RACING IN WAR TIME

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23351, 10 June 1941, Page 10

RACING IN WAR TIME

Sir, —According to “A.G.,” all people who go to or have anything to do with the races are “selfish, unscrupulous wasters” and are “unfeeling thousands.” He goes on to say that if all “jockeys, trainers, and gamblers” were included in the “missing” list it would be no loss. So “A.G.” would like to set himself Up not only as better than the next man, but also as a paragon of virtue; and to those of us who do not think as he does, he deals out the death sentence with a lavish hand. Such an abominable and irrational statement as he makes calls for strong reprisal and • explanation. As for the remark." 'They should be conscripted,” surely even A.G.” must know that conscription is now in force, unless he. means the ' indiscriminate conscrlptibh-of, all people who go to the races, in which .case he must include some of bur esteemed members of Parliament, who are also racehorse owners. Personally, I think a horse is a noble and beautiful animal, arid, preferable to. a-person who can.,make-such Unfeeling and ridiculous remarks.— Yours, etc., June. 9, 1941.

Sir,—Some foolish (in my opinion) people are advocating the abolishment of shows; • trots. and races during the war. To abandon shows Would be a calamity, for -the land.' Owing to lack of competition, stock would deteriorate ■ until we had* a lot of worthless, mongrel cattle, sheep; etc. As for racing and trotting,-If'these sports (or means of gambling If, you prefer it) were • * stopped, where .would" the hundreds of thowandß ef collected in taxes "come ;from? -Where. would the fanners seU their oats,, chaff, hay, carrots.et&? Yesi -the horses would still be 1 in^thliicountry, but would, be ; fed mtdnlyton' grgss., Many old faithfuls ' wotMlje,-destroyed imriicdlately, while other*.would soon die- off, not being stand the very changed;. cohr drttetwfe^^howßnds^ - he i; thmwn out ;of . work. Racrpg and trot- . tirig; is. one'" of - our biggest* industries, • Almost every, person iir the, country shares ;in,-.the money spfent.on faces—sadaters,v petrol and?xnotor aealerß, carrim,A‘trains, trams,- taxis' to • mention only»a’ lew. Why pick" on racing and trotting; anyhow? • .Isp’f it to .and )legaßy> Sian illegally ! bn- bridge; football. bOx-' Ing, etc., . . .. NON-HACEGOER. , June 9, 1941. [^Wilhe^erwin”' maiy" briefly reply; • .otherwise, this correspondence is -v closed.— Ed.,-‘They Press."]