TALK OF THE DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3291, 11 April 1917, Page 40

TALK OF THE DAY.

By Sentinel. THE QUESTION OF AMUSEMENT. If there is a section of the public anxious fco see a curtailment of racing, the attendances* at the various meetings unmistakably show that there are thousands of people just as anxious that the sport should be kept alive. 'lhis keep-alive spirit is not confined to any one or & few places in the Dominion, but right throughout tho country attendances have heen keeping up in a remarkable manner. Tho racing public of Now Zealand represents many thousands of people who are just as much entitled to some share of amusement as the nonracing public, finding relaxation and change from trie ordinary Humdrum affairs of life in some way or other. Sentiment cuts a wide swath in public matters at such times as tho present; but sentiment has to bo kept within bounds when it threatens to overflow and do more harm than good. The people who are anxious to stop racing, it may be taken as a certainty, do not own racehorses, nor are they connected with any business which counts racinig men amongst the clients. The anti-racing man cannot see any harm in stopping racing. He _ is sure tho stoppage would not hurt him individually; but if by chance he owned a few shares in a picture theatre he would no doubt consider it most unjust and an unwarranted interference with the liberty of tho subject if an attempt was made to shut up his theatre. Yet picture shows were absolutely unknown a few short years ago, whereas racing has been a national pastime and industry for centuries. There are thousands and. thousands of law-abiding, good-living people who like to participate in racing. They include tho best people in the social and commercial world, whoso conscience as to right or wrong stands dictator of their actions. No one would think, of asking a blind man's opinion of a picture, and whatever is to be dono in connection with racing should certainly not be at the dictation of those who never did and never will soe any good in racing or any form of sport such as racing, which is enjoyed by half the world. Some say racing should be curtailed or stopped because it is a waste of money, and because it is an amusement pure and single. Tho money spent by tho public in New Zealand on racing is not wasted; it is as water poured from one bucket to another, and the drojis and splashes occurring during tho interchange are merely the percentages which allow clubs to provide the best accommodation for their patrons and good tracks and stakes for tho owners. With, few exceptions all other forms of amusement not only cost tho public a lot of money, but it is money of which the bulk is lost to the country. We send abroad for novels, pianos, motors, and nearly everything else principally used for pleasure; but about the only importation of permanent good to a country is the thoroughbred used for pleasure, but directly and indirectly responsible for horsing an army. A leading paper in Australia recently stated that the country paid £SOOO per week for films made in America, Inquiries made by the writer discovered the fact that about £3OOO per week is what Now Zealand pays, per medium of over 200 picturo shows, to America for films. Now, this is obviously money which goes clean out of the country; but it is tho people's pleasure, and few would dare to lead a crusade against the "pictures" and attempt to close them down, and that few would not include any people who l.ko to swim on the wave of popularity when votes are being recorded for a parliamentary election. Still the ''pictures" are pleasureproviders pure and simple, but not always simple and pure. Hence tho censor. They cost the country a lot of money, and tho profits go into few pockets, but they give employment to comparatively few people. Theatrical companies also continually drain the country, but are nob such a heavy tax as petrol, used in the pursuit of pleasure which does not always end in smoke. There are other forms of pleasure, but none of them could horse an army and supply tho thousands of remounts which New Zealand has shipped abroad for military purposes. Major-general Sir Alfred Robin, Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, in response to a request from the writer kindly, and at much trouble, supplied the information that 10.258 horses have been purchased and shipped from New Zealand for military purposes. Many more were given free, and very many are still on the lines in military camps. This supply would havo been impossible to procure in this country if it were not for racing and trotting and the industry of horse-breeding, which directly horses the racing arena and directly and indirectly horses_ the fields of battle. The number of stallions imported into this country suitable for getting remounts during the past half-century and imported for reasons apart from racing could easily be counted on one's finger*, and no one needs to bo told that without light stallions we could not breed remounts.

