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MILLER BILL IS ALL RIGHT CANADIAN RACING LAW LAXILY ADMINIS-TERED OR IT WOULD BE SATISFACTORY. Measure Can Not Work Itself but Provides Proper Restrictions for Sport When Rightly Enforced — Past Season a Successful One, By Francis Nelson. Toronto. Out., Can.. January 7. — The reference which followed his death last summer to the late Henry Horton Miller. M. P.. as "the author of the Miller bill, which is responsible for the multiplication of race courses in Canada" was inaccurate in more respects than one. Mr. Millei was not "the author" of the bill that became law, and which recognized as legal all forms of wagering on a race course, within certain limitations. He brought into parliament a measure which provided the severest penalties for every form of wagering, on or off a race course, and under which the publisher of a newspaper which carried a cable report that the kings horse was the Derby favorite would be sent to jail for twelve months. Its very extravagance obviated any possibility that it would ever become law. Mr. Miller knew nothing whatever of racing, and his experience was confined to such as he might mi- at the fall fairs in his neighboorhood. The bill was placed in his hands by other interests, possibly keeaass of his lack of knowledge on the subject. In the end. Mr. Miller came back with a bill that placed the necessary legal safeguards about the speculation incident on racing, and provided a reasonable limit for the time that might be devoted to racing on any one .track. If all the results flowing from that legislation have not been good the responsibility is not to be laid on the Miller bill, nor is any new legislation required to attain its object, which was to permit racing under proper restrictions and safeguards, and establish the sjwirt on the permanent basis it has in all parts of the British Empire. Lax Administration to Blame. It is true that we have too many race courses, in fnme parts of Canada, and the protection of the Miller bill is invoked for them, but that is because of laxity in administration. While the making of the criminal law of Canada is a federal matter, its enforcement lies with the provincial authorities, and I have no hesitation in saying that a strict scrutiny of the alleged powers and rights of certain clubs that are conducting race courses in Ontario and Quebec would result in lessening their number. The Miller bill is all right, but it will not work itself, and liw can be blamed for untoward consequences so long as it is not actively and thoroughly en f creed. With the race courses now looked to as sources of considerable revenue for the provincial treasurers in war time, there is less likelihood than iver of any obstacles being set up in those quarters. Nevertheless, the probability of additional courses during the coming year is small. The Thorncliffe proposition, it is stated here, has fallen through because of inability to raise the necessary capital in the face of the storm of opposition the new venture had to count on. The licensing regulations adopted by the Quebec government are likely to curb the "shoe-string" promotions in the Montreal neighborhood that have formed the greatest menace to the well-being of the sport in Canada. Minister Whites Proposal. Our legislators are not keen to meddle with racing affairs, and while this commendable spirit prevails at other times it is still stronger during the war. Horst nieii are a panicky lot. and see many troubles that never occur, hence while this and that form of legislation affecting racing is talked of, iry little is likely to come of the talk. Perhaps the most probable outcome is a proposal by the Dominion minister of finance. Sir Thomas White, to limit the dividends to be paid on race course shares to ten per cent, or even seven per ci nt. the surplus to go to the general, or patrotic funds. Such a measure w;ould strike at the very root of the undesirable racing promotions in Canada, but it would work out well enough for the horsemen, who might expect an all-round increase of purses if the profits were not all to go to the owners. It must not be thought, however, that the tracks are not already doing very well for the provincial and Dominion treasuries. They pay a war tax of ten pi r cent for each admission, a daily license fee in Ontario of £1.250. and twenty-five per cent of all profits over seven per cent. The past seasoi was one of the most remarkably Mieeessfiil in the history of the Canadian turf, and there seems no reason to expect any different outcome of next seasons campaign. It has its ills and its troubles, but is on pretty firm foundations, and so long as there is a disposition within itself to icmedy those ills its future seems assured.
