TOTALISATOR LEVY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 273, 18 November 1943, Page 3

TOTALISATOR LEVY

FOR PATRIOTIC FUNDS? (P.A.) Dunedin, Nov. 16. A suggestion that the patriotic funds might be assisted by the levying of aa additional 5 per cent, on totalisator receipts at race meetings was placed before the Otago Provincial Patriotic Councjlat its monthly meeti ing by Mr. W. Pl Hartstonge, Mayor of Mosgiel. It was decided that the suggestion be forwarded to the National Secretary for consideration at a conference to be held in Wellington next week. Mr. Hartstonge said that as each year passed the achievement ot district quotas became increasingly difficult. For the year ended July 31, 1943, totalisator tax collected in NewZealand amounted to £433,000, which represented the Government’s tax of approximately 81 per cent, on turnover. He suggested that this tax should be increased by another 5 per

cent, which would, he considered, I bring in an additional £450,000 next year if the totalisator returns continued to increase as they had done in the past. The Government had decreased the number of racing days in the year, but in spite of that totalisator investments had gone up. In war time he did not think that was right, and that was why he made the suggestion to take some of the money for patriotic purposes. Mr. Edgar Hazlett said that the Government, by means of the totalisator tax, obtained an enormous amount from people who did not contribute to the patriotic funds and, in fact, who did not in many cases have to meet ordinary taxation. It was possible however, that the increased totalisator tax might cause people to put less money on the totalisator. It was a big question and one that would require close consideration before a decision was reached.