Thoroughbred Horse Industry

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 155, 28 March 1932, Page 11

Thoroughbred Horse Industry

Sir, —Now that Phar Lap has proved" the New Zealand racehorse to be second to none in the world, I trust Parliament will not persist in crushing the industry of breeding and racing thoroughbred horses as it is now doing. Unless something is done to relieve them, most of the studs and racing clubs in'New Zealand will have to go out of commission. Yet it is safe to say that at our national yearling sales next year there will be keen demand from North America for New Zealand-bred yearlings. We already have markets in Australia, Ceylon, South America and South Africa. ■ I was glad to see that at the opening of the air pageant at Wanganui the' other day Mr. Veitch remarked that air sense was being developed in Parliament. That is very satisfactory, but I trust that in addition another brand of sense very much needed just now will be in evidence there. I refer to common sense. If so Parliament will at once recognise the great value of the thoroughbred horse industry to New Zealand, and do ail it can to support it. We have the finest climate and pastures in the world for the production of the highest class of thoroughbreds. Is it too much, then, to expect our Government to treat the production and development of racehorses as a primary industry and not as a luxury, as it is now doing? Surely the totalisator figures at last YVellington races must convince the most sceptical that racing is in a parlous position. New Zealand is almost totally dependent upon her primary industries, yet the powers that be seem bent upon crushing racing and thoroughbred horse' breeding out of existence, thus drying up one of this Dominion’s chief sources of revenue and greatly aggravating unemployment. A little more broad mindedness, common sense, and independence of outlook are badly needed in Parliament, and less self-interest and hypocrisy. The sanction of a double totalisator and permission to wire money to be invested on the machine would assist clubs very much, and the State also. Art unions are being sanctioned every day for objects which in comparison with hospitals, charitable aid and unemployment relief are paltry, yet, oh no, it would never de for a State lottery to be run. Surely it is time this miserable state of affairs was put au end to, for if It is wrong to establish a lottery, it is equally so to grant permits for art unions. I say, let the opponents of a State lottery produce an alternative scheme for raising the money or let them b»' silent. Not one of them has offered a single suggestion so far. Is it not time our Government took steps to open up the vast markets awaiting our produce ,in China, Japan, and Jaja? We are urged to increase production, yet. no attempt is made to extend our markets. YVhen it_ is too late 1 suppose a move in this direction will b< made. In the East I understand the people during cold weather put one cotton garment on top of another. If representatives were sent from New Zeaand it should not be hard to convince them that wool could be used to advan tage, especially when prices are low, n> at present. Here is where a little <>i that other sense to which I have re ferrod would be of value to us. The owners of Phar Lap, Messrs. Davis and Telford, deserve the best thanks of all New Zealanders for their pluck and enterprise in undertaking a task which, owing to climatic and track conditions. I think most of us considered impossible of accomplishment.—l Bushy Park. March 22.