WAR-TIME RESTRICTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 25227, 14 July 1944, Page 5

WAR-TIME RESTRICTIONS

YEAR IN RETROSPECT (Special.) WELLINGTON, July 14. The difficulties arising from war-time restrictions were reviewed by Mr H. R. Chalmers in his presidential address to the New- Zealand Racing Conference to-day. During the current season, he said, totalisator permits allotted to racing clubs were again kept down to 120, just half the number allowed in a normal season. He felt that so long as racing in the war period was restricted to Saturdays and to public holidays it could not be said to be interfering with the war effort. As regarded its contribution to the Consolidated Fund, he stated that direct taxation paid by the racing publis through the clubs for the year ended July 31. 1943, approximated £650,000 exclusive of local rates, which amounted to £7,700. The seven days of racing for patriotic funds this year would result in approximately £18,262 being handed to the National Patriotic Fund". TRANSPORT. Transport had been a very difficult problem, and there was every reason to beiu-vo that this situation would continue for somo months at least. Mr Chalmers considered it illogical to expect that petrol—a rationed and imported commodity—could, or should, be made available in larger quantities 'to assist in their transport problems It ap peared that the initial alleviation would come, with the removal of the restriction of the vail transport of racehorses and the provision of special trains to and .from racr> meetiii£S. DOUBTFUL OWNERSHIP.

During the past season, said Mr Chalmers, there had been more rumours than ever before that certain horses were owned by persons ineligible to race horses or to attend racecourses Many of Ihese rumouiv had been investigated by the conferencp officials, but it was very difficult indeed t<obtain evidence to prove the allegation. The people referred to were adept at covering their tracks, and with many transactions settled in cash, it was almost impossible to trace transactions to their source He strongly appealed to all sellers of race horses and to agents who negotiate these 6ales to insist upon payment by cheque. Not only would this assist the conference in keeping the sport clean and confining it to people who were- eligible to race, but it would assist the Government by putting at least one obstacle in the way of the tax evader. ■ As president of the confer ence, .he felt very much inclined to refuse to register a change of ownership of any horse unless the parties to the change could satisfy the conference that payment had been made by " crossed " cheque and that to which they go can be traced. This might the source from which the funds come and appear drastic, but drastic steps were necessary