TOO MUCH RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 64, 12 September 1942, Page 8

TOO MUCH RACING

CUTS DEMANDED

MR. CURTIN INSISTS

(0.C.) SYDNEY, September 9. A demand by the Federal Government for further cuts in racing in Australia met stubborn opposition from State Governments, who allied themselves with racingbodies to resist. Forthright refusal by the Victorian and Queensland Governments to accept the proposal brought a slashing attack troin the Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin), and a threat to invoke National Security Regulations to override State authority.

Mr. Curtin wanted racing in Melbourne and Sydney restricted to one meeting a fortnight. The 'Victorian Premier (Mr. Dunstan) said that as long as the Saturday half-holiday continued people were entitled to healthy outdoor recreation. The number of race meetings had already been cut 50 per cent. The Queensland Government took the same stand, but New South Wales, while known to oppose additional cuts, did not express a policy, preferring to await the outcome of a conference between Mr. Curtin and racing interests.

Racing men argued that racing m New South Wales had been reduced to 112 meetings a yeaf from 275 meetings last year. They suggested that it would be better to hold regular Saturday meetings in- Sydney with programmes limited to seven events. Cabinet Ministers pointed out that punters could have plunged on 34 races last Saturday at Sydney,' Melbourne, Newcastle, and Sydney dogs, which was in conflict with austerity. A leading New South Wales official said that racing offers a relaxation just once a week lor 3§ hours for men in uniform, who are admitted to courses free, munition workers, and the public, without impeding the war effort. "This industry costs nothing in man-power," he said, "because it is run now by men exempt from military duty or over the call-up age, and youths under 15 years. Transport has been cut to a minimum, and the money invested in bets is not extensive when you realise that the same investments are being turned over again and again in the totalisator or with the bookmakers."

Attacking the attitude of the States and the racing industry, Mr, Curtin said that "the army of bookmakers, clerks, and attendants needed to keep the racing game going" did not fit in the same picture with requests to release men from the Army for essential purposes. He described as stupid the cutting down of clothing supplies and other necessities while racing continued on its present scale.

Referring to the declaration by the Victorian Premier (Mr. Dunstan) that Victoria was satisfied that racing was cut to a minimum. Mr. Curtin said: "It surprises me that a State which is short of firewood, due to man-power shortages for transport and woodcutting, should expect me to release men from the Army while the whole activities of a great number of persons are devoted exclusively to the training and racing of horses on Saturday afternoon."

"This country has a man-power problem which seeps to my desk every day with requests to me to release men from the Army. I am as firm a believer in relaxation as any man. I could do with a little myself, but the man labour and the resources now devoted to racing are on too large a scale to be continued if this country is to do as I say it should —devote more to the purposes of war."