RACING PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 10, 11 July 1936, Page 15

RACING PROBLEMS

INQUIRY NEEDED

TAXATION ASPECT

In the opinion of the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon.. W. E. Parry), as expressed to a deputation from the New Zealand Racing Conference yesterday afternoon, a

thorough inquiry into' the ramifications of racing in New Zealand would be likely to serve a useful purpose. The Minister said he thought a real good inquiry into the whole thing would be the best thing that could

happen,

_Although not the main purpose of the deputation, the president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, Mr. J. S. McLeod, of Hastings, had touched on the question of racing clubs being relieved of some of their burden of taxation and also on the question of the provision of additional betting facilities.

The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) pointed put that if taxation was cut out from one source the Government had tb goto another. With regard to racing taxation in general and racing procedure he thought he could say that every member of the Government was free; they were not tied. As Mr...Parry had mentioned to him, there were factors .associated with racing that might justify a' complete inquiry into the whole position in order to let the Government get some independent' information. He would be glad to represent the matter >to the Prime Minister.

My. .Parry said that the position' as it aJJpeaT'ed'to\Kim was'tnat' there was a..nest of problems in need of being clarified; so as to enable, the Government' tcr get something like a" foundation from wliich to pursue'a certain policy. .He believed that, the : - v best thing |hat could happen' for'all concerned' would be a' real' £oo& national stock-taking of the.'.whole .[.position. That., hq .believed, would clear away many of the 'difficulties that arose'today. .-■.■;.'....> ... : . .. . ,

It was not the way. for a Government to secure taxation by permanently taxing sport, continued Mr. Parry. Similarly the:.'unemployed should not be a source of taxation, but until such time as the foundation was established that the Gbvefrimerit was endeavouring-to.' create it was impossible to relieve taxation from one particular source.