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Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1917, Page 4

BACING IN WAR TIME. Horse racing in war time is in a. different category from holding agricultural shows. First of all, there are connected with racing a good many men who could more profitably bo employed in essential industries. It probably is true, as recently stated by Sir George Clifford, that there are few eligibles now left who are directly concerned with racing, bu; there are hundreds and thousands following the game who are eligible. Sir George argues that preparation, for race meetings rests largely in the hands of boy labor of a type unfitted for farm work. Sir George forgets that this labor could be usefullc employed on dairy farms, and to that extent relieve the men called up for military service. Wo are drawing heavily upon our reserves of man-power, and the time is arriving when we must control every non-essential industry. Racing is not an industry; it is purely a luxury, and before non-essential industries are 'rationed," or obliterated altogether, luxuries must go. There is the economical side to be coiwideral. There are 300 days of racing in New Zealand each year, and if only an average of 4000 men attend each of these meetings, it means that 1,200,000 working days are wasted. Tnen there is the waste caused by the bookies and their agents, who exist in every town, and also the time lost by their customers in "picking them." Frankly, the country cannot afford '■' racing as usual" in times of stress like these, when every eligible man is wanted for the front, and every other man and woman is required to maintain production and keep things together. Racing encourages the breeding of good horses, someone will say. Is the average racecourse useful for war purposes? No one would pretend to say it was. Breeding hunters is another thing. This stamp of animal is very necessary in war time, but hunting- events are not popular, and therefore receive little encouragement. But if it could be conceded racing was beneficial to improving the standard of horses, it is little use attempting i 0 do so during a war, for it takes years to grow a suitable horse for war work, and the war won't wait. Moreover, the object of the war is to obtain permanent peace, wherein the war horse would be out of place. Then there is the economic loss entailed in the feeding of thousands of race horses. It would ,bi' interesting to know what the feed bill runs into. It certainly is heavy. The la;nd and labor devoted, to the

growth of oats could be better employed in growing foodstuffs for the army and the people. Then there is the sentimental objection,to holding race meetings whilst men are dying and suffering for all of us at the front. It is about as seemly as jubilating when death is occurring, or holding carnival under the shadow of a great disaster. Of course, we don't want to take a funereal view of things, and go to extremes, of which there is always a danger, hut it would, we believe, he more fitting if racing, which in its way selves a useful purpose in ordinary times, were to be suspended until the end of tno war. The racing clubs have been exceedingly liberal since the war, and proved themselves "good sports" in every way, and they now have the opportunity of adding to their reputations by getting together and deciding amongst themselves to suspend the sport of kings until the belligerent kingdoms are at peace.