WARTIME RACING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24136, 1 December 1941, Page 6

WARTIME RACING

Although the Dominion is engaged in a total war, the attention of a considerable section of the public will be distracted to-day by three race meetings—and this at- a time of mounting crisis in the Pacific. Recreation is still necessary in war and race meetings on Saturdays, with important reservations as to the amount of money spent by patrons, have not been questioned. Rut tli6 holding of race meetings on week days is at the present time indefensible. They are utterly opposed to a wartime economy. There is an imperative call to every man and woman in the Dominion to work and to work hard, to save for the nation's war effort. Can it be said that the National War Savings campaign is properly served by the expenditure of considerable sums of money at to-day's race meetings 1 The presence of many thousands on the racecourses must mean a diminished war effort in factory and business. It is no answer that a substantial portion of the totalisator returns goes to the Government's coffers. If the call to save and invest in war loans commends itself to the public, as it must, then all the money devoted to to-day's race meetings should be diverted from this form of pleasure and find its way into the national exchequer to

help our men in the fighting line I win the battle for freedom. The Dominion owes at least this much to her sons in Libya. Nor can the Government acquit itself of the responsibility. As the supreme director of our war effort it cannot leave the matter to the Racing Conference. If the Government is serious in its call to the people to save and work, let ft prove its zeal by prohibiting for the duration of the war week-day race meetings.