RACING AND THE WAR.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 868, 23 February 1917, Page 17

RACING AND THE WAR.

Patriotic Manawatu. /~\tJR warmest congratulations to the officials and members of the Manawatu Racing Club for their patriotic and generous action in donating to various philanthropic and- patriotic objects a very substantial proportion (£2OOO is the exact amount) of the pro_fits of the Club's last Christmas meefc ing. We have never disguised our opinion that during the remainder of the war period the number of race meetings should be rigidly cut down. . In. the meantime, however, the next best thing for the Government to do is to commandeer the profits of the various racing clubs. The Manawatu- Club has. however, done of its own accord and goodwill, what we should like to sec the State compel all the racing clubs to-do. and its bold and generous new departure deserves unstinted praise.. * * * «• The exact allocation of the gift is" open to criticism, and we shall be curious to see whether the Salvation Army, which, "on general principles, de- . nounces all gambling as an 1 evil thing, will find its conscience elastic enough to allow the gift being accepted. But these ware times are quite excep--But these war times are. quite exceptional times, and neither the Army nor the Y.M.C.A. ought to make any_ bones about seizing the opportunity afforded them by the Manawatu Club's generosity, for extending the good work both institutions are doing for our boys at the front. Once again, our hearty congratulations to the Palmerston sports.. They have set a good example which we trust may be widely followed.