NATIONAL RACECOURSES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10574, 27 January 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

NATIONAL RACECOURSES.

O.

HORSE BREEDERS ASK THE STATE

FOR AID.

LONDON, Dec. 6. The nationalisation of horse raciug and the formation of a national istud, the object of both proposals being tho advancement of liorse breeding, were advocated last night at York, at the hundred and thirty-ninth annual dinner of the Gimcrack Club.

Mr James Melrose, chairman of tho local race committee, presided, and the principal speech of the evening was made by Colonel Hall Walker, who said: —

"An experience of twenty-five years is my apology for offering an opiuion on •the state of tho Turf, regarding its future prospects. Tlie Jockey Club does not guard tlie interefrts of the breeder, but rules the Turf alono, and the object of my remarks is to prove the necessity of the authority of the Jockey Club being extended by powers from th© State, m return for the organisation of Government studs and the general encouragement of tho breeding of the thoroughbred horse. "Speaking as a breeder, 1 do not think any one present requires convincing . as to, the uref ulness of tho Turf as an institution. Racing is tlie oidy means by which we can prove the value of the stock we are engaged m breeding and rearing. Iv a few words, the racecourse is tlie showyard for the thoroughbred horse breeder. \ STATE AID NEEDED. "As Great Britain is recognised as the nursery of all pure-bred stock/ including the thoroughbred horse, from which, of neces.ity, the whole world must replenish its supplies, it must be admitted that if the breeding of pure-bred strains of all animals is an object worthy of development, encouragement sliould therefore be given to those engaged m such enterprises, and the State be asked to recognise them as important national industries. If rnoi-e breeders are to be placed m a position to race the houses they l/reed, it is necessary to reduce considerably the cost of racing. "To procure this end it follows that the Jockey Club must be iii possession of larger powers to enable it to reduce fees and increase stakes, and m various, ways to relieve owners of many' of the present expenses of racing. In all the leading Continental States the production and development of the horse is made a subject of Governmental care and solicitude.

''State aid to horse breeding is no new tiling even m this country. Until recently this recognition took" tlie form of providing funds for royal plates, and now it fakes a closer relation to breeding", m the provision of premiums to stallions." Colonel Walker suggested that the Jockey Club be given the right to holdi race meetings over any common lands, and the supreme right from interference with the holding of race meetings by any local bodies such as .parish, town, or' county councils. Viscount Downe advocated the legalis-t---tion of betting, and the passage of a law making betting debts recoverable by ordinary legal procpss. . A TOUGH OLD BIRD. If still" .he Sultan takes no heed, But keeps defiant, bold, and perky, There's fear the Powers may have need At Ohristmas.tjme to baste their Turkey -The W,orid.