The Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1911. CARNIVAL WEEK.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10301, 4 November 1911, Page 6

The Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1911. CARNIVAL WEEK.

There is an impression, greatly encouraged by the minor poets of the day, Athat tho Australian and the New Zcailander are particularly fond of horses. -The poets write of " fair girls-and grey Wses," and the like subjects, the boys jreoite about the last race of some hero }tm four legs, and the average colonial is supposed to know all there is to be !:' known about the Bruce Lowe system. ■With the spring racing season fairly ' Hinder way. we find an Australian * \writer quoting with approval half a .Ailly stanza of Adam Lindsay uoi>don's : (Set if man, of all the Creator planned, ' Hia noblest work ia reckoned. !Of the works of His haoid by sen, or by land, \ The horse may at least rank second. (If we were disposed to be cynical, we ' praight suggest that the horse is a very • (secondary consideration indeed with 1 the thousands of people who throng [the racecourses. There are horse-lovers nowadays, but they arc comparatively Lo few that they take a good deal of fending among the crowd. The colonial, '"• however, is undoubtedly a lover of ■Wse-racing, and tho totalisator figures fihow also that he is fond of betting. Pie matter is really not worth arguing, Ibecause everyone knows that a very (considerable section of every race crowd >is attracted by the excitement, winch Hvould be extremely mild if it were not If or the stimulant of a bet, The sportling writers tell us that if the totalisator should go the doom of racing will bo jeealed in New Zealand. We are not to admit the truth of 'that ■Wtatemertt as it stands, but apart from (he fact that the totalisator provides " J jcheap racing and high stakes, the abolition (if the totalisator would rob the Racecourses of a potent attraction, and jfche attendance of the public at racefcieotings would be very materially reduced. We are not going to moralise ©n the subject. This is the season when (people are least of all inclined to disIcuss the ethical aspects of racing under Wesent conditions, and we arc merely According obvious facte, or facts that bught to be obvious. The holiday season, on which we have entered .to-day ViU provide interesting fowl for , [thought in another direction. Sport tof all kinds is said to be taking a . Tpreater and greater hold on the people V>f Australia every year. The RandJwick course nowadays is uncomfortably \ crowded, we are told, and Sydney's experience in the matter of increased attendances is repeated in all the States. Something of the same sort is happening in New Zealand ; but, if .the experience of Chrtstchurch could he taken as a, reliable guide, we should be inclined [to prophesy that in the near future trotting will outstrip tho gallops in [popularity. The growth of this sport Ahas been nothing short of amazing. (The most important trotting meeting (held in the dominion has developed, of ■ ' '•course, under the wing of tho big iracing club. Its patrons include the thousands of people who come into tho icity more particularly with the Riccarfton carnival in vi^w; and, if there were tno other evidence available, we might !fiuppose« that the popularity of the (spring meeting at Addington was an accident duo to the fact that it is held during show and race week. But tho really significant fact is that a minor irotting meeting held in the neighbour. Jiood of Christchurch will always attract a larger attendance of tho public and a far,larger entry of horses than fi pvill a minor flat meeting. The truth : is that trotting has established a hold |Vm the affections of the people. A multitude of small men are among the owners of trotting stock. The racehorse, as a rule, is useless for any purpose- except racing, whereas the milk.man or the small farmer can drive his pacer or trotter in a trap for the- , greater part of the year. Moreover, /in Christchurch at any rate, two men [can discuss trotting form intelligently for every one who follows the form of ithe gallopers closely. Tho next few years will surely see an enormous development of trotting all over New Zealand, in spite of the curtailment of .the days of racing. Towards the end - * of next week, of course, the show will claim its share of publio attention, in- , troduciug a welcome element of serious industry into the enjoyment of the holiday. Somehow, we always feel that the show saves us from being utterly '- frivolous and irresponsible during carnival week, and we are grateful for the ', tfact of its existence. On People's Day pt so obviously overshadows all the other attractions of the week that no Eoohvis left for the criticism that the leopla of Canterbury are "racing jmad," and it helps us to adjust our jideaa concerning the extent of the influence of the racecourse and the trotjting course. Still,'the season is ad- "- snittedly one for frivolity and pleasure, Jand he would be a churlish soul who intruded at this stage with homilies on Sn orals. c=.-::.i'i, ' --■' ' " .-r==L i