DOG RACING

Evening Star, Issue 19759, 9 January 1928, Page 5

DOG RACING

CONTROVERSY IN ENGLAND STRONG OPPOSITION MANIFESTED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, January 6. Mechanical greyhound coursing is at present the centre of bitter warfare between its supports and opponents. An extraordinary reaction has set in following the boom at the cud of last year, when tracks were springing up like mushrooms The abandonment of the Crystal Palace track was the first big victory of the opponents. The decision was forced on the trustees by the overwhelming opposition of the City of London Corporation and tho Condon County Council. Mr J. H. Thomas’s attack helped to swing tho body of opinion, which was formerly iion-conjimttal. The Greyhound Association officially declines to regard the Crystal Palace decision as a serious set-back, and it says that the increasing popularity of the sport will not be arrested by the mere rejection by one or two localities.

The House of Commons will be tbo venue of the next battle. A committee composed of Commoners and members of the churches announces that it will fight the sport to the uppermost. It is preparing a case at tho request of tlie Homo Secretary, who has promised a statement in the Commons in February.

It is expected that a Bill will bo prepared empowering local authorities to veto greyhound racing. A conference will shortly be held at which fcishops and other prominent persons will speak. The Greyhound Association has taken up the challenge to protect investments totalling '£.‘1,000.000 by tho formation of a greyhound protection society.

The Hendon Council to-day rejected track plans, thereby joining in with Northampton, Newcastle, Swansea, Bristol, Wolverhampton, Chester, Reading, Ramsgate, the Isle of Man, and several London suburbs.

Tho sport is entirely banned in Spain.

MR THOMAS’S CHARGES * REPUDIATED.

LONDON, January 6. The Greyhound Racing Protection Association, in a statement, declares that the opposition campaign is hypocritical and based on unfounded allegations. It challenges the opponents of racing to substantiate Mr J. H. Thomas’s charges. The association claims that greyhound racing has proved a blessing to the community, notably in reducing the evils of street corner betting on horses. It says: “We are prepared to support a Bill stopping child betting, provided that it applies to horse racing and other sports, but we shall resist unequal treatment of greyhound racing.” [Speaking on behalf of an all-party deputation of members of the House of Commons which waited on the Home Secretary (Sir William Jo.yneon-Hicks)J last month, Mr J. H. Thomas said that nobody contended that the workers did not need relaxation, hut, representing every party, section, creed, and ism< ! the deputation contended dog racing was unsportsmanlike and demoralising* ' He knew of nothing that had so caught on with tho workers; so calculated to have demoralising results and so likely to ruin homes. Tho deputation intended at the earliest opportunity to test the feelings of tho House of Commons. It expected that the Government would say that it was not apartyj issue. Moneylenders appeared in fao-’ tories, and he personally knew of many ] cases where a whole’s week’s wages had been mortgaged ■in advance. It was a damnable thing if thousands of children’s Sunday dinners were to lie dependent on dog racing on Saturday’ night.] CRYSTAL PALACE RAN* j LONDON, January 9. The trustees of the Crystal Palace have issued a statement that, in view of the overwhelming opposition to greyhound racing, they will not allow the Crystal Palace to he used for the purpose.