RACING AND THE WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16227, 24 March 1917, Page 11

RACING AND THE WAR.

VIGOROUS MEMOBANDTJM BY SIR'GEORGE CLIFFORD (Per Press Association ) CHRISTCHURCII Maicii 23. ,'.' bu Chftoid, chairman of ILe Racing Conference;, in a. memorandum to Uie tfhanman of the National Jilhcicncy Boaid legaiding racing and. var, points out tliat Attendance at i u e liieotings does- nob detea men from enlisting, as legislation lias averted tins 1110 piepauxtion for iace meetings does not affect the available If bom supply, as it is largely bqy labour of a type iinfit'oed lor farm work, while work' on those few courses w Inch iuh to a, permanent stait is done by eldeily men. If the objection were sound, which he says it is no's, racing clubs would meet it, by action less diastic than discontinuance. Race moeiDinga do not distiact public a.ttention fiom the -war, and he queries whether race trains involve the employment of men who should be fighting, poinding out that the permanent necessary equipment of the.lines is sucK as to provide for these, occasional services either by oalling in (the whole strength, or by overtime. Sir George points out that racing is a revenue producer of no mean value. Last year £261,667 was paid directly into "the Exchequer and £45,943 was volunlfcarily contributed by racing clubs to war funds. The industry is of nalfrional importance for the supply of remounts, and its abandonment or curtailment would throw out of employment a horde of people whose aptitoudo and'capacity, for other work is small, and would be ai disaster to owners oif stud farms, and it. is assuredly, he says, a libel on a sportsman Ito brand him as a shirker, for whatever branch, of sport he follows mates, for manliness-'and readiness "r, fight with bravery in his counbny'scause... Attendance at races is no sign of a shirker, and ;a,nv of the breed can bo effectivly combed out at the entrance fates if tho proper steps are taken. Tho most prominent and trusted of England's leaders are strenuous in support; of sunTi rafting, as is. practicable there. His Majesty ■ loads way by his example, and Earl Derby, Lord IVAbernon, -Lord and many ether conspicuous war workers practically testify, to. it-he importance of notendangering the' existence of British pre-eminence in this direction. New Zealand gives every promise of being indeed.the Britain. oF the South in a similar success, and i!t rests with the Efficiency P-onrrlsto protect so fair n. prospect and one so fraught with mili'tary advantages. \