THE RACING PROPOSALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2905, 17 November 1909, Page 31

THE RACING PROPOSALS.

' Inquiry among some of the prominent racing men showed that there was some cioubt existing as to what was actually meant by , the announcement of the proposal to impojae a tax oi 2£ per cent, on the total receipts of racing clubs. If it is in'tanded to fix the percentage on all receipts, Mich as gate-money, nomination and enTrance 'fees, sale- of privileges, e& well as the totalisator receipts, then a good deal of surprise and no small alarm will have been created. -

"It would," one gentleman remarked, "simply mean taxing us out of existence." On the other hand, if it simply means to embrace the fees derived from bookmakers in the fixing of the 2__f per cent:, the proposal would not be regarded as unfair. At present the clubs license bookmakers, and these persons take away from the totalisator a certain amount of money from, which the Government would otherwise derive a percentage, and no tax is paid by the clubs on the fees received from the licensing of Jbookmakers. - .

The proposals to abolish pony and galloway race 1 meetings met with the wholesale approval of those approached. These, meetings, it was claimed, were held outside of the -jurisdiction of the Racing Conference, and therefore were open to aU sorts of abuses. There was no controlling influence .over them, whereas, on the other hand, other racing dubs had to (conform to the roles of the conference, and must conduct their meetings on approved lines. In the case of the pony meetings, those who promoted them 4id as they liked, and it would be a good thing for the sport generally were they wiped out.