COMMONWEALTH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144856, 7 December 1915, Page 3

COMMONWEALTH.

NEW TAXATION. ON BETTING FRATERNITY. (Received Dec. 7, 8.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 7. The Government’s new taxation proposals, which it is introducing this week, include taxes on betting tickets and bookmakers. The latter will ho called' on to pay on the Randwick course and paddock £SO, on the St. Leger course £2O, at flat races £5, and ion suburban, country and pony ■ courses and paddocks £2O. i In addition to this the Government I proposes to take 25 per cent, of the 1 fees paidiby book-makers to racing clubs, and each betting ticket is to bear a penny Government stamp. It is expected that this new taxation will realise half a million per annum. REPORT ON LIVERPOOL CAMP. WET CANTEEN RECOMMENDED. SYDNEY, Deo. 6. The. Standing Sanitary Committee, • composed of army medical heads and other experts, reporting on the Liverpool Camp, makes a number of suggestions for improving tho sanitary and health conditions. Tho committee says that the proportion of sickness and incapacity in the camp is much too high", and believes tha_t it could be very greatly diminished. Some deaths, and much iU-heaifcli and incapacity, were traceable to tho toxic effects of alcohol, and there is evidence that alcoholism is prevalent and excessive amngst recruits. .

The committee' is convinced that if drunkenness were. checked venereal disease would be much lees common, and the susceptibility of men to other infectious disease would ho diminished. The committee believes that there is no othor ,single case havihg so profound an effect on the health and efficiency of the troops, and therefore recommends the establishment of a wet canteen inside, .or just close, to, the camp for tho sale of the. right kind of ales and wines; that the Liverpool district be put out.of bounds, so eliminating publio-houses and women of ill repute; closing all public-houses, excepting authorised canteens throughout the State, to soldiers in uniform after 6 p.rn,; shoutin'; for a soldier to be made illegal, and drunkenness penalised by curtailment of leave: 5 ' THE CASUALTY LIST. (Received Deo. 7, 9.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 7. List 120 includes:—Wounded, Private C. Clarke; ill. Sergeant R. B. Long, Sergt.-Maior B. A. Hardey (in hospital at Oxford), Private A. Hornsby and Private R. Adamson (in hospital in London), Private E. W. Russell (embarked for England); returned to duty, Privates H- Hill, D. R. Borne, W. A. Marshall and J. Chisholm. WEEK-END LEAVE. (Received Dec,. 7, 9.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, Deo. 7. It is reported that the experiment of fronting soldiers week-end leave has cen most successful. All the men returned to duty punctually, and there was a minimum of drunkenness. WOUNDED NEW ZEALANDERS. (Received Deo. 7, 9.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 7. Threw New Zealanders were on board a hospital ship which arrived yesterday. THE AUSTRALIAN FORCES. (Received Deo.' 7, 9.5 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Deo. 7. The Defence Department announces that to the end of November there were 118,990 men on active service and 55,361 in training.