RESTRICTION OF SPORT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3183, 6 September 1917, Page 8

RESTRICTION OF SPORT

DECISION. •Keductions "in the number o£ racing fixtures-have "been, docided upon hy the .Federal Ministry. Tho extent to which racing in Victoria will be affected cannot yet be Btated, but in New South. Wale 3 only half the present number of fixtures will be allowed. Boxing, too, is to foe r«6trioted, and iji future only one regular boxing contest will be permitted in each fortnight. This deci6ion was arrived at by the Cabinet at a meeting, h01d..-Tβ-ceatly, when the recommendations of the various State committees of sporting representatives were considered. , The Minister for Defence s (Senator Pearce) stated last week that the recommendations of tho New South Wales committee had been adopted .by the Cabinet, and would be applied generally throughout the Commonwealth in the regulation of racing; consideration being given to the number of racing fixtures held in each State prior to the war. In New South Wales an immediate reduction of probably SO per cent, would be effected, but in other States it would bo less. In Victoria and in Tasmania, lie explained, the number of racing fixtures had already been curtailed, fo that in fixing the amount of racing to bo allowed in those States the number of fixtures held before August, lilli, would be considered. It was impossible, said tho Minister, to indicate the probable effect on racing in Victoria. Tho recommendations were exteiisivo and detailed, ami before they could be made public regulations would havo to bo drawn up by the Crown law authorities. Registered and-unregistered meetings, pony . races, and trotting matches would all be treated alike. The football season being nearly over, no action would Ire taken wfcii regard to that sport. Boxing fixtures,/however, were to bo limited, and in future not more than one regular boxing contest would be permitted in anv State in each fortnight. One mixed boxing and vaudeville entertainment would also be allowed in the same period.