Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, 1891. The Totalisator Tax.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 3 September 1891, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 3, 1891. The Totalisator Tax.

« Much interest amongst those connected with Racing Clubs is felt a*s to the effect the Government tax of one and a half per cent, will have upon the funds of these bodies. We are glad, through the information supplied to us by one who is thoroughly conversant with the subject, to be able to set the minds of all these gentlemen at rest. It is clear by the alterations made that the Clubs will hardly notice the tax, as it has been so arranged that the winners will pay. We may state that at the Conference of the Metropolitan Jockey Clubs held in Wellington in July certain additions and amendments were made to the Rules of Racing, and clause 21 provides " if any State tax be levied upon the investments in the Totalisator, the amount of the tax on the total for each race shall be first deducted therefrom, and. the commission often per cent be computed upon the balance." As an example, we shall suppose that £800 was on the machine on a race, and that 65 were on the winner, in the old method £30 would be deducted from the £800, leaving £270 to be divided between the 65 winners, which would give them a dividend of £4 Bs. With the tax in force there would be the one and a half per cent on the £300, equalling M 10s first deducted, making the machine money £295 10s, from which the ten per cent would be deducted, which would then leave £265 19s to be divided between the 65 winners, which would give them £4 Is each, making the loss only two shillings each. As regards the winners they naturally are those who will the least miss the tax. With regard as lo the effect on a club we cannot do better than accept our local clubs'

Summer Meeting for an example At that meeting they put through £2001 and they received from the Totalisator £167 10s at the eight per cent of the takings; under the ta* the;' would receive iUdU, the amount of the tax oil the total heing £31 8s Whibk would be found as follows :— by the winners £28 Gs by the club £2 10s by the Totalisatov twelve shillings. The tax will therefore ,£ause no loss in revenue to the Clubs and by this arrangement those, the winners, who will least cavil at a reduction, are made to find it-. Gui ; regret now is, that the t&x daMei on, will be swamped into the general revenue instead of being allowed to go towards lightening the expenses of our hospitals and charitable fo, stitutious.

Mr Jellicoe appeared at the B.M< Court yesterday, nattiral'y therefore there was a sfiene-. Mr Russell was witness when Mf Jellied asked him 80riie absurd and unneccessary questions with a view apparently of testing the creditability of the strength of his memory. Air Russell objecting caused Mr Jellicoe to descend to impertinent and insulting questions which brought corresponding answers. We regret that the R. M . ruled that witness was not licensed to reply in the same manner that counsel was licensed to ask. It is time such abuse was put down with a strong hand.

On Tuesday a small fire occurred at Wa'den's mill which fortunately only resu'ted in the scutcher being burnt.

Messrs Stevens & Gorton's stock sale at Bulls will be held on Tuesday next.

The concert to-morrow night promises to be a great success. Many new performers will take part and many novelties will be introduced, We hope a good attendance will repay them for the trouble they have taken.

Messrs Bichter, Nannestad & Co, expect to have their new machinery in thorough working order by the end of next week, say the Manawatu Times. Some idea of the amount of machinery can be gathered from the fact that eight or nine men have been constantly engaged for the past six weeks putting it together.

It is now definitely understood in Wellington that Sir George Grey has offered, and will not accept, the Agent-Generalship, but that Mr Perceval is to be Sir Dillon Bell's successor.

The Standard says :— Mr H. Bryant, of Ohariu Valley, has purchased the farm from Mr Griffiths formerly owned by Mr T. Edwards, on the Napier road, for £17 an acre, an advance of £3 an acre on the price paid a short time ago.

The costs in the Arini Donnelly v. Broughton case, in which the plaintiff was unsuccessful in her appeal to the Privy Council, amount to upwards of £20,000.

The Manawatu Times says :— The compensation case McPherson v. Horowhenua County Council, was heard at Shannon on Saturday. We are informed that by the award of Mr J. Linton, the arbitrator, Mr McPherson's claim was sustained, the Council to pay costs.

Murdoch MoKenzie, who was at one time overseer to the Masterton Road Board, has been arrested on a charge of forging the names of several contractor?; to vouchera of the Board. It is said the alleged oll'ences have been going on for S.me months, and were detected by the Government Auditor, who instituted the proceedings. Accused was charged at the R.M. Court on Monday, and was remanded till Monday next. It is thought some sensational disclosures will be made at the hearing of the case.

