THE TOTALISATOR TAX.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXVII, Issue 235, 16 October 1891, Page 2

THE TOTALISATOR TAX.

— — ♦ That the sporting community m the colony will long be content to pay 11£ per cent for the privilege of putting their money through the totalisator we do not imagine. The ' tax is unjust, and is not at all what was intended by the Government when introduced. Their intention was to take a moiety of the ten per cent deducted by the clubs as their share, and m this way to levy an impost on racing generally. It will be recollected that the original proposal was to take 2k per cent, and the racing clubs all over the colony raised a cry of indignation, and through their representative m the House, Captain Bussell, prayed that it should be reduced to at least 1£ per cent, and he gave the House to understand that this was quite as much as the clubs could afford to pay out of their profits. Bat the metropolitan clubs have decided to work together m this matter, and to make the 1£ per cent an additional charge on the public. If this is persevered m the Government will be forced to consider one of two positions, either to alter the conditions by makiDg it illegal to charge more than ten per cent, or

0 do as baa been advocated before, place a peoial tax on raoing. clubs and- let the aachine bo used as before, subject only to lermission being obtained for its use. Fhese who Eay that there are many clubs . yhich could not stand to lose 1£ per cent tut of their profits can easily be answered. Chese clubs should not be encouraged to sxist, nor should their programmes be passed m the easy-going manner that at present obtains. In this small community ilone there are two meetings by each of the ocal club 3 a year, besides one at Renwick;own, one at Havelock, and one at Mahakisawa, whereas the very most that could be aeld if racing proper was gone m Eor would be two m the year, one of them 1 two days meeting. If the only excuse for the continuance of the totalisator is to keep alive so many small club 3, then it will soon receive its quietus. The extra tax m any case shouid not be allowed, and we find from a Napier paper that very strong representations have already been made to the Premier on the subject, and he will no doubt see that the understanding arrived at before he consented to reduce the charge, shall be carried out. While on racing topics it might not be out of the way to suggest that one of the local clubs should concert itself into a Hack Racing Club. It has been found m the racing districts up north that hack race meetings produce quite as much money, and veiy often better sport, while they have the effect of bringing out horses that, without them, would never be heard of. In this way they do more to encourage the breeding of hofsea than the " legitimate game," and consequently, are beneficial all round. The interest taken m the hack events at the local races showed that it would not be difficult to get up a good meeting for hacks only.