Hence it is obvious that raoing, with its incentive to breeding, has a great value far and away beyond a mere medium of pleasure. The thousands of horses it has supplied for military purposes gives some idea of one industry in its train; but, nevertheless, that side of the matter is only a small one when tho subject is regarded from a full and complete point of viow as to its industrial value. It is at least sufficient to disarm those who have been saying that racing is non-essential because it is non-productive. THE WAR-HORSE. Some of those antagonistic to the continuance of racing during the war have endeavoured to strengthen their case by claiming, and claiming on most untenable grounds, that the thoroughbred is useless in war. In making such a claim, or rather in making a mere assertion that cannot bo substantiated by facts, tho anti-racing people are expressing opinions which are in direct varianoe to those held by experts controlling the breeding of army horses for tho groat Continental Powers in the prowar days. The groat Continental Powers Russia, France, Germany, Austria, and Hungary have spent millions in horse-breed-ing, and nations are not in the habit of annually spending thousands upon thousands of pounds unless expert control and opinion tiro at tho head of affairs and guiding tho expenditure along the best channels. Yet peoplo who hardly know a horse by sight cling to opinions that are as opposite as tho poles to those held by tho greatest authorities in the world on horsebreeding for military purposes. Even a fleeting memory, which has skimmed over the great events of the world's war, will remember that a certain Mr Wells, whoso opinions on matters in general have sometimes been deemed worth cabling out hero, said only a few weeks ago that tho horse was . valueless for war purposes. That opinion was not far from 'its birth when cavalry was doing great work in Egypt and Mesopotamia, and gathering in Bagdad and other positions, marking most important gains to the Allies' cause. Just a little later and cavalrv was at work on tho Western front, and lending most valuable assistance in expediting tho German retreat; and if that retreat is over to become converted into a rout, it will be cavalry that will create and lend impetus to the-hurry-homo desires amongst the Germans. One can easily imagine the gallant Belgians, the chivalrous French, and tho more stolid British soldier joining issue with the oldtime poet who wrote the heart-spoken — Oh, for a steed, a rushing steed, And a blazing scimitar, To hunt from beauteous Italy The Austrians' red hussar. They would call and look in vain for the rushing steed if racing had never become a world's pastime; still, we will probably wait. for ever and a day before Mr Wells retracts his opinions concerning the alleged uselessncss of tho horse in war. King Richard of England's call — A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse, which has echoed down through tho pages of history, received fresh life in the heart of every soldier who has been unhorsed sinco the beginning of this war. The thoroughbred first came into real prominence in warfare when Wellington mounted his officers and scouts on thoroughbred hunters and 'chasers, and so impressed the French With their reconnoitring value that they completely changed their ideas as to breeding horses for military purposes. _ The French Government backed the Societie do Encouragement with the object of horsing their army, and in ISO 9 expended £840,000 on horse-breeding. In ISBS the annual grant amounted to only £325,520. The English thoroughbred l has long been established in France, Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. Tho expenditure in the German Government studs for tho year 1908 amounted to £352,719. The Government studs in Austria-Hungary were costing more than the German expenditure on breeding, and it is interesting to recall the fact that until a few years ago England was expending about £SOOO in stallion premiums, and that was her only encouragement towards breeding. Fortunately, private enterprise by racing and hunting helped England out in her time of need. In the American civil war cavalry mounted on thoroughbreds did such great work that that type of horse gathered further appreciation by the merit of its services; and today thoso who have been i-esponsible for horsing tho Continental armies have only one regret, and that is because tho thoroughbred was not made greater use of than what had been the case in what breeding was carried out in the pre-war days for military purposes. Some may, however, think that the ideas and opinions expressed here concerning the thoroughbred are biased; and it would, perhaps, be more convincing if another opinion was quoted. Nothing better could be given than an opinion of an enemy in the Deutsoher Sport, by Captain A. von Gustedt, of the Seventh Prussian Cuirassier Regiment, giving his experience with horses during the present war. He wrote as follows: —"Tho English thoroughbred is excellent as an officer's horse, and especially for reconnoitring purposes. It shows great endurance, is always fresh, full of go and very sensible, which latter quality is most important if you are riding quite alono in a hostile country. Furthermore, it can bo easily kept in good condition. I had to feed my horse for weeks ■ on oats stooked in the fields soaked with rain and often mouldy inside, on pieces of bread, carrots, and mangolds, Indian corn, and anything I could find. I myself have ridden three thoroughbreds since tho beginning of the war. The first was a gelding that had won a few steeplechases. Then I rode a thoroughbred mare bred in Hungary. The third I rodq was bred in Belgium. I made him and the Belgian officer who rodo him prisoners, and the officer told me all about his horse's breeding. The horse was an excellent comrade in the field, and J was very sorry indeed when he was killed under me by three shell splinters. All our cavalry horses could with advantage have still more blood. Tho Prussian halfbred has proved an excellent cavalry horso. The smaller horses proved better than the heavier type; they generally have more blood, carry tho same weight as a bigger horse, and show more endurance. Tho draught horses we captured in France bocame absolute failures in a very few days, especially when they had to trot for a time." Captain A. von Gustedt merely rediscovers what the Duke of Wellington discovered over a century ago, and what has been the basis of operations in every country where horse-breeding for military purposes has been carried out by Government aid and encouragement, England alone of all the,

great Powers has been asleep in this important matter, and has left to private enterprise what should have been as much her care and consideration as building up a great navy. And this despite the fact that England made the thoroughbred—built the house to let others uso it—and has, with some in New Zealand, forgotten that— The noble thoroughbred, the country's pride, When once destroyed can never be supplied. THE NORTH OTAGO MEETING. The North Otago Jockey Club will give 2000sovs in stakes at their meeting to be held on Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27. The principal event of the programme will bo the Oamaru Cup, of 300sovs, to be run over a mile, on the first day ; and on the second day -the President's Handicap, of 200sovs, one mile and a-quarter, will head the card. The chief sprint will be the Stewards' Handicap, of 200sovs, six furlongs, and the Members' Handicap, of 150sovs, five furlongs, is to be the feature sprint on the second day's card. Next in point of value como the Empire Hurdles, of 175sovs, and the Pacific Plurdles, of 145sovS: The balance of the programme is made up with tho Fornbrook Welter, of lZOsovs, and six other events worth IGOsovs each. Nominations for all events close on Saturday, April 14.