COLONEL HALL WALKER AND THE WAR.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1319, 5 August 1915, Page 7

COLONEL HALL WALKER AND THE WAR.

Colonel Hall Walker, who has long been a supporter on a large scale of English racing, both as breeder and owner of racehorses, is one of those who think that the Government acted unwisely :n stopping racing. He stated, says a contemporary, that no case had been made out for the interference of racing with the conduct of the Avar. The colonel

said that he employed a hundred men in connection with his racing and breeding establishments, and must keep them going somehow. The pet’tion prepared for presentation to the English Parliament praying that racing should be allowed to proceed contained many reasons in support. One of these stated that “the ramifications of horse breeding and racing are very numerous, and your petitioners estimate that at least from £10,000,000 to £12,000,000 is annually spent :'n the United Kingdom in connection with this industry and sport respectively, the great bulk of which finds its way into the pockets of the wage-earning classes. Military necessity alone would justify bringing destitution and misery to the thousands who will be thrown out of employment as a conquence of the prohibition of horse racing.” It was, perhaps, because of this petition that the English Government’s first decision has been relaxed to the extent of permitting race meetings to be held at Newmarket fortnightly. The Government did not make any attempt to interfere with racing in Ireland.