RACING AND WAR.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2752, 22 April 1916, Page 2

RACING AND WAR.

Sir, —Whilst the races' were in' progress at Trentham recently the Mapar watu Racing Club boldly - announced that all profits made at its meeting were to be "devoted to the Sick and Wounded Soldiers' Fund. As long as racing is to 'be allowed to continue during the war, the public will) agree that the.attitude of the Manawatu Club should the attitudo of all racing clubs. As a matter, of "fact it has almost become the case already. Whilst the writer dues not know exactly -what all the clubs have done in this matter, it is known that the - net ..profits', of the Canterbury, Tim'aru, Dunedin, Ashburton. North Otago, Wanganui, Manawatu, ;llawke's Bay, and Waimate Clubs are being devoted - to. patriotic purposes. And this is quite, proper; indeed. it is the only seemly manner of conducting such sport in the throes ql a great, war such as that now in progress, when the flower of our manhood have either gone or are going out to do battle for thoso who -stay at home. Within the past'week a good deal of comment has been heard in' Wellington 'at the non-announcement on tho part I of the .Wellington Racing Club of its intention to hand over its profits for patriotic purposed. At Trentham, more than anywhere else in New Zealand, this should have been the case, for close observers consider, that a very large proportion (probably £1500 a day) of the profits realised by tho recent meeting came _ straight from the pockets of the men' in khaki. And a club such as tho Wellington- Racing Club can afford it. It is not a proprietary concern,-out to make money; If it gave every penny of the profits made at its last meeting it would .be in no worse case financially than it. was a fortniglit ago. The Wellington Racing Club gavo £1000, and had to forego one meeting bccauso of its buildings being commandeered for sick soldiers. Is that enough for tho leading- club 111 the Empire City to ~ have done? I would advocate'that dur- j ing tho coming short session of Par- ' liament a short Bill should bo put through prohibiting all racing clubs' from holding meetings unless tile whole of the net profits bo devoted to soma patriotic purpose. At present the races (ire being followed round by a lot of young fellows who should be in khaki, and- tho continuance of riices. is- an incentive to at least a'proportion .of thoseto neglect their duty to the Empire.— I I am, etc., CITIZEN;