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TAXATION1 OF BETTING IN GERMANY The white mans burden of taxation is beini severely felt on the continent Germany was the first country to discover u source of revenue from the turf and the heavy impost levied on sport bus whetted the appetite of other governments without consideration us to the conditions such a policy would have on those who had embarked their capital iu the grand national industry of horse breeding Franco lias l oen the first country to take alarm and the extra percentage suggested for the benefit of localities where racing takes place is strongly opjMjsed by tho Consultative Commission apjiointcd by the government to express the opinions of snorts men and breeders whose ranks have been thinned by the inability to speculate in a sporting fashion on events to come comeMunicipalities Municipalities have joined iu tho desire to raise funds from the turf and the balance sheet of the Hamburg Sport Club shows the result The muni ¬ cipality taxed wliat was considered as a Lnstbar keit or imusomont The club elected to pay the tax instead of levying an extra percentage on its patrons at the gate and the result of such mistaken generosity is represented by a loss of o25O The Austrian Jockey Club will hold a meeting of all concerned in the proposition of the Minister of Finance to tux racing the bookmaker and the totalisator Invitations have been sent out to members of the Austrian Parliament the different memters of the Budget Committee as well as the Ministers of War Finance and Agriculture to meet the leading breeders and owners for the pur ¬ pose of discussing the many questions which must of niHessity arise in the event of atiy tax being imiMJsed An elaborate memorandum has been sub ¬ mitted by the Austrian Jockey Club to the Finance Committee showing that the flourishing condition1 of racing noy existing would be ruined by such a tax as that proposed Hungary proposedHungary has no intention of following the ex ¬ ample of Austria by taxing racing or those who keep the pot boiling and the Austrian Trotting So ¬ ciety whoso tracks at Vienna and Baden aro well patronized offers to throw in its lot with the Jockey Club The latter body intimates in its note to the Austrian Parliament that If the government insists on the proposition of the Budget Commission and imposes the suggested tax on bookmakers and the totalisator there will be an end of racing in Austria as its revenue will not permit the same in ¬ ducements to be offered breeders and owners to show their colors Consequently should the bill be passed by the Legislature there will be au end of sport on KottingbruunLaudable the Freudenau and at Kottingbruun Laudable precautions are being taken by the Jockey Club of Austria and that of Hungary against the spread of any Infectious disease A few months ago notices were sent out to trainers informing them of certain training quarters where horses were coughing or suffering from influenza Now the at ¬ tention of trainers has boon called to the risks in ¬ curred by using padded horse boxes for transport by rail Most of theni have been stripped of their lining and in Austria and Hungary there exists at tho moment a mutual understanding for the travel ¬ ing vans vansTile Tile Roumanian journals announce that cross ¬ country sport is at a discount with the Jockey Club at Bucharest and that the steeplechases and hurdle races have been transformed Into events on the fiat owing to tho absence of a sufficient numter of candidates for the illegitimate business The Roumanian Derby with 8000 added is fixed for May 25 and the Jockey Club Stakes will be decided a week later laterAccording According to the Hungarian papers Gouyernant which has been iiisiirett for the past nine years was not covered at the time of his death The pre miunt for tho current year was not paid and the previous annuities amounting to some 50000 repre ¬ sent a loss when written off against the covering foes received on his account as well as on that of his purchase price
