GREYHOUND RACING

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1929, Page 2

GREYHOUND RACING

A CHINESE BAN. 1 A ban on the importation of greyhounds into China has been declared by the National Government as a measure to curb the development of dog racing in the International Settlement, writes, the Shanghai correspondent of the San Francisco “Chronicle.” The Government’s, objection to the sport is based on its pari-mutuel betting feature, which attracts thousands of Chinese to the tracks, despite the fact that the races are held within the International Settlement and under foreign management. Various memoranda condemning dog racing have been presented to the Shanghai municipal authorities by various Chinese organisations, but as the tracks are within the International Settlement the Chinese authorities have no jurisdiction.

The order prohibiting the importation of racing dogs reads as follows: — “A dispatch has been received from the Foreign Offley stating that repeated protests have been of no avail and have failed to stop dog rac ing in the Shanghai settlements; that such races are considered as gambling on a large scale and cause untold evil and misery and corrupt the z morals of the people; that as foreigners live under the protection of extraterritoriality and all diplomatic means have failed, the only course left open to stop this evil is to prevent such dogs from being imported. That as these dogs are imported from abroad for gambling purposes only and for the corruption of public morals, their importation is prohibited.” Racing authorities, however, express little concern over the order and are unanimous in the opinion that the sport will continue. Many greyhounds already are owned in Shanghai and the followers of the track point out that it will be an easy matter to breed suitable racing animals from the present stock. Since it was first introduced into Shanghai last year, greyhound racing has increased enormously in popularity. At first there was but one track, but later two stadiums were added,, each being equipped with concrete stands, seating thousands. The betting feature has lured thousands of Chinese to the tracks nightly, and thousands of dollars change hands through the medium of the parimutuels. Since the races are held at night they are not limited to the man of leisure, and consequently draw Chinese from every station in life. They are largely patronised by the foreign residents as well.

Some weeks ago, when a wave of gambling reform swept over Shanghai, closing the fashionable roulette establishment operated within the settlement, the Shanghai Municipal Council issued an order limiting the two clubs situated in the International Settlement to one race meeting a week. The course in the French concession is not subject to this order. The two handicapped clubs retaliated by increasing the number of races so that pari-mutuel takings in one evening might approximate the amount that had previously been • bet during the two meetings. There is a movement on foot to organise a company in Manila to promote a dog-racing stadium. Judging from the interest taken by the natives in cock fighting and other forms of amusement that lend themselves to gambling, the project should be successful.