THE TOTALISATOR AS A SOURCE OF REVENUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2325, 22 September 1898, Page 38

THE TOTALISATOR AS A SOURCE OF REVENUE.

Mr Seddon is reported to have said in the House that as Colonial Treasurer he is quiite prepared to give up the £13,000 which he says is the revenue the Government derives from it. Perhaps ; though even £13,000 per annum is a sum the colony cannot afford to despise. But a "moment's consideration will show that the loss to revenue would be nearer £50,000 than £13,000. It is true £13,000 represents the direct revenue yielded by the totalisator tax. But what of the enormous indirect revenue derived from racing? What of the railway returns? The amount of travelling actually done on race days is a mere bagatelle compared with the amount of travelling done by visitors attending race meetings at a distance. Then there is the amount paid for horses travelling by rail, and the freight paid for horse feed. And what of the postal and telegraph jeturns? The revenue! is enormously in-

creased by the telegrams and corresponffdence that pass to and fro every race meeting. Several thousand telegrams are despatched from or received at Christchurch alone during a Jockey Club meeting. And what of the Customs returns — the revenue derived from the duty on goods connected with sport, to say nothing of the duty on ladies' apparel worn on race days? It is easy to see that the Colonial Treasurer in offering to give up the direct revenue from the machine has overlooked indirect revenue. The argument that it is immoral for the State to add to its revenue by accepting the proceeds of what is really a voluntarytax is untenable. The prohibitionist objects to the use of spirits and beer ; others object; to the use of cigarettes and tobacco ; yet again others object to playing cards and billiard tables. But our Customs revenue would shrink wofully if the State declined to levy duty on every article of amusement or pleasure the use of which is objected to by one or the other section of narrow-minded Puritans. All taxes on luxuries and amusements are practically voluntary taxes, and no taxes should be so welcome to the Treasury chest as those which are levied on such things as are outside the necessaries of life. It must not be forgotten that horse-racing in New Zealand has grown into its present position^ by the use of the totalisator, and if the license to iise the machine is withdrawn, almost every racing club in New Zealand will collapse, with the result that racing and the indirect revenue therefrom would come to an end. Next, as to