"RIOT OF GAMBLING"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2664, 8 January 1916, Page 15

"RIOT OF GAMBLING"

RECENT RACING '■'AT A TIME FOR ECONOMY" The following is an editorial from tho "Otago Daily Times":— "It has been noticeablo that at sonio of the race meetings during tho holiday season which is now over tho "investments" on the totalisator liavo been smnller than they were at the corresponding meeting twelve months , ago. Tho increases- that have been recorded at other meetings probably, however, balance the shrinkages that have occurred. The aggregate amount which visitors to the meetings liavo been content to speculate on the chances of the races is, in any case, exceedingly impressive. Wo liavo compiled a list, which is not purported to be complete, two or three meeting being omitted from it, to shjow tho extent to which a section of tho public of Sow Zealand has indulged in a riot of gambling during the holidays. Tho 6 list comprises no meetings that were held, fc boforo December 27, so that it represents | tho results of a week's racing in the' Do- | minion. It shows that the amounts in- g vested at twenty-threo meetings during | that brief period totalled ,£831,786 10s., as S follows- I | Auckland Racing Club 236,1b1i | Manawatu Jockey Club 84,83-1 0 Auckland Trotting Club 65,592 % Stratford Racing Club 33,861 S Wnirarapa Racing Club 39,325 Canterbury Park Trotting Club #,646 Marton Jockey Club 41,052 Taranaki. Jockey Club 26,648* DunetUn Jockey Club 35,075 e Hawke's Bay Jockey Club 3-1,350 S Southland Racing Club 20,690 North Otago Jockey Club 24,420 Thames Jockey Club 19,671 Gro.vmouth Trotting Club 16,860 Ashburton Trotting Club 14,133 i "Westport Trotting Club 11,500 Goro Trotting Club , ' 10,807 Greymoutk Jockey Club 0,925 i Reefton Jockey Club 9,291

Wyndham Racing Club 9,lia Waikouaiti Racing Club 9,005 Taratahi-Carterton Eacing Club 8,923 Porangahau Jockey Club 3,021 A conservative estimate of the "invostments" at the meeting 9 which liavo not been included in tho above tafcle will bring the total to .£850,000 or more. The figures ore illustrative, of course, of tho prosperity that is being enjoyed by - tho Dominion—a prosperity .for which weave indebted to tho might of tho British Navy. But tho moralist, and not only tho moralist, may find in 'them an evidence of extravagance and wastlcfulness at a time when cconomy is the policy that should be observed by all prudent people. The figures furnish, moreover, a' fresh taxable margin in the country. A hitherto -undetected virtue has lately been discovered in taxation. It is tho virtue that taxation inay be advantageously used to enforce economy. Tho Government wiE have to levy fresh taxation to meet ihe- burdens which; tho war has imposed on the_ country. And the financial condition of tho Dominion Is such that it can well stand the extra taxation which it will have to meet;