Sports and fuel use

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 18

Sports and fuel use

Sir, — A correspondent (July 10) wants the Motogard Rally banned, and 1 wonder why he singles this event out. If this annual event’s fuel use were compared with that of many sports he might change the target for his suggestion. How about horse racing? How much fuel does it use in transporting horses, staff and patrons to the courses, and in moving the off-course punters in their thousands on their T.A.B. treks? Race meetings are more or less daily, not annual occurrences. I have no interest in motor or horse racing but I notice that the former has made positive steps, including cancelling events, to save fuel; the latter retains its blinkers. Any bans must cover all sports. — Yours, etc., J. L. ROBB. July 10, 1979. Electric cars Sir, — We are told of the energy crisis; we see the cover of the current “Time” magazine showing a man carrying his car on his back and the heading, “The energy mess” and we constantly hear the slogan, “Conservation is our greatest need.” We pay our high prices for fuel, use our cars to the minimum and ride our bicycles to save petrol. I could not believe it when I read of Mr Birch’s lack of support for Mr Byers’s research on electric cars. I fail to understand why we should be forced to rely on liquid fuels and liquid fuel substitutes which are expensive, polluting and will, one day, run out. How does one defend the National Party if the Minister of Energy does not appear to see this? — Yours, etc..

ANDREA SMITH. July 8, 1979.