"LEND A HAND!"

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1243, 27 September 1911, Page 5

"LEND A HAND!"

1> !'TO FIGHT FADDISTS." INTERFERENCE WITH SPORT, MR. J. B. HARCOTOT'S YIEYTS. lu his annual address to members last night, tlio president o£ tho Wellington Racing Club (Mr. ,1. B. Ilarcourt) made, sonio pointed remarlis on tlio present position of llio sport in New Zealand. Alter an opening reference to the financial operations of the club during tlio past season, Mr. Ilarcourt said: In reviewing tho position for tlio last year, and siuco I had tho pleasure of last addressing you, racing affairs generally have been very prominently before tlio public, both in and out of Parliament, and your stewards have had a somewhat anxious time, owing to tho fluctuations which wero to be expected in our revenue in consequence of legislation recently passod. As you are aware, bookmakers havo now been abolished, and tho largo fees which tho club received from this source havo gone too. In addition, we have to moot a tax of 2J per cent, on the totalisator turnover, instead, of \\ per cent, as formerly, and a further tax of 1\ on all gate receipts and privileges. In order to safeguard tho interests of tho club your stewards deemed it prudent, for tho past year, at any rate, to somewhat curtail tho prize money. \W are quite aware that this is a retrogi'ade step in the progress of any body such as ours, but, in faco of tlio dilliculties wlncli havo k'ou thrown in our way, wo did riot consider it advisable to take undue risks. Tho financial results for tho year have been fairly satisfactory, and I trust that, in tho near future, wo shall be able to continually add to our prizo money.

Racing Commission's Mandate. Consequent upon the persistent agitation of a well-meaning section ot the public who are entirely opposed to our sport, tho Legislature appointed a commission, who were instructed to reduce tho number of racing days throughout New Zealand. Unfortunately this commission's roport affected the Wellington ltaciug Club, and, while we have not taken any part in tho public outcry against this reduction, we feel it very sorely. Wellington is peculiarly situated —there is.no racecourse within fifty miles of us. Wo have a population to cater for in tho town and suburbs of somewhere about 80,000, and, in tho past, wo have only held a few hours' racing on ten afternoons ill tho year. It is difficult fo see eye-to-eyo with the people who contend thftt thero is too much racing .provided for our population, and it is still more difficult to account lor tho action of tho commission in applying tho pruning knifo to us, particularly in view of tho amount of racing which has been permitted to remain in' the Napier district. Your stewards, however, have not deemed it wise to make , any vigorous protest or attempt to obtain redress. We fully recognise tho difficult position in -which this commission was placed, and we havo decided to abide by its award. The recommendation holds good, as you know, until the cud of the current racing yca.r. "Continued Interference with Sport," _ At this stage I think it is ■ advisable for mo to emphatically draw members' attention to tho continued interference from which sporting people throughout the Dominion are at present suiteriug from" a section of tho public who .kuow nothing whatever about our sport, or, os a matter of fact, about any sport With a view to counteracting their influence sporting men throughout New Zealand convened a meeting in the Concert Chamber of the Town Ifall, Wellington, which was largely, attended, and was ropresontativo of some thousands of sporting people throughout tho Dominion. At that meeting a Board of Control was elected, consisting of Sir Gcoree Clifford. Messrs.. H. D. Bell, jr.-H. B. Coates, C. P. Sker-" rett, and Dr. W.. $. „ Collins. „ Jhtsi gentlemen havo ■ttvrtnvn"" themselves , heartily into the work; and the result is that a strong body, called "The New Zealand Sports Protection League'," has been formed in every main town in New Zealond" Members are being enrolled daily, and it is hoped that, at the next general election, sufficient members representing our views will be returned to powcir, pledged to prevent any further encroachment upon tho liberties of the sporting public. I ask each member here, and also every member of our club, to willingly lend a hand to enlist tho services of their wives and daughters, and obtain for this loaguo as many members as possible, so that, on election day, a solid vote enn be taken to tho poll in favour of -the candidates who represent our views.-

Moderate Man too Lona Dormant. This, gentlemen, is not a political party. It has no political views of aaiy sort or description other than the preservation of our own liberties, and it matters not to us whether tho member standing be a Libe-ral or a Conservative. If he is not a moderate-minded man, so far as ire' are concerned, our votes will be cast against him, and I ask you to bring the whole weight of your influence to bear in this direction. Tho moderate man lias too long remained dormant and permitted a few faddists to make euch a noise that their . continuous clamouring has been mistaken for tho voice of tho people. I do not purpose to discuss tho merits or demerits of tho totalisator. Any man who has had any experience whatever, in any part of the world, knows perfectly well that there.can bo no two opinions on the subject, and, as wo aro the racins; people, sureJy we ought to bo tho best judges. We desire to be allowed to conduct our sport in o-ur own way, and you can rely upon your cxecntivo to see that it is conducted in a clean, wholesome manner. •