TROTTING Government Help For T.A.B. Urged

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31412, 4 July 1967, Page 5

TROTTING Government Help For T.A.B. Urged

The Government should shoulder part of the cost of providing off-course betting, the honorary treasurer of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club (Mr G. S. Thomas) said in his report to the club’s annual meeting.

Mr Thomas, a former chairman of the Totalisator Agency Board and one of those largely responsible for the introduction of off-course betting, suggested that the board approach the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr Seath).

Mr Thomas said the club’s share of the distribution of the board declined £2373 last year.

Totalisator receipts were £207,956, said Mr Thomas. These came from on-course investments for 1966-67 and the distribution from the board based on the combined on and off-course turn-over for 1965-66.

“Taking into account the great increase in the combined totalisator turn-over for the year, it was anticipated that our share of the board’s distribution would be some thousands more than for he previous year.” Mr Thomas praised the administration of the board. Criticism of the management was usually unfounded and made in ignorance of the restrictions imposed by the Legislature on the board, he said.

Greater Costs Although off-course investments remained almost static,

the cost of running the scheme was increasing each year and must continue to do so because the main cost item —wages—was more or less determined by the wages paid to civil servants. This' added cost was outside the control of the board. The other costs were also continually increasing. “It follows that if the present trend continues, a time must come, in say 15 to 20 years, when there will be no profit to distribute to the clubs, but the Government will still be getting its ’chop’ of £3,500,000 handed to it on a ‘platter.’ This state of affairs is so absurd that it must not be allowed to continue,” said Mr Thomas. Wages were not the only factor reducing profit Others should be carefully considered and, if posible, eliminated.

“For instance a substantial saving could be made by the elimination of the right of re-

entry. Recently the right of re-entry in respect of a club’s one day’s racing must have cost the board, by way of telegrams and so on (to branches and agencies), between £2OO and £250. All for the sake of having one or two more units on the totalisator.

"The cost in respect of all meetings where there is a right of re-entry must be enormous. I suggest that a worthwhile saving could be made by the two conferences prohibiting the right of reentry,” said Mr Thomas.

Metropolitan Officers

Officers elected at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club held yesterday are. president, Mr R. W. Saunders; vice-president, Mr G. W. Bloxall; immediate past president, Mr J. K. Davidson: honorary treasurer, Mr C. S. Thomas; committee, Messrs L. R. Burt, D. E. Dalzell, G. W. A. Green, C. E. Hoy. E. T. McDermott, H. D. Matson, K. C. Meyers, R. F. 3. Powell, M. S. Rudkin; stewards, Messrs R. E. Booker, L. R. Burt, D. E. Dalzell, H. M. S. Dawson, J. K. Dobson, G. W. A. Green, E. T. McDermott, P. T. Mahon, H. D. Matson, K. C. Meyers, A. R. Murray, J. M. G. Osborne, R. F. J. Powell, M. S. Rudkin, R. A. Witbrock.