REFUGEE BUYERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 April 1944, Page 3

REFUGEE BUYERS

BLOODSTOCK IN AUSTRALIA Sydney, April 7. Reports have been received at Canberra that refugees in Australia arc now purchasing racehorses through dummy buyers. It is believed that their interest in bloodstock may be connected with the Government's decision last year to impose war loan investment conditions on the purchase of real estate. Suggestions have been made to the Government's economic and financial

| advisers that buyers of racehorses over | a certain figure should be compelled to ; invest in war loans, or that a luxury ; tax of nearly 100 per cent, be imposed on individual sales over £SOO. At the Melbourne yearling sales recently, total purchases were £04,000, j of which a refugee group look a substantial proportion. The position will be carefully watched at the forthcoming Sydney yearling sales as it is feared that racehorse prices .may be inflated to the disadvantage of Australian patrons who have supported the industry for years, and to the ultimate detri- | ment of racing.