Okarito Racing Club’s application for a licence, 1912.

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DescriptionFrom: Thomas McBride, Secretary, Oharito Racing Club, Oharito Date: 12 September 1912 Subject: For permit to conduct horse-races on 26th December 1912.
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On 26 December 1912 Okarito’s traditional Boxing Day race meeting was held under threat of disqualification.
The remote goldfields settlement in South Westland had been hosting the annual race meeting on an island near the village for over 25 years when officialdom started to clamp down on the event. Okarito Racing Club secretary Thomas McBride argued that the registration required by the Racing Conference in Wellington was “almost impracticable and totally unnecessary” for an event in a scattered and outlying district such as Okarito. His application to the Minister of Internal Affairs resulted in a permit to hold the meeting being granted – but it came with a somewhat contradictory caveat that the promoters could well find themselves disqualified while “the Racing Conference might deal as it saw fit with persons and horses taking part in the meeting.” The prospect of unnamed officials in faraway Wellington “dealing” with errant persons and horses was clearly perceived as no threat by the local committee, and the event went ahead as it had always done.
Shared from NZ Archives.Date of Photo1912Map^[1]ContributorClaire Ward

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Location (city or town)OkaritoPersonThomas McBrideOrganisation (eg business)Horse Racing

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Date Created16th May 2019

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Okarito Racing Club’s application for a licence, 1912.

Editing is temporarily disabled