SHOULD BE STOPPED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1942, Page 4

SHOULD BE STOPPED

Farmers' Union View

A unanimous decision to request the Government to terminate racing activities forthwith was reached by the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union at its quarterly meeting yesterday. This decision followed consideration of the war position in general and the relation to it of the farming community in particular.

Strong opinions were expressed by various speakers about the need for New Zealand to get down immediately to a war footing, and while any suggestion of panicking was deprecated, it was felt by all present that it was vital for every possible ounce to be put into the war effort, and that things of a luxury nature should be the first to go. Racing, it was contended, was in that category. Complaints were received of serious delays caused by racing interfering with work on the farms, to the national detriment.

a trotting meeting to be run in twilight after last Saturday afternoon's horse meeting.1 Mr. Dunstan was severe, ly criticised, the meeting was poorly attended, and the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, voiced his disgust. WILL NOT END THERE. The upshot was imposition of a ban on inter-State race broadcasts. In future, only the principal race of each meeting will be broadcast inter-State. This will hit S.P. betting, as a huge sum of money changes hands each week on inter-State races. It is unlikely that the Government will end its restrictions there, for many members of Parliament are concerned at the waste of time in vital war factories due to the interest of workers in racing results and betting. Most factories, it is stated, have their own S.P. bookmakers. BEER CONSUMPTION. The Cabinet is also expected to turn its attention to curtailment of beer consumption. Suggested means of achieving this are additional heavy taxation on alcoholic liquors, revision of hotel trading hours so that less working time can be spent in hotel bars, and limitation of quantity of beer brewed. Those who may be affected by restrictions would be unable to point a recriminating finger at Cabinet Ministers, most of whom are temperate livers. For instance, the "Big Four," Messrs. Curtin, Chifley, Evatt, and Beasley, live like spartans and work like trojans.