Tuapeka Times. AND GOLOFIELDS REPORTER A ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1873. "MEASURES. NOT MEN." "

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 269, 27 March 1873, Page 4

Tuapeka Times. AND GOLOFIELDS REPORTER A ADVERTISER. THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 1873. "MEASURES. NOT MEN." "

When a British colony is established, immediately after the spiritual and temporal wants of the commuhity are provided for by the erection of a church and a gaol, a piece of level land is carefully selected for a race track, and horse races forthwith instituted* In the social development of goldfields, which is always exceptional, the usual order is re versed, the races being instituted first. This was the case in Otago. At a /cry early stage in their existence, the residents of each of the principal goldfields arrived at the conclusion that it was absolutely essential to their happiness that a certain amount of money should be collected every year to be expended in giving prizes to the owners of steeds, which, under certain conditions, vanquished equine competitors in a trial of fleetness. This custom has been preserved, and afe the principal centres of population on the'goldfields, the races are the great event of the year — hopefully anticipated six months before they occur, and the staple subject of convocation six months after they have taken place. These • annual races have become so firml}' established that to question the advisability of continuing them, will in many quarters be looked upon with feelings akin to horror and dismay. Besides a vague notion seems to pervade some minds that "England's great national pastime " is, in some way or other, indissolubly connected with the national glory, and that should the " sport " cease to be ardently loved by Britons, the striking of "the flag that braved/* &c, will follow as anatural sequence. At the risk of being considered treasonous or worse by the good people who entertain such ideas, we venture to. assert, that at the present time, racing, at least that racing which the people of the goldfields witness, affords neither sport nor amusement; neither is it profitable or useful ; but is injurious morally and pecuniarily. It is a notorious fact that scarcely one race in five is a fair test of the fleetness or endurance of the competing horses. The winners are generally picked before the race comes of? by a select few, who, by their arrangements, generally manage to fleece the confiding public of considerable sums. That summarily disposes of the sport and amusement. We now turn to the profit or use. It is a generally received opinion that race meetings are exceedingly profitable to the town at which they are held, and apparently this opinion is correct. For about a week the town, where a meet comes off' is crowded with strangers from all parts. Beds afe^ unobtainable, and considerable difficulty is experienced in procuring meals. Money is spent lavisnly ; fmblicans, drapers, grocers, and all kinds of tradesmen do a roaring business. But when the week's excitement is over, the tradesman finds he has to suffer for the sport he enjoyed. His "customers still require goods, but are compelled to allow their accounts to stand over. Some have been been " backing their fancy " to their loss ; others have invested, and lost cash on the strength of a "straighfrtip ;" and most have incurred considerable unnecessary expenditure, crippling their resources. That horse racing is of no use in any way whatever to the

goldfields, requires very little proof. The execuse generally put forward for it, is that it is intended to improve the breed of horses. ~What improvement has been effected in the breed of goldfieids* horses by the racing of the last 10 years? None of the horses, with few exceptions are locally owned — all the money is inevitably bound to go away from the goldfields. A great deal is made out of the fact that the subscriptions contributed by the people amount to only one-third of that run for — the* balance being made Up by entries, sale of booths, &c. But no one will venture to state that the amount of money subscribed represents any thing like the sum the various goldfields districts are annually drained of by 'the races. What supports the large ntimbar of camp followers 1 Every year at its race time, each of our quiet country villages is invaded by a horde of shady characters of all "descriptions. For the time being, its decorous property is broken. Gambling and drinking 1 become the order of the day, and are indulged in with a publicity, which, at any other period would ensure for those who practised those vices either the deprivation of their liberty or heavy penalties. The youth acquire a dangerous familiarity with dissipation and vice of all kinds, and the adults are naturally demoralised more or less. What we have above stated are adamantine facts. A great deal more might have been stated, but we will for the present leave the subject. At an early date we will recur to it, and indicate how testing the merits of horses, might be made a blessing instead of as at present a curse to the community.

The sale by auction of the block of land on Captain M'Kenzie's run is advertised in the " Daily Times " to take place at the Land Office, Dunedin, on the 22nd April. Why the sale is not to take place on the ground we are at a loss to imagine, except that it is intended that it shall fall into the hands of the runholder, andthefactofits not being advertised in a newspaper circulated in the district, is confirmatory of this idea. Only a stray copy or so of the " Otago Daily Times " ever reaches Tapanui ; and that journal is rarely seen by the inhabitants. Nearly every resident of Tapanui subscribes for the " Tuapeka Times," and if it was the intention of the Government to endeavor to allow the people of the district to have a chance of purchasing any of the sections, they would have notified the sale through our columns. Besides, holding the sale in Dunedin, is neither more nor less than depriving the auctioneer appointed by Government, of his legitimate commission. The block of land is in Mr. Matthew Hay's district, and by not appointing that gentleman to sell it, the Government commit a breach of contract, which robs him of a considerable sum. We trust the Government will see that the public interest as well as their own honor, demands that the sale should be held at Tapanui, and that it should be properly advertised in a newspaper circulating there.