IN TASMANIA.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 15 January 1917, Page 3

IN TASMANIA.

FURTHER TAX ON 'lATT'ri. The Tasmania!! Government pnoposes to take 10 per cent, of the prize money won in Tattersall's sweep, instead of the 2h per cent, which it has hitherto been satisfied, and also to collect a tax of 5d on each as ticket. As the proprietors take another 10 per cent., and the Commonwealth Government stands ready to collect its tax and super tax, the subscribing pigeon is to be plucked pretty bare. He ! is verging towards the position of the short odds layer's victims ou the racecourse, who backed three winners in three races, and said if he had had any money left he would have had another win on the fourth. What with the taxes and the promoters' profits, the .sweep-winners will soon have the privilege of paying for the game as long as their money lasts, and handing over their prizes to somebody else. No sympathy is wasted on them here (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph). But to cap the anomaly of it all, the whole business is illegal. In this .State it is an offence to even be in 'possession of a sweep ticket. Yet there is no harm in winning a prize, since the Courts are frequently called upon to settle disputes between joint ticket holders about the division of the illegal gain. The Federal Government, will not carry a letter through the post which contains an application for a ticket, but if the man draws a prize it will be down on him for its share in the shape of income tax. Is it not time that something was done to make the various Governments look less ridicluous in connection with this matter. But perhaps the present laction of Tasmania will have that effect. It has been living largely on the golden eg« laid by the Tattersali goose ,and now it: is proposing to kill the foolish bird.