SUCCESSFUL SEASON

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 196, 22 August 1935, Page 4

SUCCESSFUL SEASON

WELLINGTON RACING CLUB jfROEIT OVER OI'ERATIONS ‘ t JTs.- frets Association. ] WELLINGTON, Aug. 21. ! A uet profit of £203 Us 8d uu lhe year's operations is disclosed ia the annual report and balance-sheet ot tae Wellington Racing Club, to be presented to the annual meeting of members on September 9. lhe sum provided for depreciation of assets is £1290, which is £499 greater than the previous year, when the season’s operations were shown to have resulted m a net loss of £155 Ss 3d. The report states that the result of the past season’s operations is considered quite satisfactory. A sum of £23,770 was provided in stakes. Government taxation lor the year amounted to £35,296 5s SJ. The club has been fortunate in the weather for ita meetings during the season, the report continues, and this has been no small factor in the success of the year’s operations. The attendance of the public has been well maintained, the patronage of owners most satisfactory, and the racing ex c client. The stewards record with regret the death of Messrs. D. G A. Cooper, E. V. Riddiford, and Ur. I’. F. McEvedy (stewards of the club), and Sir Henry Buckleton, the Hen. Dr. W. E. Collin*. Messrs. W. il. Ballinger, L. P. Blundell, A. D. Crawford, H. G. Butter, A. Smith, W. 11. Tripe, Airs. J. H. Haynes and Dr. W. M. Suand (members of the club). .The following office-bearers retire in accordance with the rules, and are eligible for le-clcction: —President, Air. E. L. Kiddifcrd; vice-president, Air. J. W. Abbott; stewards, Messrs. H. P. F. Blundell, 11. R. H. Chalmers, H. If. Green, and H. L. Nathan; auditors, Messrs. O. G. Kember and A. R. Sclanders. There is a vacancy in the office of steward occasioned by the death of Mr D GA. Cooper BURDEN OF TAXATION HARDSHIP ON CLUBS GAMING ACT CRITICISED THE BOOKMAKER PROBLEM ‘‘Throughout the Dominion there is a unanimous feeling of dissatisfaction ' respecting the excessive and burdensome taxation imposed on racing and • trotting bodies, horse owners and the racing public—taxation which is unequalled in the whole world,” stated Air. E. W. Alison in his presidential address at the annual meeting the Taka puna Jockey Club on Monday. He said there was clear evidence of the manifestly unjust taxation in the circumstance that, almost without exception, the taxation paid to the Government after each meeting in New Zealand exceeded the total stake money provided by the clubs. The taxation paid by the Takapwna Club in connection with its four day’s racing in the past season exceeded by £2762 the amount paid in stakes. The deduction of 5 per cent, from stakes won by owners was unjust and oppressive, said Mr. Alison, who added that this tax was imposed as a war-time measure, the owners patriotically assenting. Money Diverted to Bookmakers The feeling against excessive taxation was becoming increasingly strong, and he considered the Government would be well advised to give careful consideration to the representations of the racing authorities. A reduction in taxation would not diminish the Treasury receipts, he said, and would assist the clubs, many of which were financially embarrassed. Mr. Alison considered that the bill to amend the Gaming Act, 1908, with a view to legalising the telegraphing of investments on the totalisator, the use of the “double” machine and the publication of dividends should have been endorsed by the House of Representatives. By its enactment the State would receive an increased revenue of not less than £150,000 a year. A further aspect was that the enormous amount of illicit betting with bookmakers w'ould be diverted into legalised channels. “The Gaming Act has been in existence, unaltered, for 25 years,” he proceeded. “And what has happened in that time? How has the law been observed regarding illegal betting? As you all know, sporting men, otherwise law-abiding individuals, in defiance of a law under which they are debarred from making legal ‘double’ totalisator investments, or telegraphing totalisator investments, have flagrantly flouted the law by regularly betting with bookmakers. Losses by Clubs “It has been authoritatively stated} that throughout New Zealand a greater | sum is illicitly invested annually by I the sporting public than the total amount passed annually through the legalised - totalisator. From the enormous business they put through, how much do the bookmakers contribute toward the sport on which they thrive? Not one shilling.” Mr. Alison said the Gaming Act was proved ineffective in dealing with book makers. In fact, it had firmly established hundreds of them throughout New Zealand and made thousands of people law-breakers. The totalisator investments in 1933 34 were £3,904,948, and the taxation £359,252. The fig ures for 1934-35 were £4,017,150 and £367,917 respect'.rely. The stakes tax in these years amounted to £l6 799 and £17,440. During the period from 1930-31 to 1933-34 the racing and trot ting clubs made a loss of £101.774. but the Treasury received £1,573,476 in I taxation from the clubs, and in this period there had been a heavy decrease I in the stakes given by the clubs.— I New Zealand Herald.