THE CHURCH AND RACING

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160712, 27 July 1920, Page 2

THE CHURCH AND RACING

PRETEST AGAINST 6.7 MINIMUM. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 26. The Council of Cl\urches to-night, on the motion of the Row J. J. North, carried the following resolution; “The Council of Churches calls the attention of the Government and of the public generally to the inhumanity inflicted on jockeys by tho present rule» of racing. The Council Is convinced that tho appeal of the jockeys to have the minimum weight lifted from 6st 71b to 7sfc was one which the very principle of humanity required should be granted The cruelty of wasting down to such a weight as 6st 71b is repulsive in the cvtromc. Tho Council notes that the Racing Conference, largely in the interests of tho horses, refused justice and humane conditions to the men. The Council urges that the case is one for State action, and believes the law should extend to jockeys as much as it extends to brutes in the Cruelty to Animals Act.’' Mr Sharpe moved: “That the Council write to the secretary of the Jockeys’ Association expressing our sympathy with their object in forming a strong opposition.” Rev. W. Ready said it was not in the province of the Council to say jockeys should form unions. He was against jockeys and their trade, and would not help to bolster up either. If tho jockeys wanted a union let them paddle their own canoe. Eventually tho motion was withdrawn.