WARTIME RACING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 267, 31 July 1918, Page 6

WARTIME RACING

FARMERS' VIEWS

SHOULD THERE BE RESTRICTION?

Wartime racing was discussed bj- flio New Zealand Farmers' Union Conference .yesterday. Mi. W. B. Matheson,,of Eketahuna, introduced the subjcct by' moving that tho Government should bo urcetl to close all race meetings during tins war. Mr. Matheson's supporting remarks wcro brief, but he said that tho proposal was niado in the interests of efficiency and that to some it seemed a mistake not to take this course.

Mr. Alan Robinson (Wanganui) seconded tho motion. Our energies were required in directions other than attending race meetings, ho contended, Mr. H. D. Vavasour (Marlborough) said the proposal was gravely mistaken. It would wipe out a whole industry. J t would be injurious to employers. Racing was the chief means of maintaining the breed of horses. We hnd been told that New Zealand horses had done better ia Egypt than any other horses. Another aspect was: "Are we to do away with all amusements—to live in sackcloth and ashest" He said "No"; it was our duty to prevent people getting into a condition of gloom. Alio? us_ had sacrifices, and the spirits of tho people should be maintained. In the year ended March 31, 1918, the taxation from racing amounted to .£213,932. Not only that, but tho voluntary subscriptions from the racing community were very large. Why should they do away with that money? It was only hysterical sentimentality to propose it, Mr. W.. Couser (Southland) supported Mr. Vavasour. There were, ho declared, as honourable men oonnectcd with racing as with any other industry. Ho saw lio reason why a wholesome pastime should bo interfered with.

'Mr. I{. D. Duxfield (Auokland) supported the motion. He said that' racing would not be so bad if it could be stripped of all its evil conseouences. Ho had attended the races at Ellerslic and had seen people rushing to invest their money, but not taking so much interest in tho racing. Some of tho horses at the meetings were not what, a farmer wjuld select for use as n back.

Mr. AY. G. Leadley (Ashburton), though not a racing man, thought..the proposal toj sweeping. It would crtrito a groat deal of hostility among even tho Farmers' Union people, and would make trouble for the union. A curtailment of racing might be made. Mr. J. Uoddio (Auckland); That has be.m done. Mr. But maybe it could be further curtailed.

Major Lust (Auckland) said that ha agreed with some of tho remarks ot Mr. Leadley. It was unwise to do away with, racing in a time of trouble; it was wrong to toko away from the people at such a time reasonable amusemont. Also, if racing were stopped, the breed of horses would go back very seriously. Mr. Leadley moved as an amendment that racing should be curtailed.

Major Lusk seconded. Mr. Matheson said ■ the question was one of efficiency. A number of the,men who attended race meetings would" bo producing food if racing were done away with. The attitude to adopt was to give our wholo energies to the war. He did not question thnt there were honourable moh connected with racing.

Mr. E. A. Campbell (Wanganui) said that the motion was proposed in the most careless, heartless, haphazard way. Were trainers, owners, and clubs to be made bankrupt without a moment's thought being given to the positiou, because a few well-intontioned but mistaken people brought forward sueli a proposal? ITu) fact that there was gambling at races had been mentioned, but gambling was inherent and was not confined to races. People bet on football matches, and would bot on anything where thero -was doubt as to the result. He had been connected witn racing for a number of years, had bred horses Mid had even ridden in a race, but had never bet &s much on a race as would post a letter. Even on business grounds it was silly to talk about wiping out racing. Ho hoped the proposal would be swept away as readily as it had been brought forward. Much of the revenue through Taces was collected from people who would only spend it in publichouses. The money which wont through the totalisator did not go out of the country; it merely, circulated among the people, and the country was no poorer. li.'r. Vavasour opposed the amendment. The matter' had been thrashed put some time ago, and should be left at'that. Mr. J. B. Dick (Marlborough) thought the matter might be left to the Government.

Mi\ R. Evans (Kaiapoi) spoke of the tine wasted bv men iti attending races. Mr. Campbell said that farmery were interested iu the use and tlio breeding of hunters, but it was not generally known that dnring the war the racing clubs in New Zealand had to keep the hunt clubs going—had to finance them. Mr. A. Robinson (Wangamii) differed with Mr. Campbidl. He thought that, men wasted time at races and that it was highly important to have the men constantly at work for the sake of production.

Mr. James O'Neill (Hastings) asked the opponents of racing if there was not more time lost by farmers in attending sales and sitting on tho rails of the saleyards than by men attending raccs. 'ihe amendment was put and was carried by 18 votes to 13. As the substantive motion it was agreed to by 20 to 9.