UNITED FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3517, 9 August 1921, Page 37

UNITED FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

COMBIN’ ED SERVICE. Despite the inclement weather on Sunday about 300 members of tho various friendly societies in tile Otago and Southland district assembled at the Art Gallery Hall in tiie afternoon and piroceeded to the Methodist Central Mission, where the Rev. Clar«nee Eaton conducted a combined service. A good number of the public also attended. The following orders were represented: Fore-ders. M.U. Oddfellows, 1.0.0. F., Druids, Protestant Alliance, Rechabites, and Soiii- and Daughters of Temperance. Tho service was held under the auspices of the Otago United Friendly Societies’ Council, members attending in regalia. The president oE the council, Bro. P. W. Stabb, occupied a seat on the platform with the Revs. C Baton and C. Dullaston. The vice-presi-dent, Bro. J. K. Miiclie, and other officials were also present. The Dunedin Pipe Band led the procession to tho Octagon.

RACING AND TAXATION. ANNEXING FRACTIONS, j AUCKLAND, August 1. In his annual report to the Auckland Racing Club, the president, Sir Edwin Mitehelson, refeiring to taxation, said that for the racing veax- just ended the club had paid away in taxation £63.033, as follows: —Totalisutor, £28,662; dividend duty, £25.796; tax on stakes, £614; tax on other receipts, £918; amusement tax, £1662; land tax, £960; income tax, £3176; rates, £1295. The total increase is £8320. The amount paid this year in rates and taxes is £1663 more than the stakes, which were £61,450; still the Government i 3 not content. But this year, for the first time, they propose to take all the tractions. The total amount that will have been paid into the treasury by both racing and trotting clubs combined for the year just ended will reach close on £700,000, without costing the State one penny for collection. f l he question arises whether it would not be advisable to pay away a larger amount in stakes rather than add to the payment of taxation, which is now excessively high, so much so, that if it is not reduced, every industry and business in the country will suffer most severely.