RACING AND THE WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 3304, 11 July 1917, Page 43

RACING AND THE WAR

HON. G. W. RUSSELL'S REMARKS* (Fbojj Odb Own Cubkespondkxt.) WELLINGTON, July 3. Meeting tho Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs) in deputation this morning, representatives of the Horowhenua. Racing Club entered a protest <*gainst tha proposed cutting out of their one day's racing under the curtailment scheme which has lately been published. The deputation was introduced by Mr ¥ v H. Field, M.P., who said, incidentally, that the cutting out of tho club's one day's racing was regarded as a gross injustice, see* ing that Otaki with four days had been de« prrved of only one day. Generally, tha deputation contended that the raoe meeting was closely connected with the A. and" P. Association's show, and that its cutting - out would be a great infliction on the population, which took yearly that opportunity of meeting in friendly concourse. Ii th#, meeting was cutout the ground would havi , to be sold, would thereby bo deprived of a recreation ground. In replying, the Minister eaid he was afraid he could not hold out very much hope in connection with the matter. Thera had been a very strong publio feeling created throughout New Zealand during tha last 12 months that, while this dreadful war was on, it was utterly anomalous that racing should be going on as usual, and thai increasing sums should be passing through the totalisator, as if men were not laying, down their lives for the sake of the Empn-o and several thousands of homes were not being desolated in consequence. The matter of reducing the license* by one-third had* been referred to the Racing and Trotting Conferences. He was not quite satisfied with tho recommendations, but it was for tha Cabinet to say whether the adjustment proposed should be carried out. He was waib« ing now for replies to certain question* which had been put to Sir George Clifford a week ago, and which had not yet reached him. The number of racing days in this district had been cut down by eight, leaving 16. Personally, he sympathised with tha country clubs. Some" of the bigger clubs had only cut down their racing day 3 by onefifth at the expenso of the country clubs and hunt ciubs. He was not satisfied thai that was the real principle on it was agreed that the one-third reduction should be carried out. He thought it was quite reasonable to suppose that the Government would not allow Levin to be de« prived of its show ground if a way could be found out of the difficulty.

CABINET'S FINAL DECISION. (Fbom Oue Own Cobbespondent.) WELLINGTON, July 8. At its meeting yesterday morning Cabinet dealt with the question of the ourtailment of racing days. Tlio finui suggestions of the clubs have been agreed to, as under:— The present number of racing days has been reduced by one-third, as from August 1* This decision is final. There will be 148 racing days, as against 222 in the last racing year. The trotting days have been re. duced by 20, making the number 39, as against 59 last year. There were 19 trotting days in the North Island last year, and ihese have been reduced to 13. There were 40 days in the South Island, and the! reduction there is to 26. « j The reductions that have taken place in, regard to racing in the final scheme are as follows:—Egmont Racing Club lose* two days—two instead of four. Originally a reduction of three days was proposed. The whole of the Taranaki district will have seven lacing day 3 instead of eleven. In other respects the recommendations ofi the conferences will stand as under:— Auckland—last year 38 days, now 25 J Canterbury—last year 33, now 22; Greymouth—last year 15, nor/ 10; Hawke's Bay —last year 34, now 23; Otago—last yean, 41, now 27; Taranaki—last year 11, now 7;' Wanganui—last year 26, now 18; Wellington—last year 24, now 16;—a total re- "> duction of 74 days. The recommendations regarding hunt clubs have been accepted without alteration. In regard to trotting, Auckland has been! reduced from 13 to 8; Wellington district, from 5 to 4; Wanganui,. from 2 to 1; Marlborough, from 2 to 1; Kaikoura has been cut out; Nelson has retained a day; Westland*has been cut down from 8 to 4 days; Canterbury, from 20 to 13; Olago. from 7 ot 5; and Southland retains two days. DUNEDIN DISTRICT COMMITTEE. At a meeting of the Special District Committee last week to consider the request of the Minister of'lnternal Affairs that the one-third reduction in racing should obtain in the chief centres, it was unanimously resolved —"That this committee is of opinion that, as it strictly carried out the directions of the Cabinet at its last meeting, it cannot see its way to depart from that decision, and therefore resolves to request the Government to abide by the agreement entered into between the Government and the Racing Conference, and which has been faitlHully carried out by the Special District Committee."