RACING CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1929, Page 5

RACING CONFERENCE

REVIEW OF PAST SEASON PRESIDENT GIVES ADVICE. GOOD CONDUCT AT MEETINGS. Ry Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Tho following report was forwarded from the chairman of the New Zealand Racin" Conference, Sir Geo. Cliffoid, and read at the opening of tho conference yesterday:-— . You -will realise it is with no little disappointment that 1 am compelled to apologise for my absence to-day, which is solely because I am not permitted to travel. . “I urge most strongly on owncis and breeders of thoroughbred horses to be most careful in registering names, and to fill in all required details on the forms supplied for tho purpose by the secretary of tho conference, with all brands and birth or accidental marks. Instances are not far to seek in which attention to these provisions against fraud or results of negligences have proved signally effective in saving serious consequences. “Tho freedom our racecourses enjoy from undesirable characters is largely attributable to the tact and watchfulness of our racecourse inspectors, whose appointment has throughout borne most excellent results. Much has been gained by tho assistance “given to local officials by our stipendiary stewards, whore continuous experience enables them to be of very great utility in many ways, “It has long been the feeling of our legislators on the conference that persons, after having been convicted of criminal offences, should not be allowed to work in racing stables. One object of this conference from its very inception has been to raise the tone of the jockey’s profession to the high standard to which it naturally aspires. Tho licensing, committee is "determined to support the ambition of tho great majority of our trainers and jockeys to keep the tone of their professions at the highest possible level, especially by eliminating those whose insobriety or misconduct tends to lower it. It rests with owners and licensed trainers to inquire strictly into tho character of persons employed by them. I am strongly averse to the proposal to permit, again, tin registration of assumed names for owners a ‘practice years since abandoned in Great Britain.

EXPORT OF HORSES.

“The increasing demand for New Zealand bred horses is shown by the fact that over 200 horses were sold or dispatched to Australia during the- cur-

rent season, recalling what an increasing market exists for our stock abroad, though our Government does not encourage breeding as other Governments do. “If the Government should introdiice the long desired Gaming Amendment Bill, they will have deserved our gratitude, as well as that of the important body of sportsmen who do so much to keep alive the vigour of the nation. This is no new note for u°. to strike. Wo look for the removal of the wholly absurd prohibition of the publication of dividends, which serves no good purpose, and assists the law-breaking bookmaker. Why should, the public and the newspapers be shut off from news which law-breakers circulate freely among themselves and to their confederates? We desire permission to remit investments on the totalisator to clubs on race days. Telegraph facilities are given to law-breakers. M by not to law-abiding citizens?

“It should not be forgotten that- the totalisator cannot tempt by giving credit, cannot lay contracted odds, and cannot refuse commissions, but gives fair play to all. The law at present debars the bookmaker from following his trade; it is illogical to leave open to him the practical monopoly of it beyond the prccinctg of tho racecource. “With provision for telegraphing investments on tho totalisator to secretaries of racing clubs, the investor would escape from the limited prices and barred horses of the bookmakers, who contribute no revenue to the State or to racing. Restrictions which foster illegal betting and create disrespect for the law and its administration are highly undesirable and should be repealed.

PAYMENTS OF TAXATION. “The amounts of tho various taxes paid during the present and previous

“A general revision of the system of racing taxation is urgently required. In some cases, so far from the tax being based on the income of the individual, it is actually levied on a debit balance. This obviously tends to dry up the fountain of supply. V o have

again represented our case to the Government, and we look for the relief so urgently required. “In tho interest of the harassed horseowners, tho public which desires a day’s recreation at a reasonable fare, and the Railway Department itself, xve appeal for the reinstatement of the former concession of a single fare and the return journey free for racehorses, and that the faresz by race trains ought to be not greater than tho usual excursion rate. The railway charges are driving horseowners to use properly equipped motor lorries for the transport of their horses, and this method is meeting with great and increasing favour. The argument of tho department’s officials in the past has been ‘that racehorse traffic is by no means a remunerative proposition to the railways.’ This statement is doubted, inasmuch as racehorse traffic is vital to a very profitable consequential traffic, a fact which the railway returns must verify. It is submited that the Railway Department’s revenue from people travelling by rail to race meetings is so profitable that it is only fair and businesslike to set off against that revenue tho railway carriage of racehorses. If horse-owners are not given every inducement to send o thcir horses 'by rail to the various race meetings, and thereby make the meetings attractive, tho department’s revenue, and that of the clubs and the Government, must suffer accordingly.”

seasons are:— 1-33 7-28 1925-29 £ s. <1. £ s. d. Totallsa-tor Tax 110,541 19 1 121,296 15 9 Dividend Tax 243,482 19 8 223,731 2 1 Stakes Tax 21,063 6 0 19,709 16 6 Amusement Tax 13,016 2 r 12,505 19 0 Receipts Tax 1,171 6 0 repealed 1927 land Tax 2,810 17 3 2,734 16 0 Income Tax on Interest 190 16 3 £433,316 0 7 333,219 5 T Deval Rates £10,6'77 1 9 9,137 7 4