EASTER RACE MEETINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15820, 19 July 1913, Page 10

EASTER RACE MEETINGS.

THE SATURDAY QUESTION,

BA'CING CONFERENCE

ANTAGONISTIC

(Pee United Pbess Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 18.

Should racing be allowed on Easter Saturday? was a question whu/i was decided in tie affirmative' at the Kacing Conference to-day. The subject was? introduced by Mr*Hazlett (Qtago country clubs), who moved—"That the resolution instructing the Dates Committee not to allow the Saturday before Easter Sunday as. the day of auy race meeting be rescinded." Among other arguments advanced by the mover was that he had spoken to clergymen of three leading denominations, arid they had told him thai there could be no objection to racing on the day mentioned. The Tuapeka Club, at whose request he had brought the matter forward, had raced on Easter Saturday for 50 years, and. it would come as a hardship if the club had to abandon its Easter meeting next year (when the instructions to. the Date Committee-would come into force). Mr Nolan (Taranaki country clubs) opposed the suggestion. Easier week was a holy week, and the holding of races on the Saturday hurt tho fe'elings, of lots ol people. Mr Hunter, M.P. (Hawke's Bay Jockey Clu]>) said that Easter Saturday was a day that 'should be occupied ■ with . other thoughts than those associated with the turf. The conference should not go bade on the attitude it had previously taken up and which had pleased a great many people all over rhe dominion. Several delegates urged that there were' no conscientious objections, and there was no reason why ;on the day in question racing should not be carried on. One delegate pointed out that football and other pastimes were indulged in on Easter Saturday and why, he asked, should not racing be indulged ml The President (Sir George Clifford) said he saw no reason to alter his opinion that, racing should not be held on Easter Saturday. As he had stated in his opening address, he desired that the sport should be regarded as so inoffensive that clergymen woidd be seen patronising their racecourses. The carrying of the motion would mean raising antagonism to the turf on the part of those who had conscientious convictions on.the matter.