THE TURF.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4852, 25 April 1918, Page 6

THE TURF.

PACING CLUBS ANT) THU PRESSThe refusal of some racing c-hibs to pay a. special rate for transmission, of weights and acceptances winch a ere formerly free advertisements for meetings has naturally attracted a good deal of attention and discussion m sporting circles. "With some few people it is thought that the Press Association —and, of course, tJie newspaper— should continue the old system of free advertising, because the public want the news, and it is to the newspapers’ interests to supply it. 1 hat may be so; but there is another side to the question. 'file public no doubt want tne racing news, and pay for it througn some cliannei or other. Even if the racing clubs pay or do not pay, it iias to be remembered tli&tj at bedrock, it, is the public that is paying all the time. in bygone years (say's “Sentinel'’ in the Otago Gaily Times), the racing clubs went round with the cap, and’ tile public subscribed the stakes; the members, in addition to paying their membership lees, also dipped into their own pockets and helped to make up the prize money. At the same tune they did not receive a twentieth part of the privileges they gather nowadays. The old style of .gathering, stakes created such events as the Publicans’ Handicap, Stewards’ Handicap, T radesmen’s Handicap, etc.; but since tne introduction of the totalisa-tor that incubator of racing pays for everything, or, in'other words, the-public pays for everything in connection with racing. The average steward- nowadays takes no financial risk or pays any contribution beyond liis ordinary lnembersiup, and one could run out quite a long list of privileges which they gatqer without disgorging a single coin. The writer knows of only one club where the stewards pay for their own luncheons. He alsc*. knows of a club which does not even grant a tree race-book or anything else to .the press representatives reporting its meetings, but, nevertheless, hands them out to others with less grounds for claiming them. Pacing clubs receive a tremendous amount of free advertising, and return comparatively nothing in the way of helping the commercial side of a- newspaper. In Australia it is understood that the proprietary clubs at loast have to pay for everything concerning their meetings; but in this country so much free advertising lias been granted to racing clubs that they were apparently quite staggered at being asked to pay a modest feo in return for the work and wear they place upon the telegraph wires.