SPORTING.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1925, Page 2

SPORTING.

The Canterbury District Committee in its judgment disqualifying Hector Gray lor lile, held that he had corruptly offered a share in a bet to a. trainer, its ail inducement to him to scratch Itis hor.se for the Fendalton Handicap tit the G.J.G. .Spring .Meeting. Although the names were not mentioned, it is understood that the trainer was T. Quinlivnn. and the horse Air Erie Kiddtlord’s Royal Divorce. In the race it will he remembered that Royal Divorce, t ridden by R. Reed, was unexpectedly beaten hy a head by Deucalion. ( ashman (P. Keene) anti Lord Ashlea (A. G. Campbell) were mates in a schooling task over the country Riceartou on Thursday morning, (.ashman tirst of all jumped the brush doiinie alone, and screwed at e-eli fence, but went over the sod wall well with Lord „ Ashlea, then over the next two brush femes, at the last of which Lord Ash: ran oil. The West Coaster afterwards ‘ . | jumped the fence, and was then taken round alone for another circuit. Ho fenced ntm-h better, but did not litno any pace nil. t astellau was taken twite over the pony hurdles at Riceartou Thursday and gave the impression that he should make good in this department of racing. North Inch (P. Keene) and Grim Joke (J. 1 il'Oii) did a fast round over tile schooling hurdles at Riceartou on Thursday. Grim Joke hit the iirstfence all round but finished up att easywinner over the last. The Chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club stated at the annual meeting:- I say, without hesitation, that the Government should surrender, for the good of the sport, some portion of the mney it takes from the racing community. The dividend tax alone now produces double the whole revenue from the totalisator tax a few years ago. If the Government would

remit to the club* the 2} per cent, on the first £20.09(1 of each day's turnover. it would put the small clubs on their feet and give a tremendous lift to honest sport. This would mean giving up about £BOO a day, or £90,000 a year, a- good deal of which could go direct to stakes, but the Governin' n would still lie derivng some half-a-mil--1 ii hi in various ways from the racing public against which the general community [lays no equivalent,. To make the position plain, I may say that front every £IOO put into the totalisator. the State retains £2 ]«s totalisator tax, i'-t IDs dividend tax, and 7s 6d stakes tax. total ,C 77s od. To the best of iny belief there is no parallel in the. world to this exaction. The levies of the State of .Monte Carlo are nothing to it. The only certain winner at a race meeting is the Government which take* an average of £ln<)o a day out of every day's racing, great end small. Racegoers do not object to the 5 per cent.. dividend tax. but they want ail I are entitled to. a fair run for theiJ money. The best insurance against crooked running is it good stake to run for, \\ e are also entitled to expect the Government to assist us by enforcing its own laws suppressing bookmakers. A State which legalises and profits by tlie totalisator. outlaws bookmakers, vet permits them the use ef telegraph and telephones while denviiur the same to the racerottress is surely suggestion of Bedlam.