Page:1930 QLD Royal Commission into Racing Report.djvu/58

58 Thus to abolish proprietary racing in Brisbane would involve the almost complete suppression of unregistered racing as at present conducted.

This would be, not only to prohibit without notice the carrying on of a hitherto lawful business, but to throw out of employment a number of persons probably ill-suited to do other work.

The Commission has already set out, under the head "Restriction of Unregistered Racing," its reasons for considering that no case has as yet been made out for such abolition.

PART IV. TROTTING. Trotting races were provided in 1928 by The Brisbane Trotting Club, and to some extent also in 1928 and 1929 by Coorparoo and Kedron, at which courses one event per meeting was frequently devoted to trotting.

The Brisbane Trotting Club is a bona fide club formed in October, 1927.

Its present rules were adopted on the 15th March, 1928.

Any person is eligible for membership and, subject to the approval of the committee, becomes entitled to the rights and privileges of membership upon payment of the annual subscription and receipt of the secretary's acknowledgment.

The annual subscription, payable yearly or half-yearly, is £1 1s.

The rules provide that the affairs of the club are to be administered by a President, four Vice-Presidents, Treasurer, Committee of twelve, and a Secretary, elected annually by the members at the Annual General Meeting.

At present there are only eight members of committee.

There is no limitation of membership.

At present there are about forty-five financial members.

The club races under a printed set of rules of racing. These differ from the Kedron rules mainly in making special provision for a method of handicapping.

Up to December, 1928, the club, which has never had any course of its own, held eleven meetings at Coorparoo, by arrangement with the owners of that course. At these a total sum of £1,268 10s. was distributed in prize money.

These meetings were held on Saturdays and holidays, days on which The Queensland Turf Club was holding meetings.

In spite of considerable assistance derived from donations by members, the meetings resulted in a loss.

This loss was due largely to inability to attract the public in competition with The Queensland Turf Club.

The management of Coorparoo always refused to allow the club the use of the course on days other than those on which The Queensland Turf Club was holding a meeting.

Since December, 1928, the club has held no meetings. The reason given was that the club could not hope to hold successful meetings on days on which The Queensland Turf Club was advertised to race, and could obtain no course for other dates.