FOR THE WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2821, 12 July 1916, Page 4

FOR THE WOUNDED

A BENEFIT INSTITUTION

SCHEME FOR RACING AND TROTTING CLUBS Considerable donations have been given by trolling clubs, in common with other sports bouies, to tho war funds. The chairman of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (Mr. .1. W. Gore), at yesterday's session, gave some figures showing the amount subscribed by the trotting clubs alone since the outbreak of the war. "In addition to the J!12,00U odd which constituted the trotting clubs' subscriptions during the first- year of the war," said Air. Gore, "they have, been responsible this season for nearly -£40,000. This sum is made up in subscriptions to various funds, total net profits of raco meetings and war taxes, and doe 3 not include, roughly, .£BO,OOO tho total amount paid by the trotting clulis as the usual tax imposed annually by the Government. As the war tax was not imposed until November, when this season was well advanced, several clubs were not affected, otherwise the amount would have been much greater. These figures are apart altogether frftm those of racing -clubs, but some idea, may bo gathered of what they have done when it is stated that one racing clnb alone (after devoting JJIOOO last year) gave this year in net .profits and War taxos considerably over ,£IO,OOO. In addiion the same club paid over i: 10,000 as Government tax tho the same season. 1"I was approached recently on the question of combining the offerings of racing and trotting clubs throughout, the Dominion for some acceptable-object. The idea, as I understand it, is to establish a hospital, home, or some institution, for the benefit of wounded soldiers, special regard being made to trainers, jockeys, and other soldiers .who had been directly connected with tho sport. Under eucli a scheme the institution would remain for all time a memorial of practical racing patriotism, and would continue its existence as a home for racing men and oilier war veterans in years to come. The absorption into a common fund of the enormous sums that racing and trotting cluba have voluntarily dedicated to patriotic purposes would in time cause tlieir origin to pass into oblivion, if something on the lines suggested is not brought into beinfj. Furthermore, it would secure lasting recognition of the source of the contributions, and of the sacrifice made in accumulating so lai'ge a sum. Wherever the money goes it will be used for. patriotic purposes; but it remains for the combined, clubs to say -whether it should-15e placed in a general or particular fund. The proposal has already been brought under the notice of the Minister of Internal Affairs, the chairman of the War Funds Council,' who has voluntarily approved of the scheme."