Clubs’ Strike As Tax Protest Urged

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31119, 23 July 1966, Page 6

Clubs’ Strike As Tax Protest Urged

"The Press’’ Special Service INVERCARGILL. A strike by racing clubs was suggested and strongly supported at the annual meeting of the Gore Racing Club recently.

The strike was proposed by Mr J. J. Corcoran, a committee member, after the meeting decided, on the motion of Mr W. L. Aynsley, a past president, to send a telegram to the Minister of Finance. Mr Lake. The telegram read: ‘The club deplores the present iniquitous taxation imposition on racing and trotting generally, and respectfully suggests that the Government give earnest consideration to immediate relief.” “Whatever we resolve and send in telegrams to the Minister of Finance will only become more wastepaper in his i basket,” said Mr Corcoran. “There is unity in strength, and strength in uniiy. We should stick together and an announcement come from the Racing Conference that there:

will be no racing after August 1. "There would be stamped: in the country and the Government would have to get up and do something.” he said. Mr W. A. H. Thompson, a member of the conference executive, said Mr Corcoran’s idea was the best he had heard yet, and he would raise it at the next meeting of the executive. The present taxation could cause clubs to go bankrupt, he said. Mr G. L. Tucker, keeper of : the New Zealand Stud Book, supported everything said. He said racing was a £2OO million industry, and thought the £500,000 rebate the clubs sought from the Government i was small.