel. The circumference of the course is 7 furlongs. The course has been in use for the last sixteen years. The accommodation consists of grandstand, stewards' room, jockeys' room, weighing-room, ladies' room, and publican's booth, also totalizator-bouse and judge's box. The course is not fenced in on the inside. The nearest club using the totalizator is at Thames, forty miles away. The nearest club not using the totalizator is the Tapu Sports Club, thirty-two miles distant. The club claims to have a special claim for consideration on account of the amount of breeding in the district both of the thoroughbred and the carriage horse. Another thing: the club is situated at the extreme end of the racing world on the Hauraki Peninsula, and being so isolated it is expensive to bring horses here to race, as the club is not in a flourishing financial state to offer large stakes without the aid of the totalizator to help increase the stakes and induce outside owners to come here and race. You will, see by the balance-sheet the club started the season 1913-1.4 with nothing in hand. By the Deputation. —When Coromandel formerly held a permit it was a busy mining centre. We then erected a grandstand at a cost of £300, and made very considerable improvements on the course. We were able to offer fair prizes, and we had successful meetings. When the mining boom burst we found we could not run our meetings at a profit, so we did not renew our appli-