IMMORALITY v. REVENUE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 219, 30 September 1940, Page 8

IMMORALITY v. REVENUE

TAXATION PERCENTAGES QUOTED CROSS-TALK IN THE HOUSE Just Avlierc a proper sense of publie morality Logins, ancl "the moneygrabbing nature, common to the State's taxation drag-net, ends, form ed the basis of a very interesting sally between Mr Holland and Mr Nash in the House this session* The House was discussing the necessity for national savings to assist the war; , Mr Holland drew attention to the record totalisator figures. Mr Nash replied by demonstrating that, say, for instance, £50,000 went through the totalisator, £20,000 of that would go to the Government "which will be very wisely and well used by the Government." Another £20,000 of it goes to the Racing Clubs, "and Ave may expect that it also will be spent wisely"—and the debate went on in this fashion: Mr Holland: "Does the lion, gentleman think that increased gambling is a good thing? Mr Nash: ""No. I do not'-think it is a worth while effort, because by ! the end of the day, out of every £, there is only 4s left for the people who put the money in." Mr Holland: "Would net it be better if the money went into national saving?" Mr Nash: "It would be quite good, but it is not completely lost. We get 8s out of every £, the Racing Clubs Avill get 8s out of every £, and the backers Avill take 4s aAvay Avitli them. Some, of course, av}ll not take a lot of money away with them; and what they do take AA 7 ith them, to some extent, Avill be oaL of other backers' iDockets. no'c out of our pockets. The clubs are as certain as can be to AA T in, and so is the Govern J ment." Mr Poison: "I am surpiised at the hoji. gentleman's ethics." Mr Nas?li: "If the hon. gentleman Avants to knoAV Avhat I think of a man Avho Avill throw aAvay a £ to get 4s I could express it in a word, or AA'rite a large book." Mr Holland: "Does the hon. gentleman think the should profit at the expense of these people?" Mr Nash: "No. . . . The fact remains that this gambling is something that certain people like very much and they are anxious to help the Government; and because of that Ave say, basing our figures on eight races, at the end of the racing day —'Alright, you gave us 8s out of every £ you started with.'"'-