N.Z. Government Like the Ostrich

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1064, 30 August 1930, Page 12

N.Z. Government Like the Ostrich

ATTITUDE TO RACING A SYDNEY VIEW Racing carries a burden of taxation unequalled by any other sport or pastime, records a Sydney writer. Governments, when in doubt as to where to turn for extra revenue, invariably fix a greedy eye on racing. The latest Government to put an extra burden on racing is that of New Zealand. They have decided that the totalisator investments are to be taxed another 2~ per cent. Naturally the clubs are protesting - , and th© chairman of the Racing Conference, in a dignified telegram to th© Prim© Minister, has stated the case of th© racing authorities. He lias pointed out that the extra tax, which now makes the sum deducted for taxation 3s 4d in the pound, will cause a decline in totalisator investments, and consequently defeat the object of the new measure. New Zealand race clubs, like Australian racing institutions, are going through a difficult period, and the present time is not the time to add to their burdens. Really the New Zealand Government is ostrich-like in its attitude toward betting and racing, it will not allow the publication of totalisator dividends, and all the newspapers can do to inform the public how the various runners in races are backed is to number off th© runners in the order in which they are fancied by backers. Get It In The Neck Bookmakers in New Zealand abound, but when they are caught they are dealt with much more drastically than in Australia. The other day the Chief Justice of the Dominion sentenced a man guilty of betting to nine months’ imprisonment. At present there is a Gaming Bill on the business paper of the Parliament of New Zealand that, if passed, would correct many racing anomalies. One of the clauses of the Bill makes provision for the telegraphing of money to race meetings for investment on the totalisator. The racing administrators are In favour of the idea, as not only would it direct much more money through the machine, and consequently increase the percentage taken by the clubs from totalisator investments, but it would also do away with a good deal of betting at present done with bookmakers. A Four-edged Sword Th© New Zealand "Referee” hits the nail on the head when it says; "By removing the restriction on the telegraphing of investments to race meetings the Government will be wielding

a four-edged sword. It will result in greater revenue to the Post and Telegraph Department, increased receipts lo the Treasury from the totalisator, the clubs will correspondingly benefit from the bigger scale of investments, and much of th© money which is at present invested in illegal channels will be diverted to the totalisator, causing many of the small-fry bookmakers to go out of the business.”

One of th© chief objections to this scheme being adopted is that ordinary telegraph business would be delayed by th© flush of racing telegrams. However, th© Telegraph Department says that such would not be the case. It could handle the increased business and welcome it.

As Mr. Stevens, the New South Wales Treasurer, is looking for revenue, it would not be a bad plan if th© New Zealand idea was adopted in this State.

Of course, the State Government would not benefit from the post office business, as the P.M.G.’s Department is tho concern of the Commonwealth Government, but nothing is more certain than that the totalisator investments would increase, which would mean increased revenue for the Government, and free the police officers at present engaged in tracking down snide bookmakers to be engaged on matters of much more public importance.