RACING REDUCTION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3133, 11 July 1917, Page 6

ALLOTMENT OF PERMITS UNFAIRNESS ALLEGED PLEA FOR SMALL CLUBS A question regarding the cnrUilmsnc of racing ivas raised jn tue jiouse yesterday uy tile uiemuL-r lor vvui (jji. U. xiumuiv, one of tne uesc Known horse-owners in me uominion. Atr. Muutcr aslcea the Minister of: Internal --niairs wnctuer it was toncctj as reported, tuat UhOiiiet l.ad l.ually UeciUeu to accept the rcommeniatiou of the various district committees in regard! to the curtailment oi racing, and whether, if it was correct, it wouid not have been more in accord with We spirit of fair piny ana equity ito iia-ve given the country clubs, which had Jjeeu largely obliterated, an opportunity of . being heard in defence of their rights. (Hear,' hear.) He asked the Aiinister whether the matter could not be re-opened, with a view of hearing these one-<lay clubs. It was recognised by country clubs that there shouia be a very considerable curtailment of racing, but they objected 1 to being sacrificed as they had been lO't'ho interests oi the larger clubs. Mr. Lee: Metropolitan influence! t The Hon. G. W. Russell said that'for many mouths past the Government ha<t been receiving requests from a very large section of the public throughout the Dominion for a substantial curtailment of racing. Mr. Isitt: Hear, hear. "Substantial.'' reduction. Mr. Lee: We haven't got it yet. Mr. Russell said that these requests came cot only from those who were objectors to racing per se, but also from horse-owners, who recognised the anomaly of our publishing on one page of a daily newspaper huge casualty lists, and on another jage or even on the same page, accounts of racing and of the huge amounts going through tho totalizator in this war time. The Government; submitted to the Racing and Trotting Conferences two proposals—one that racing days should be cut down, by onehalf, and the other 2>at the number should be reduced by one-third. Thei racing authorities found themselves, tinable to prepare two discriminating; schedules,' and asked that a reduction, by one-third bo accepted. This request was considered by Cabinet, and after deliberation Cabinet resolved to accept the suggestion.

The responsibility for preparing ths scheme of curtailment was handed over. to the racing authorities, in accordance; with the custom of a number of years— that the adjustment ajid allotment nC totalisator permits should be given for recommendation to those engaged in. dealing with the sport. Not only this Government, but pa6t Governments had called to their assistance in the adjustment of totalisator j«rmits the Racing-, and trotting conferences, the bodies who. knew more about racing than the Government did. In this last curtailment the Government had had no communication whatever with, the district committees, but only with the combined Earing and Trotting Conference. "I am not prepared, 1 " said Mr. Rnssell, "to say that tho whole of the adjustments made hayo been in the best; possible directions. J (Hear, hear.) I think that in some eases mistakes hava been made. Personally, I have no hesw ration in saying that the objection toracing has not come from the country! districts, where the smaller Jneetuigs. are held. 1 think the objection to racing while the war is on has come from! the populations in the larger centres; in.connection with the largely-increased 1 stream of money that has passed through! the totalisator while the war was on. But the. matter has now been settled, 1 and settled finally. ' : Cries of "Oh!" and "No! No!" ' l

Mr. Russell: I can only assure the honourable gentleman that the recommendations of the racing and Trotting Conferences, as expressed by Sir George' Clifford, have been accepted by Cabinet, But any complaint that is to be made should not be made against the Government, but against the Eacing and Trot--.' ting Conference. I would suggest thnir the position be accepted, and that if. thero is to be a remedy to be provided, it should come from the racing people* themselves. If the' smaller clnbs cannot, get representation on their district committees, they should set up another or-' ganisation, Avhich would give them better representation than at present.", TROWING CONFERENCE VIEWS» ' WILL NOT RELEASE MANY MEN In his address to the Trotting Conference yesterday Mr. John Bowe (presK' dent) referred as follows to the of reducing the number of racing davs:' "There is not a racing man in New, Zealand who would not be prepared to clear racing right out 'if it would help; to win the war by even a day, this not- ; withstanding the fact that it, would affect some clubs very seriously indeed. Many clubs have given every shilling of' their profits to patriotic funds, and in' tho event of the curtailment of the snore 1 , interest on borrowed money v-ill have :to be paid or guaranteed by the stew-' ards or committeemen personally. "As far as the supply of men' is concerned, there are not manv men of military fitness, with tho exception of the Second Division, that could be rolled up. Concerning trotting alone, "leturni have been made recently which showthat if our sport were'abandoned thero would be . practically no men available' from it for any essential industry. "With regard to money—another great factor of the war—this is not (he timrf to boast, but I merely wish to say that since war was declared racing and trotting combined have "contributed to tha' war not less than ,£IOO,OOO. This c'oes not include the sum of approximately 1 .£400.000, representing the usual Government tax for the same period. Clubs are still continuing lo give freely (one a few;_ weeks ago contributed .£10*00)', and it is pleasing to say that amongst thft sportsmen who form the membership ofi. racing and trotting cbibj Iheive are a large number who contribute veiy free-' ly, some to the extent of ,£SOOO c.ich, and they, as well as their clubs, are prepared to make further sacrifices, even to ,the cessation of racing if necessary.

"Your executive, with the committee of the Racing Conference, have, alter due. consideration, agreed to accept tho demands of the Government to curtail; the days of racing and trotting by cue-' third. It is certainly a very large ric--portion for trotting, seeing that only F. 9 days in the year are given to that sport. It is, perhaps, not generally realised' that trotting is being harder hit than' galloping. For many years past, racing clubs have catered for tho trotting horse by providing up to four trotting; events on their programmes. Now practically one-third of such trotting; is r.utomatically cut out in addition to tha third to be surrendered from our cwn limited sport. From henceforth cur twenty-five trotting clubs (the total' number for the Dominion) must be content to race. on no more than fortydays per year until tho war censes. I, am inclined to think the authorities did ( not consider this phase of the mattar. for we really suffer a much bigger reduction than one-third.

"In considering what clubs should bo curtailed, vow executive had to carry out the demands of the. Minister, and, while regretting that any curtailment had to be made, they have carried out the disagreeable task to the best of theit judgment, in compliance with the Government's desire.

"In view of the magnificent response of clubs to the financial needs of the time, and nf the fact that we must continue to give by voluntary sums r.nd heavy taxes, does not curtailment of our sport savour somewhat of "killing the goose that lays the golden egg?" By saying this I do not wish to convey tho impression that wo are kicking against the pricks. What I mean is that by restricted racing and by the pledge wa have iriven to finance those clubs which' will be objured to meet their heavy liabilities while not allowed to race, we shall not be able to contribute so' freely to war funds, nor will tho Gov-' ernment receive so much in taxation aa. hitherto."

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