It is reported in Paris that Mdle. Sarah Bernhardt is negotiating with Messrs Spreckles, of San Francisco, for the purchase of the steamer Mariposa, and that she proposes to make a theatrical tour of the world.

The Queen of Eoumania (Carmen Sylva), who sustained a para'ytic stroke recently, is reported to be worse, and her condition is such as to cause her friends a deal of anxiety.

An Italian officer has been arrested for spying about the ports of France.

Captain Fairchild, a tough old salt, whose every hair is a ropeyam. and whose blood is pure Stockholm tar, and who ably commands New Zealand's war fleet of on 1 ! . small steamer, and commands her well, has just been hauled over the coals by a gang of land-lubbers, who don't know the difference between the main brace and the poop downhaul, because he chose to_ cross Grey--1 mouth bar when he, the skipper of the Hinemoa and the responsible person* thought it fit and proper to cross the bar. Now we do not object to a lot of irresponsible busy bodies and agitators governing the Government and running the country generally, because we know that, if these bush-lawyers are only given rope enough and time enough, they will most inevitably hang themselves and be relegated to that cavernous obscurity whence they should never have emerged. But we do most decidedly protest against these people who, if left five minutes in charge of a vessel, would sink her, running the navy of this nation, more especially when that navy consists of one small steamer with whooping cough in her boilers. If Captain Faivchild does not know how and when to run the Hinemoa, there is no man in New Zealand can teach him. But this attempted interference with the bluff old skipper is only part and parcel of the idiotic system of topsy-turvydom which now obtains — and will obtain until we come to our senses again— in New Zealand. It i? a crime for any man to have a will or soul of his own. But this state of things can't last. It is only a brief, summer madness. — Catholic Times.

Yesterday morning Mr Wilson's buggy was standing outside one of the stores in this town aud near it unattended, Mr Mitchell's three horse team and dray. Something caused the horses to make a move and they turned towards the footpath and in doing so caught the hind wheel of the buggy, breaking it and twisting the axle. It is about the third piece of damage this team has done within a few mouths. . The owner will probably note it. Mr "WMiam Hutchison, M.H.R , paid a visit to Foxton yesterday. We were glad to see him looking so weil. He anpears to hold the most advanced news of the labour party. He returned to Wellington this morning. \ The Returning Officer anno\inces\ the return of the three members of the Borough Council.

Mr Graham, of the Ajax mill, requires tenders for cutting and carting ten tons of green flax a day. The programme for the concert to. morrow night appears elsewhere.

THERE IS ONE THING every house wife should know, and that is that Hercules Baking Powder is the best. Why ? It is the cheapess because the Best format* ng breads, pastry, cakes, puddings, scones &c. Beautifully light and wholesome in Cd and Is tins. From all grocers. •

The Manawatu County Council call for tenders for maintenance of all the^main metalled roads, reforming 113 chains Taipo-Awahuri road, and leasing of tne Shannon ferry for one or two years.

The girl Lucy Waluen found guilty of larceny at the Supreme Court has been admitted on| probation, her uncle having undertaken to look after her.

Many will no doutJt recum? 4 a .t' ? ne time 4 months was considered a good passage from the old country to New Zealand, but in me early days of the colony six months was about the usual period : Hdw everything has altered since that time) even in the length of passages; Mr 'June's Smith, W Te- AW Httase 1 , Wellington, left Wellington in November last and even by the round about Suez route was timed to be in London within 50 days* During his stay in London he personally supervised all the buying for our present Spring season. That he understood our requirements goes without saying, and that he would manifest taste and judgment in selecting is equally true. The result is the magnificent display of Spring Fashions we are now making at Te Aro House, Wellington.

Just now we are too busy opening up our new Spring Goods, coming to hand by every steamer, to enter into details. This we shall do in a subsequent issue of this paper. We may, however, say that for quantity, excellence, value, variety, no previous spring exhibition has ever equalled the present one at Te Aro House, Wellington. Our country friends should if possible, pas us an early visit, or we will forward patterns of our new spring goods, free by post, on application to James Smith, Te Aro House, Wellington. The annual stock-taking sale at the Bon Marche, Paimerston Worth, is now on. Visitors to .Paimerston are requested to inspect the bargains iv every department. Millinery, mantles, ulsters, household drapery, ken's and Boy's clothing, all at clearing prices at the Bon Marche, Palmerstou North. Robs & Sandford.