WAR AND TROTTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 9, 10 July 1940, Page 11

WAR AND TROTTING

CONFIDENCE 'lN FUTURE

Confidence in the future was the keynote of an address by Mr. H. F. Nicoll, president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference at the annual meeting today. He pointed out that naturally all thoughts were centred in the magnitude of,, the Empire's task overseas, and that at such a time New Zealanders who were precluded one way or another from actively engaging in the struggle were bound to look round and see what could be done to assist.

Continuing, Mr. , Nicoll said that many duties were here at home, and not the least was to keep the trade and business of the country going, and to see that all is done .to help our boys who are;sjv§yr and.-tq?;make them and theirs comfortable in after days. All people should help in 'the great battle of the Empire with whole heart and mind- and by every means in their power; nevertheless, every endeavour must be made to keep the race flags flying for the sake" of many hundreds of families dependent for their living upon the continuance of the sport and for the recreation and change it affords to those workers who take, a delight in seeing good horses compete. In this last category have to be, included the men who enlisted, to. whom a day at the races was'a tonic worth a dozen prescriptions. There were,. said Mr. Nicoll, some unthinking people who spoke hastily and without consideration and who suggested that all recreations and sports should be abandoned for the duration of the war. Little did such people consider the history or the traditions of the British people to whom the love of and respect for sport was a deeply ingrained characteristic. In moments of gravest danger Britons had never allowed themselves to be stampeded, and there was no doubt that in carrying on their usual pastimes so far as circumstances Would permit they would find a steadying influence and a stimulant to assist them in facing the great tasks before them. Admiral Drake, it will be remembered, was found playing bowls wheh sought to take command of the British Fleet, to face one of the most momentous periods in history. That classic incident had been preserved through the ages because it revealed the quality and mentality of the true Briton. Attacks upon sport and recreation were therefore unjustified and definitely not in the interests of morale. Sports meetings could not be individualised. New Zealand was only a small portion of the Empire, and it had to be determined what the responsible men who were conducting the war thought about the matter. When war first broke out racing in England was curtailed for a short time on certain courses, but the Jockey Club, keeping in close touch with the Army authorities, later decided that the usual race meetings were to be held, although some meetings were transferred to other racecourses. The Grand National was run as usual at Aintree this year, while the Derby was held at Newbury, and the Oaks and the Two Thousand Guineas were decided-at Newmarket last month. In a recent number of the London "Daily Telegraph" it could have been read that five meetings were held in ! England on the same day, at Birmingham, Manchester, Taunton, Wetherley, and Northolt Park. " . \ ; It was also understood that a number ; of the soldiers, a "week following their evacuation' from Dunkirk, thronged to Wembley Park to witness the Football Cup Final, while another body of the men flocked to Newbury to see the Derby run. Critics allowed nothing for the rooted habits, sentiments, and interests of human life, and that was why they failed to influence any considerable section of the community. Such people were without discernment, and lacked the discipline of human experience. It was possible that in view of the intense strain to which Britain was likely to be subjected during the next few months, it would be necessary to cease racing there, while in this land j for the time being we could continue, until it was found that this diversion was in any manner interfering with our war efforts. Mr. Nicoll said he had spoken at some length upon this subject but had said very little of what could be said for our pastimes. From all he knew of the racing men of New Zealand they 'were very far from being anxious to carry on with their sport for one day longer than the authorities considered \ advisable. . . "It is the determination of this conference," said Mr. Nicoll, "not to countenance any action which could be interpreted as a wish to subordinate the interests of the nation to* selfish purposes. In order to prevail in this great ordeal, our country requires that we should be calm, confident, and full of faith. All petty aggressiveness and insignificant enmities should be buried. We are facing the threshold of a new era, and the men and women of New Zealand with their inheritance of pioneering, resolution, and self-reli-ance, will require all of their courage and wisdom to add their quota to the life of our great nation.