IS IT FAIR?

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 4, 5 July 1922, Page 5

IS IT FAIR?

TAXATION ON RACING CLUBS : ANGLICAN CHURCH GAZETTE'S PROTEST. , (US mHGBAPH.—SPECIAL TO MB tOSI.) AUCKLAND, This Day. The taxation levied from racing cluba by the Government is the subject of a striking article in the current issue of the AucKand Anglican Church Gazette,, which expresses the opinion that racing clubf, aro not receiving fair treatment. "It is often said that however severely all other businesses and enterprises may suffer in times of depression, racing goes on as merrily and as profitably as ever," says the writer. " But recent statistics have proved that such is not the case. During the past twelve months there has been a graet falling-off in the totalisator receipts and in the revenue of racing clubs. Sport has been hit hard; the clubs are passing through difficult times, and the Government is not treating them quite fairly. If Parliament said racing is an unmitigated evil and endeavoured to suppress it, that wouls be a logical and consistent attitude, even though it might be based on a mistaken i idea. But the State does not take this I attitude. It treats racing as a lawful and legitimate form of sport, arid then cripples it by taxation that almost bleeds it white. The Government took no less than £17,772 from the Auckland Racing Club in connection with the recent Winter Meeting. The fair-minded man, no matter what his views on gambling may be, can help feeling that racing is being harshly treated, and that the clubs have mado out a strong caeo for the reduction of the staggering burden of taxation which they are. now carrying.. Even [ racing olurb are entitled,to fait pl^t"