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the population, have more than twice as many days. These figures, we think, show the need for trotting permits in the populous Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Taranaki Provinces, of which Palmerston North is the natural centre. As regards facilities for attending a trotting meeting at Palmerston North and appointments of the racecourse, Palmerston North is the junction of six railway-lines from Auckland, New Plymouth, Foxton, Wellington, Napier, and the Wairarapa, all of which are within a day's journey, and people can attend from the wide radius of Taihape, Wanganui, Foxton, Wellington, Masterton, and Waipukurau, and intermediate stations, and return home after the races on the same day. This area alone contains a. population of about 178,000 persons, not including the local population of 11,709 —a total of nearly 200,000 altogether. The course we propose and have permission to use is the Manawatu Racing Club's Awapuni Racecourse, which is one of the most up-to-date courses in the Dominion, affording the best, conveniences to the public and horse-owners in every way, and with a railway-siding right on to the course. Owing to the lack of trotting in Wellington. Taranaki, and Hawke's Bay Provinces few trotting-horses are bred in these districts, and the utility of this breed of horses is well known —they are hardy, intelligent, docile, and staunch, atid their speed renders them particularly valuable to all persons who drive, whether for pleasure or profit, and, crossed with heavier breeds, they produce first-class strong and active horses for all classes of town and farm work. This class of horse is most suitable for artillery and military purposes, and the necessity of having a large supply of such horses always available has been clearly demonstrated during the recent operations attending the equipment of our Expeditionary Forces. It is recognized that the best horses are produced where there is the most racing, which encourages breeders and brings the best class of sires into the district, hence it will be for the improvement of the all-round harness-horse in the Wellington, Taranaki, and Hawke's BayProvinces, which, from the nature of their soil and climate, are particularly suited to the breeding of such horses should trotting be encouraged m these districts'by the granting of totalizator permits to trotting clubs. Palmerston North is the centre of this wide area, closely populated with the class of people who would breed and need this stamp of horse—the small farmer—and our club respectfully submits its claim for a permit to your favourable consideration. By the Deputation. —The arguments we have advanced in regard to the Manawatu Hunt Club apply to this club. Since we iost the permit the club has been successful and has paid its way. Of course it has become quite a drain on its patrons. We feel quite sure that if we get a permit the Manawatu Trot ting Club will become the leading trotting club in the North Island. It is centrally situated; this is a good country for trotting-horses and a, good country for developing that breed of horse. We could have had a deputation of twenty or thirty, but we purposely kept the number down. We consider that trotting should be increased in the same proportion as it was reduced. We want as many other clubs as possible. We think there is a big opportunity for trotting in this Island, as there is practically only one large club in the North Island —at Auckland. We think there is a big scope for trotting here, particularly with our railway, facilities. A da\ here would serve, roughly, 180,000 people, taking the towns and districts which have no totalizator at the present time, and without encroaching on the clubs already operating in the Wanganui and Hawke's Bay Districts. The stake for our Cup last year was £100. and in the previous years £60, (Mir principal source of revenue has been members' subscriptions. We have 170 financial members at £1, and they have paid that £1 for Ihe last three years for 2s, worth of privileges in the hope of getting a, totalizator permit. That shows there is a big crowd of "sports" here who would like to get a permit to keep the club going. The people are well satisfied with the way trotting is carried on here. The whole trouble has been that the stakes have not been sufficient lo induce owners to bring good horses. We have got a splendid course and good appointments. We have a good many standard-bred sires in the district, and a good many travel through, this being a very central position. We have not had much encouragement here to induce owners to breed good horses. Horowhenua Trotting Club. The headquarters of the club are at Levin. The club was formed in May, 1914, and is registered. The last meeting was held in September, 1914. A list of the present members of the club and a copy of the last balance-sheet have been forwarded. The circumference of the course is 8 furlong's. The races are held on the Horowhenua Hack Racing Club's racecourse. Ihe accommodation consists of loose-boxes, grandstands, luncheon-booths, publican's booth, &c. The course is fenced both inside and outside. The nearest clubs using the totalizator are the Hutt Trotting Club, distant seventy-five miles, and the Wanganui Trotting Club, ninety miles away. The nearest club not using the totalizator is situate at Palmerston North, thirty miles distant. As we are in the centre id' a large agricultural district, in which the breeding of good trotting-stoek is of great importance, and as we take in the Foxton district—in fact, as far as Wanganui —we think the loss of the permit is to be deplored. The stakes given at the meeting on the 9th September amounted to £235 for seven events. By the Deputation.- --The trotting club was started last year, and the meeting was held on this course. The horse-owners were very pleased with the course and with the times put up. We finished up very well financially, considering the amount of stakes we gave for a non-total-izator meeting. We had to advertise fairly extensively. Our membership is something like two hundred, and we collected about £141. The balance-sheet that has been forwarded is really not a correct balance-sheet of the meeting, because our financial year does not end before April. Trotting in a district like this is very useful in bringing forward a good class of horse. The people take a great interest in it. We did think of putting a track inside the racing course, but the owners did not favour the idea.