WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1932, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

THE SPORT OF RACING.

HARD TIMES.

(From a Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, July 18.

■ The President’s repori presented at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Racing Conference was- not altogether of a character to inspire eithei the promoters of the moso- • imposing of the Dominion’s spoits or its followers with a great deal of enthusiasm. Mr Watkins, the successor to the late Sir George Clifford in maintaining all that is useful and desirable in rac-.ng within thin country, did not attempt to disguise the fact that the sport had fallen upon embarrassing days. He had to tell the- delegatee at the Conference that it “still is facing a period of acute depression engendered by world wide economic conditions, and that the position generally was a cause for general concern.’ During the financial year, he went on to say, many of the provincial racing clubs had been gravely affected by the existing conditions and compelled to appeal to the Conference for permission to reduce the amount of their stakes, a concession to vhich the abandonment of their meotngs was the only alternative.

THE PRESIDENT’S SUGGESTIONS.

. Mr Watkins, whom it is scarcely necessary to say, was re-elected tq tne presidency of the Conference, as Sir George had been, on some thirty odd ojcfli.ions befoxe, was ready with various suggestions, for the fortifying of the sport during these difficult times. i His list included, (a) a material reduction of overhead expenses; (b)' instead of small isolated meetings of purely local interest, two or three meetings with programmes attractive not only to local owners and racegoers, but also to; visitors as well: (c) a possibilty of arranging more suitable racing days, and (d) increased membership of the amalgamated clubs and greater interest in the sport. .All these suggestions may be useful in their way, ; and, as Mr i Watkins implied something must be done ’to stabilize the future of the sport; but the changing conditons of facing in this country have to he borne in mind. The, thoroughbred horse is no longer an essential, in the equipment of this part of the world, and if it j disappeared altogether, much as we might regret it ■ personally, the conditions of the Dominion would not he grievously disturbed. THIS PLAIN FACTS. Mr Watkins does not suggest that any such catastrophe as this is likely to overtake the community; but he realises that for the time being the -.supporter of racing must move warily. “For the present the principal igim of. all clubs,” .he-told the delegates to the' Conference, “is to. : retain the racegoing habit of the general public, ,who, 'after all, under our system, pro? “ides the greater proportion of racing finance. - The public purse is, for the time being, sadly depleted, and the people are restricting ther. amusements accordingly. They; are indulging in the forms of entertainment within their present means. Where in normal times they thought in pounds they now thought in shillings.” In reviewing this aspect of the- racing clubs’ position Mr Watkins suggested that they should reduce ’admission charges and seriously consider the advisability of fixing totalisator investments at smaller units, a i tep which certainly would meet with ‘the approval of a great majority of racegoers. :l ' DECAY OF THE HORSES. \ When all is said and done, however, it becomes more and more obvious with the passage of the years, that the thoroughbred horse is being steadily pushed into a more restricted sphere than the one it has occupied for many hundreds of years. At the beginning of the present century Mr Basil Tozer in his delightful book “Tlie Horse-in History” predicted that before the end of three decades the horse would have become so completely dethroned that it would be with us only for racing purposes and for the artificial chase. That Mr TozerV prediction lias made wonderful progress during the last thirty years is plain for everyone to see. But racing and hunting still are with us and with -such assistance. as Mr Watkins and his colleagues may afford them should endure' for 'yet another thirty years.