DOG RACING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 106, 7 May 1928, Page 7

DOG RACING

OPPOSITION AT HOME MEASURE FOR CONTROL (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 6th March. The Parliamentary Committee on Greyhound Racing have decided to introduce a Bill under the "ten minutes' rule" on 'Wednesday week, and Colonel John Buehan has undertaken to place the proposals before the House. If the Bill is permitted to bo read a first time a petition, signed Dy members of all parties, will be presented to the Prime Minister asking the Government to provide facilities for the second reading; Up to the present more than fifty Unionist members have signed the petition, as well as nearly 100 Labour representatives and a majority of the Liberal members. The Bill, it is understood, will provide that no greyhound racing tracks, o similar tracks, in which the object of the race, is propelled by mechanical means, shall bo established in any area without the consent of the local authority, and the local authority, in granting a license, may impose such conditions as are deemed necessary to proserve the amenities and good order of the neighbourhood. The licensing authorities will be the London County Council in London, and, in other parts of the country, the county councils, county borough council, municipal borough councils, and urban distrie councils with a population of over 30,000. A period of six months after tho date on which tho Bill comes into operation will be allowed in which the owners of existing tracks may apply for a license. In their case there will bo a right of appeal to tho Ministry of Health, but that will not apply in the case'of new applications. A "BITTER PILL." "It is in tho second clause, seemingly harmless," says "Sporting Life,'"' "that'the anti-greyhound group have concealed their bitter pill, for they intend that one of the conditions that tho local authority shall be in a position to impose as a condition of granting the license is that no betting on the trackshall be allowed. They realise that if they were to f make this stipulation, in the Bill in an open manner, the ordinary members of the House of Commons would be so incensed at the attempt to interfere with their liberty that they would rally and reject it by an overwhelming majority. "Although the group have been moving heaven and earth at Westminster, and have been preparing a petition for presentation to the Prime Minister, asking him to afford second reading facilities to the Bill if it passes its first reading the week after next, they have only managed to securo something in the region of 160 signatures—or considerably less than one in three of the members of the House. Not more than one in ten of the Conservative mem hers have signed." "The suggested Bill," says the same journal in a leading article, "will contain one of tho most dangerous clauses ever, submitted to Parliament. If it becomes law it will confer on local authorities uncontrolled power over greyhound racing. It will give them power to. sanction or refuse it. Even if sanction were given, any conditions might bo imposed, and who doubts they would be so irksome that the sport would be impossible? The Bill must be strangled at its birth." WIMBLEDON TRACK. Opposition on the part of the Wimbledon Borough Council and many leaders of religious life in the borough was forthcoming at a Ministry of Health inquiry to consider an appeal by the South London Greyhound Racecourse, Ltd., under the Town Planning Order, 1922, against the refusal of the council to grant permission for the establishing of a greyhound racing track in Plough lane, Wimbledon. Work has already begun on the construction of the track, and the framework of tho stands has been erected. Mr. Ernest Devercux, managing director of the company, said that a considerable amount of work had- already been done, and they hoped to open the track about (lie middle of April. There would probably be greyhound racing on a hundred days in the year. It was intended also lo have motor-cycle racing, professional lawn tennis, football, and boxing at the Stadium, as well as other spoils meetings. They intended to set apart a section of the ground as a "nonbetting" section. It was stated that the council considered the establishment of a greyhound racecourse an undesirable development of tho land. The council was unanimous. A representative of the National Workmen's Council presented a petition in favour of the new track, containing .6700 signatures of people in the vicar's district. It was statecLthat the signatures were obtained in twenty-four hours. Mr. Devereux said that whatever was ; the result of the appeal the company would go on with the work.