Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 7 January 1929, Page 4

It is perhaps not surprising to hear the voice of complaint again as to the overburdening weight dl tlie racing taxation. The taxation was increase:! substantially at the time of the war period to help the country, and this notwithstanding that the clubs did handsomely spontaneously in contributing to the patriotic funds. The war ceased a decade ago, hut the taxation in the main remains. It is not only the clubs which are a fleeted, hut. also those owners who carry on the sport, and the public who by their patronage provide the wherewithal to • '‘c meetings. As things ingoing the clubs are merely collecting machines with the privilege and obligation of Kinking up any deficiency if the incomings and outgoings tail to balance. The clubs collect Irco ol cost a very large sum of money for the (iovernment, and this must he paid over promptly, irrespective of whether the meeting has panned but profitably, and the club is able to meet its other obligations in the ways of stakes and the cost to conduct the meeting. It is net an enviable position with declining iotalisator returns whence --oniics the chiot source of club income towards stakes. The decline has been rather pronounced ol late, and is a very disturbing factor. A severe cheek in that direction must qualify the enterprise oil the* clubs in the matter of stakes, and that in ,tiirn will mean a loss ol owners and a decline' in entries. The sport will suffer in consequence. and the public interest and support will be in turn a fleeted. elall the time. Hie incidence of the ta» iif.jon is maintained. In other directions Government has met difficult situations, but there is no real efiort to reduce the taxation which is killing sport. In the end ,'tlie (lovernment revenue must decline by sheer force of circumstances, unless the position is met. The former (lovernment so far as .fair words were concerned, realised and admitted the position, but there was nothing clone to buck up ihe obvious conclusions which Ministers reached. There is n new set of Ministers in office now. and it remains to be seen whether they will bo more logical in their attitude towards the welfare of the sport which augments the public revenue so greatly. ( nloss something practical is done, tlioio is the four that old established sporting e'j„l,K in both Islands will be affected, and will have to go out of the game. Vucli a contingency must have an adverso effect on owners too, and the moi't generally will become rather seriously menaced. .In Ml the. circumstances the tiniw' is cpiite ripe lor a review of the taxation and in the general overhaul of the public aclmiiiistralmn the new (lovernment should take up this matter also.