RACING AT ELLERSLIE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23115, 13 August 1938, Page 19

RACING AT ELLERSLIE

Sir, —I fool sure that many of your readers will appreciate the suggestions to the incoming committee of the Auckland Racing Club at its recent meeting, and more particularly that of introducing the "win or place system" of betting, against which for unknown reasons the Auckland Racing Club appears to be prejudiced, although many of its patrons have urged its introduction from time to time. We all agree that Ellerslie racecourse from a spectacular point of view is one of if not the best, but we cannot agree to the same extent with some of its appointments. I notice that various improvements are to be made, and should like to suggest that as the present grandstand is hopelessly out of date it be remodelled so as to give a view of. the totalisator from the back of the stand, as at present in wet weather it is impossible for patrons to even get a glimpse of the totalisator from the stand as in the case of Wellington, Christchureh, etc. Then again it seems inappropriate to forbid smoking on the grandstand of a premier racing club. Surely the number of men now, employed to prevent patrons from smoking could be employed to watch for any possible fire arising from smoking. I do not know of any other leading racing club in any part of the Empire which prevents its patrons from smoking on a grandstand. Up-to-Date.