"UNDESIRABLES" ON RACECOUKSES

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 40, 15 August 1918, Page 2

"UNDESIRABLES" ON RACECOUKSES

(FROM OUE OWN CORF.CSPOXDENT.)

SYDNEY, 7th August.

Racing has been cut, flown 1.0 a very small extent as a result of. war conditions, k:kl 'the reduction does not appear io have been sufficient to cause any decrease in the numbers of undesirables

"ivhn make (heir living on the racecourses, '.-.'hero see:n to be thousands of them in and around Sydney, and no man can follow racing ■vsgularly and escape, their attentions. They are mostiy young men, all of the most undesirable class, and of course they are not, attracted by khaki.

Closer supervision ■of racecourses in metropolitan areas has driven many of 'them into the country, and now conies a \vml of protest, from the western disl.i'icts. Thu Western Districts Racing Association, which has 1 its headquarters in Bathurst, reports that it has had to adopt special means to' cope with.' the cvii. Tiie officers of the association have submitted the following report".— "During the past six months undesirables from all parts 'have migrated to the western lino, and have almost taken possession. It is not the duty oi the stewards or deputy stewards to deal with thtse men, as they, have plenty of work already; The presidents of the race clubs are men in various callings, and they do not. care to have these men ejected from the courses. But if somathing is not done to check them, all the good work of the association for, racing will be undone. ... At one big meeting, the favourite for an important event weighed in 6ilb short, anil enquiry proved that two racecourse 'urgers' were seen in the stall just after th-3 horse had been weighed out. Only the other day, a new method was brought to light—the putting of needles in horses' legs. We also have knowledge .of horses being doped at various meetings. . . . The number of urgers and thieves in the distrir has increased to an alarming exten Their presence is a menace to .the clubs, and is getting racing a very bad name in the west. The association or clubs themselves will have to take stops to get rid of this pest if they want'racing to pro ahead."

The association decided to appoint a racecourse detective at £300 a year, and to adopt other vigorous measures. to rid tho district of the "crooks." . ."■'.. ,