REDUCTION URGED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20893, 24 November 1937, Page 8

REDUCTION URGED

RACING TAXATION By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 23. During the second reading debate on the Finance Bill in the House to-day, Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Nationalist, Waitomo) appealed for a reduction of the taxation being imposed on racing clubs. The Government in a time of prosperity like the present could give relief to these clubs to enable thm to increase their stakes, and make other necessary improvements. He instanced the fact that many of the big racehorse owners were taking their horses to Australia to take advantage of the better stakes offering there. Why not give the clubs relief for only one year? he asked. He criticised the present system of granting relief in cases of hardship, which he said, was liable to lead to patronage by Ministers. He thought they were exacting a too heavy toll from people who did bet on horses. Personally he did not believe in betting, which appeared stupid to him, but it seemed to be ingrained in the British people. There could be a direct reduction in taxation if the problem were tackled correctly and the large amount of illicit betting going on to-day were brought within the proper taxation channels.