COUNTRY RACING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1807, 21 July 1913, Page 5

COUNTRY RACING.

THE DEMAND FOR DAYS.

PRIVATE BILL TO HAVE A CHANCE,

THE RACING TAX.

More racing days for country clubs and revision, of tlio raoing tax were asked for by a deputation, representing the Country Racing Clubs' Confeience, which, was introduced to tlio Hon. W. F. Massoy (Prime Minister) on Saturday by Mr. T. W. Rhodes, member for Thames. Mr. A. Bruce, who was the first speaker, said that Mr. Wilford's Gaming Amendment Bill practically embodied, the provisions of Mr. Hunter's Bill, introduced lust year, but also went further. At present there wero supposed "to be 250 racing days in the year, but if ten clubs held' meetings on one day it counted as ten days. Mr. Wilford's Bill proposed that there should be 250 specific racing days in, the year, and stipulated that, in tlio distribution of additional permits, preforenco should be given to those clubs whoso lioenses wero not renewed or which had thejr number of racing days reduced, in accordance with the report of tlio coinmission appointed, under the Gaming Amendment Act of 1910. Another provision was tlilat after these clubs had been provided, for ten permits for one-day meetings might I* granted to registered hunt clubs, no hunt club to receive more than one such permit annually. If tlio alterations wore made the country clubs would bo restored to their original position. Country racing oluhs provided suitable grounds for football, golf, and agricultural shows. In the absence of the racing clubs those sports .would have to be provided for otherwise, and in tlio country districts it would bo scarcely possible. Mi. Brace emphasised the point that the country raco meeting ivos rather a popular picnic than nn assemblage for tlio purpose of gambling. If the Bill did not go through, ho said, they would have to ask tho Government" to make a redistribution of permits. Tho Pacing Commission had favoured certain clubs. One-day clubs like Ash'lrarst, which had given large prizes, had been wii>ed out, while larger clubs had been allowed to retain their original position. Apparently tho idea had been to tako all tho money away from ono day clubs and give it to five-day clubs. Ho did not nsk that the Government 6liould take up the Bill, but did ask that it should give it fair-play. They asked tho Prime Minister to look upon the Bill with favour, and if he could give it a pushi along lie would confer a, very great favour on country people. Mr. E. W. Allison (Auckland), Mr. W. H. Booth, representing tho Taratahi-Car-terton Club. Mr. A. W. Trass, and Major Lusk (Te Kuiti) also spoke. Burdensome Taxation. Mr. Bruce said that another question which the deputation had been instructed to lay before the Prime Minister was that of the racing tax. This impost was collected on tho gross proceedings of a ineeting instead of upon the profits, and was unfair in principle. The result was that some clubs that would otherwiso show a profit made a loss. Racing clubs wero the only institutions in Now Zealand that had to pay taxation upon the gross proceeds instead of on profits. The injustico was particularly felt by tho smaller clubs. Ho knew of one ', club which had lost JiGO on a meeting as a result of the Government tax. Mr. Alison said that the clubs werenot opposed to reasonable taxation of racing, but they were entirely onposcd to taxation on gross revenue,' whether they had mado a profit or not. PREMIER IN REPLY. ■ i POSITION OF PRIVATE BILLS. The Prime Minister, in replying, said that Mr. Hunter's Bill, in I lie previous session, had been unfortunate in getting into such a position on the Order Paper that it was quite impossible for it to cGino up. Mr. Alison's experience would bear him out in this—that it was the easiest thing in the world for a private member to lose his position on the Order Paper. Mr.-Hunter's Bill, the Prime Minister continued, was in. o> particularly good position on tho Order Paper a fewdays ago, but owing to the fact that the Address-in-Reply debate had lasted over Thursday that good position had been lost. Comparatively speaking, Mr. Hunter's Bill was still in a good position, because it had been brought in early. The same applied to Mr. 'Wilford's Bill. The Order Paper, the Prime Minister added, was not under tho control of the Government, so far as private Bills were concerned. Tt was arranged by the Clerk of tho llou.se under tlio Standing Orders. It was possible, of course, for Die Government to interfere with private members' day by bringing on some urgent business on that day. lie wanted - to ninko it perfectly clear that the Government would place no difficulty in tho way of the House expressing ail opinion on ono of the Bills Ixfore it which aimed at increasing the number of permits. There was every chance, he thought, of one of tho Bills coming up for its second reading, so that a division could be. taken upon it. Further than this he could not go, except to say that he had received so many comm timical ions from country, racing clubs conducting onedav meetings that he was satisfied that a certain amount of hardship had been inflicted upon them by the reduction in tho number of permits. The prinoiplo of I lie taxation imposed on racing clubs at present might not be right, but Mri Alison would know, from his Parliamentary experience, that it was very much easier to get a Bill through the House imposing taxation than taking it off. Ho would convey their representations on tho subject to (lie Minister for Finance, but it was only right to (ell them that lie did not think thrre was much chance of any chance in tho incidence of taxation being made this session, so far as.racing clubs were concerned. Mr. Bruno thanked the Prime Minister for receiving tho deputation.