RACING IN WARTIME.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 11 September 1917, Page 7

RACING IN WARTIME.

GENERAL BUSSELL'3 ADVICE. HAVE YOU TIME AND MEN IN, NEW ZEALAND (Per Piess Association) WELLINGTON, Septembei 10 The following is an extiacl fiom a letter recently received b) Mi Fcrcna! Withcrby, of Napier, from General Russell on the subject of lacing. It will bo seeii that the general's views are based on the necessity of main taming the development and efficiency of state in war time, and are expressed in a broiulinindcd spirit which should do much to,clarify the controversy as to whether racing should continue- now, or cease. The matter being one of public ui(crest, 11 r. Witherby sought and has obtained the general's consent to the publication of the extract hi full, as follows: 10th June, 1917. "You ask my views on racing. Personally I can see no objection to racing, o/pcoplc enjoying themselves, because we are lighting here. Let us rather go about life in a cheerful spirit, and not with gloomy faces. I am,afraid, though, there will be too many, tvho through personal grief will not want to join in much festivities, but have you men and time for racing? 1 can hardly believe it. Here one sees, and because it is on a restricted area, and very thorough, the destruction war makes in a country. True, the area affected by the actual destruction as the result of trench rigging, and shell lire is, after all, very small—a mere nothing. A thin pencil line drawn on the map, with here and there a town. But what 1 think is not realised is the steady encroachment of nature in the thousands of ways. All over Europe

weeds are growing and increasing every- '| where. I speak of what 1 have seen, Roads are deteriorating, except perhaps in the war zone. Drains are getting choked; land is impoverished for want of manure and efficient tillage. Even the sea, as 1 have noticed in the only seaside places i have been, is encroaching on the fronts. In truth, Europe is eating her capital, and maintenance goes largely by the board for want of labour, and isn't it the same, though perhaps in a lesser degree in New Zealand? For instance, are your roads, etc., etc., being maintained let alone extended and improved' If not, there can be no time for all that racing • impels. Every single man should be doing his | utmost for the common good, and if there is essential work to be done, every stable boy who is employed racing, is in the wrong place, This war is not going to last for ever. All work and no play is a poor life, but just at present, we have got to work,— Yours sincerely, A. 11. Russell."